P.p. picta: male-body mostly green; crown and surrounding area red/brown; sides of neck have thin yellow band; throat and upper breast washed with blue; mantle and back green barred with black; red rump and upper and undertail coverts; tail green. Bill blue/grey tipped with white. Eye orange. Female-as in male but yellow band on neck absent; cheeks and ear coverts green/blue; breast and sides of abdomen yellow striped with black. P.p. excelsa: male-as in picta, but crown bright olive/brown. Female-as in picta but head bright olive/brown; throat and cheeks strongly washed with blue. P.p. lorentzi: both adults as in picta but crown and surrounding area olive/brown; cheeks blue/green, with darker green on ear coverts; rump and upper tail coverts green/yellow striped with black. Colourization Juvenile: As in adult female but head brown with green edges to feathers. Call: Are described as nasal and slightly musical. Eastern birds sound harsher in tone. Err-ee note from P.p. lorentzi.
Not Threatened.
P.p. picta: male-body mostly green; crown and surrounding area red/brown; sides of neck have thin yellow band; throat and upper breast washed with blue; mantle and back green barred with black; red rump and upper and undertail coverts; tail green. Bill blue/grey tipped with white. Eye orange. Female-as in male but yellow band on neck absent; cheeks and ear coverts green/blue; breast and sides of abdomen yellow striped with black. P.p. excelsa: male-as in picta, but crown bright olive/brown. Female-as in picta but head bright olive/brown; throat and cheeks strongly washed with blue. P.p. lorentzi: both adults as in picta but crown and surrounding area olive/brown; cheeks blue/green, with darker green on ear coverts; rump and upper tail coverts green/yellow striped with black. Colourization Juvenile: As in adult female but head brown with green edges to feathers. Call: Are described as nasal and slightly musical. Eastern birds sound harsher in tone. Err-ee note from P.p. lorentzi.
19 cm. 48-60 g
Taxonomy:
- Psittacella picta Rothschild, 1896, Mount Victoria, 5000-7000 feet (c. 1500-2100 m), Owen Stanley Range, New Guinea. Three subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * lorentzi van Oort, 1910 - Snow Mts, C Irian Jaya. * excelsa Mayr & Gilliard, 1951 - montane C Papua New Guinea. * picta Rothschild, 1896 - montane SE Papua New Guinea.
Found in montane forest, glades and forest edge, stunted moss forest, secondary growth habitat, alpine and subalpine shrubs, between 2400-4000m.
Eats seeds, berries, and the fruits of Dacrydium conifers.
June-August possibly. Feed in low bushes, flying up to higher trees when startled. Generally quiet; seen singly, in pairs, or in groups up to six. Mixes with Madarasz's Tiger Parrot.