Turquoise Parrot

Found in open grassy woodlands and grasslands of southeastern Australia, this small parrot forages close to the ground among tussocks and low vegetation, often feeding on grass seeds with quiet, unobtrusive movements that make it easy to overlook. Look for the brilliant turquoise-blue face and wing patch of the male catching the light as birds flush low across open ground, and listen for soft, high-pitched twittering calls that betray their presence before you spot them. Spring and early summer offer the best opportunities, when pairs are active around nesting sites — typically hollow limbs or spouts in dead eucalypts — and males are conspicuous during courtship displays in the early morning hours.