Colourization Adult: C.d. diophthalma: male-red lores, forehead and forecrown, with orange/yellow band at hindcrown; blue above and in front of eye; red cheeks; red ear coverts, bordered underneath by lilac/blue stripe; inner wing coverts edged orange/red; pale yellow wide underwing bands. Bill pale grey with black near tip. Eye dark brown. Female-as in male but with buff/brown cheeks. C.d. coccineifrons: both adults darker in general, especially the red on the face and inner wing coverts; broader more pronounced orange/yellow band on hindcrown. C.d. aruensis: male-more green/blue above and in front of eye; lilac/blue band below cheek extending to chin; orange/yellow band on hindcrown diminished or absent; more yellow/green upperparts. Female-red on face absent, replaced by pale blue; orange/yellow band at hindcrown absent. C.d. virago: male-paler red on crown and cheeks; blue around eye area absent; lilac/blue band below cheek reduced to spot. Female-red spot on centre of blue forehead; green face, lilac/blue bands below cheeks absent. C.d. inseparabilis: both adults face all green with red spot in middle of forehead. C.d. marshalli: male-as in aruensis, but darker blue above and in front of eye and without green tinge; smaller in size. Female-as in aruensis, but deep violet/blue on forehead and forecrown; smaller in size. C.d. macleayana: male-red on centre of forehead, lower cheeks out to ear coverts; remainder of face blue, being darker on sides of forehead and paler with green tinge around eyes. Female-as in male but buff/brown on lower cheeks to ear coverts. C.d. coxeni: both adults blue in centre of forehead; red feathers on lores and sides of forehead at base of bill; above and in front of eye bright yellow/green; red on lower cheeks to ear coverts, bordered beneath by lilac/blue band; larger in size. Colourization Juvenile: C.d. diophthalma: as in adult female. C.d. coccineifrons: as in adults. C.d. aruensis: as in adult female. C.d. virago: as in adult female. C.d. inseparabilis: as in adults. C.d. marshalli: as in adult female. C.d. macleayana: as in adult female. Call: Voice thin and high-pitched double notes in flight, other calls chattering, twittering and high-pitched screech (alarm). Notes described as staccato and harsh. HABITAT: Found in variety of areas including rainforest, secondary growth forest, forest edge, riverine forest, occasionally dry forest and open eucalypt woodland. Australia birds are also found in parks, gardens, scrub, mangrove and cultivated areas. Found up to 1600m.
Not Threatened.
Colourization Adult: C.d. diophthalma: male-red lores, forehead and forecrown, with orange/yellow band at hindcrown; blue above and in front of eye; red cheeks; red ear coverts, bordered underneath by lilac/blue stripe; inner wing coverts edged orange/red; pale yellow wide underwing bands. Bill pale grey with black near tip. Eye dark brown. Female-as in male but with buff/brown cheeks. C.d. coccineifrons: both adults darker in general, especially the red on the face and inner wing coverts; broader more pronounced orange/yellow band on hindcrown. C.d. aruensis: male-more green/blue above and in front of eye; lilac/blue band below cheek extending to chin; orange/yellow band on hindcrown diminished or absent; more yellow/green upperparts. Female-red on face absent, replaced by pale blue; orange/yellow band at hindcrown absent. C.d. virago: male-paler red on crown and cheeks; blue around eye area absent; lilac/blue band below cheek reduced to spot. Female-red spot on centre of blue forehead; green face, lilac/blue bands below cheeks absent. C.d. inseparabilis: both adults face all green with red spot in middle of forehead. C.d. marshalli: male-as in aruensis, but darker blue above and in front of eye and without green tinge; smaller in size. Female-as in aruensis, but deep violet/blue on forehead and forecrown; smaller in size. C.d. macleayana: male-red on centre of forehead, lower cheeks out to ear coverts; remainder of face blue, being darker on sides of forehead and paler with green tinge around eyes. Female-as in male but buff/brown on lower cheeks to ear coverts. C.d. coxeni: both adults blue in centre of forehead; red feathers on lores and sides of forehead at base of bill; above and in front of eye bright yellow/green; red on lower cheeks to ear coverts, bordered beneath by lilac/blue band; larger in size. Colourization Juvenile: C.d. diophthalma: as in adult female. C.d. coccineifrons: as in adults. C.d. aruensis: as in adult female. C.d. virago: as in adult female. C.d. inseparabilis: as in adults. C.d. marshalli: as in adult female. C.d. macleayana: as in adult female. Call: Voice thin and high-pitched double notes in flight, other calls chattering, twittering and high-pitched screech (alarm). Notes described as staccato and harsh. HABITAT: Found in variety of areas including rainforest, secondary growth forest, forest edge, riverine forest, occasionally dry forest and open eucalypt woodland. Australia birds are also found in parks, gardens, scrub, mangrove and cultivated areas. Found up to 1600m.
13-16 cm. 42-55 g
Taxonomy:
- Psittacula diophthalma Hombron and Jacquinot, 1841, southern coast of New Guinea = Triton Bay. Controversy concerning application of correct genus name: junior synonym Opopsitta sometimes erroneously used. Race coxeni may be an incipient species. Eight subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * diophthalma (Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841) - W Papuan Is and W New Guinea. * aruensis (Schlegel, 1874) - Aru Is and extreme S New Guinea. * coccineifrons (Sharpe, 1882) - E New Guinea. * virago (Hartert, 1895) - Goodenough I and Fergusson I (D'Entrecasteaux Is). * inseparabilis (Hartert, 1898) - Tagula I (Louisiade Archipelago). * marshalli (Iredale, 1946) - extreme N Queensland. * macleayana E. P. Ramsay, 1874 - NE Queensland. * coxeni Gould, 1867 - SE Queensland and NE New South Wales
Found in variety of areas including rainforest, secondary growth forest, forest edge, riverine forest, occasionally dry forest and open eucalypt woodland. Australia birds are also found in parks, gardens, scrub, mangrove and cultivated areas. Found up to 1600m.
seeds principal food item; also small whole fruits, nectar, insect larvae and fungus and lichen
New Guinea: March; Australia August to November. 2 rounded eggs, 21 x 17.5mm. Quiet feeders. Outside breeding season groups gather to roost. Up to 200 birds. Alarm displays include wing flicking and agitated calls. May be in company of other fig parrots, rosellas and lorikeets.