Part 1: Golden-shouldered Parrot - Searching for a return to the Golden Years - The Ant-bed Parrot.
.With fewer than 800 remaining in the world, the Golden-shouldered Parrot is a striking symbol of beauty on the brink. This is an extraordinary bird, and it desperately needs our help.
Nestled in the tropical savanna woodlands of far northern Queensland, the Golden-shouldered Parrot (Psephotus chrysopterygius) stands out with its vibrant plumage. Their feathers reveal the most striking combination of turquoise, red, black, green, greyish-brown. Their fore-crown is yellow and the top of their head is a tiny black cap. This bird is one of Australia’s most striking parrots. That’s why it stands as a powerful symbol of protecting Australian wildlife. More importantly, it highlights the urgent need for protecting the Golden-shouldered Parrot.
The Golden-shouldered Parrot is named after its bright golden-yellow shoulder patches. These markings appear on the male. They are believed to help attract a mate. The female (left in image) is primarily green with turquoise wash on face and underparts.
Photo Credit - Conservation Partners
Unlike most parrots that nest in trees, the Golden-shouldered Parrot has a unique nesting strategy: it uses termite mounds. Specifically, the parrots excavate cavities within these vacant mounds to create safe, stable nests. However, they don’t make things easy, they only like the conical termite mounds between 30-50 years old. Moreover, the mounds protect the parrots from predators. In addition, they help regulate temperature. As a result, these mounds become an ideal nesting place in the harsh Australian outback.
Inside a Golden-shouldered Parrots Home
When you take a look inside the nest, things get a little more interesting. At first glance, you may think there are termites in the nest, however these squirming creamy-white co-habitant insects are moth larvae! Their name, the Ant-bed Parrot Moth Larvae, synchronises their lifestyle with the Golden-shouldered Parrot, laying their eggs at the entry of the nest for the larvae to easily enter the nest. The larvae consume the parrots droppings, which helps keep the nest clean.
Habitats & Feeding
Now, while parrots may snack on some larvae, the Golden-shouldered Parrot strongly prefers native grasses. It particularly favors those found in the savannas and woodlands of northern Australia, such as Cockatoo Grass. It feeds on seeds from these grasses, which makes it an important player in the health of these ecosystems. The health of the grasslands directly affects its survival.
Feeding in these open grasslands also forms an important role in their protection from predators (of which there are many and we will dive a little deeper into this in our next article). These open areas mean that they can see a predator coming and will be able to flee to safety. With these grasslands disappearing due to the thickening of the woodlands, means they can be easily snuck up on and ambushed.
Photo Credit - Conservation Partners
The Golden-shouldered Parrot is classified as endangered. There are only around 770 individuals left in the wild, primarily due to habitat destruction, invasive species, and predation. Conservation efforts are underway to protect their native habitat and reduce threats.
Our friends at Conservation Partners do an amazing job in their conservation efforts, and in our next edition of this Avian Journal series we will explore the amazing work they do to protect this magnificent parrot.
