The next group contains some inland parrots. The "Bulloak," or "Blue Bonnet," is a beautiful bird, and is common on inland plains. It has a brownish-olive back and a gray chest. The bright, blue cheeks, forehead, and shoulder, red abdomen, and light yellow base to tail present a striking appearance. Its vernacular name—Yellow-vented Parrakeet—has now been altered to Blue Bonnet Parrot.
The Many-colored Parrot, with its large yellow shoulder patch, is a glory. It is, indeed, difficult to imagine a more beautiful bird as it flies about in the bright Mallee sunshine. The Red-backed Parrot is the common "Grass Parrot" of country dwellers. Large flocks of these birds are to be seen on the inland plains. The female is much plainer than her gaudy mate. This is unusual amongst parrots; for, as the work of sitting on the eggs is done in a hollow tree under good shelter, there is apparently no reason why the female should be plainer than the male, and in most parrots she is equally pretty.
The brownish female offers a strong contrast to her more brightly coloured mate, which is immediately distinguished by the large red patch on the back. (The Many-colored Parrot has a much smaller red patch on the back, near the base of the tail.)
The seven small Grass-Parrots (Neophemas) are amongst the most beautiful of parrots. These birds have become so rare that the South Australian Government has wisely placed them on the totally-protected list. Bird trappers formerly exported numbers to Europe each year. These rare Parrots are said to be worth about £7 each as cage birds.
We found the rare Rock Parrot nesting in the edges and hollows of a tiny travertine-limestone island (Goat Island) in an inlet at the eastern end of the Great Australian Bight. The eggs were laid on the bare earth, often within two or three feet of high-tide mark. The whole island was less than an acre in extent, and at no point was ten feet above high-tide level. Many similar islands on the Australian coast have not yet been explored ornithologically, so we do not know what matters of interest are awaiting us.
The next bird, the Swift-flying Lorikeet, is a honey feeder, like the first four Parrots (Lorikeets) mentioned. It is often found with them, and was common all the winter, and is common now in a clump of flowering gums outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It has given scientists much trouble as to its correct name and position. It can be distinguished from the "Green Keets" by having scarlet under the wings.
The beautiful and affectionate little Budgerigar (Warbling Grass Parrot), or Love Bird, has many names. It is migratory, and sometimes appears in thousands, though it may not be seen again for years. It is a favorite cage bird, and breeds as freely as caged canaries, so it is well-known in Europe.
The last two Parrots are ground birds, which never perch or climb. It was feared that the Ground Parrot was extinct, but it is seen occasionally in the National Park at Wilson's Promontory. The Night Parrot is better called the Western Ground Parrot. It is found amongst the Spinifex (Triodia) scrub of the interior.
Though Parrots are essentially "climbers," having the suitable arrangement of two toes in front and two behind, it is interesting to learn of these two Australian Parrots which cannot perch or climb. The Parrot's foot is of interest, further, in so far as it is used as a hand, and the food is held in it while being eaten. The powerful bill not only serves to reduce its food to powder, but also assists in climbing. It is sometimes amusing to note the "absurd caution," and great deliberation with which a parrot climbs down in his cage to pick up some dainty.
Possessing no less than 76 kinds of Parrots and Cockatoos, Australians should be alive to their privileges as contrasted with the dwellers of northern lands, where Parrots do not live. They should insist on the proper protection of these beautiful and wonderful birds.