Red-Rumped Parrot Care Sheet

Scientific Facts

Common Name:	Red-Rumped Parrot
Scientific Name:	Psephotus haematonotus
Life Span:	15-32 years
Size:	11 inches
Habitat:	Grasslands and farmlands
Country of Origin:	South-eastern and other parts of Australia

Overview

This Red Rump Parakeet is also called the Red-rumped Parrot, Grass parrot, Ground Parrot, or the Green Leek. This is just one of the many common parts in Australia. It gives lots of surprises. Their population is widespread as they are bred easily. Physically, they look stunning, having noticeable sexual dimorphism and long longevity. Their good traits will make loved by their owners. These green birds are so popular as they are independent, smart, cute, and don’t require lots of care and attention.

They are very similar to Mulga Parrot, P. varius. This is a bird having a yellow band above its bill and a red patches too on the neck’s nape, plus a band in light green across their upper ramp. On the upper tail is a smaller and darker red patch on both males and females. The red rump is much lower than that of the Red-rumped parrot that appears only on the males.

Physical Description

The very first thing you will notice about a red-rumped parrot is their appearance and the extreme differences between the two sexes. Males are more flamboyant, having a soft pastel color, which makes an amazing combination. Their body is almost covered with emerald green, having different subtle ingredients.

Bright green covers the lower back and red for the upper back. This is the reason for their name. on the head is a mix of turquoise while the chest is in bright green. In the lower part of the body, including the belly, the color is more yellow. Their wings are darker, having a mixture of green and teal while there is a patch of blue and yellow on their shoulders.

Meanwhile, the females don’t have the vibrancy in appearance. They are in olive green mostly, and on their wings are darker shades instead. For that reason, they can be seen in tall grasses.

Distribution and Habitat

These birds are found and common in the south-eastern parts of Australia and most parts of New South Wales too, even in Victoria. They are seen in the open grassland or plains, which are lightly timbered, including the mallee farmlands and watercourses.

Since they thrive on grasslands mostly, their other name, Grass Parrots, was based on it. They come in big numbers in urban areas like roadsides, parks, golf courses, and gardens. It is good to know that their number is increasing because they breed easily, and many of them are adapted despite the destruction or ruin of their natural habitat.

Size and Weight

The adults can be 11 inches or 27 centimeters and weigh about 80 grams.

Lifespan

When properly cared for, this bird lives for 15 to 32 years.

Subspecies

P.h. haematonotus
P.h. caeruleus

Mutations

yellow
cinnamon
albino
blue
silver
pied

Speech and Sounds

These birds are not really too noisy and not totally quiet. They have a balanced noise that is more on their natural call. They have melodic chirps, some tweets. Both are pleasant. Sometimes, it is considered as a song. It is softer and similar to the sound of a chime.

Their calls are so unique, having shrills and whistles in an upward inflection. As they perch, trills and whistles are heard, and shrill chatters are heard as they bicker or defend their nests.

Behavior

Red rumps possess lovely traits. In pairs, they show much affection only to their partners. Like many birds, they are territorial, too somehow. In contrast, on their own, they show an energetic and inquisitive nature. They are great flyers and loves bathing. These needs must be satisfied. Owners love the fact that these birds are so easy to take care of.

They spend their daytime moving around the aviary or cage. A pair must be kept and not more of them because, during breeding, they become aggressive and tend to attack other birds in the cage. Children can be with them as these birds have very small beaks, which cannot cause damage.

These birds allot most of their time on the ground foraging when they are in the wild. They call each other with a sound like a chee chillip chee chillip. They stay on the plant’s stem until it reaches the ground giving them easy access to the seeds. They come in pairs nears the source of water. they nest in tree hollows or even stumps and fence posts.

Pairs stay together for the whole year. Males preen the females in all the seasons. To tame, these birds need lots of patience. Have them step up or introduced to hand-feeding. They would love interacting with the owner and can be happy. They are rarely known for copying human speech.

Food and Diet

Image Source

The Red-rumped Parrots are fed on the ground in pairs or small flocks. They prefer grasses’ leaves and seeds, flowers in trees, insects, and fruits. They also eat with other parrots.

In captivity, a high-quality mix of commercial seeds is ideal. It should consist of 50 % of pellets and 30 to 40 % of veggies and fruits. The other 10 % would be seeded. Make sure they get the necessary nutrients required. The mixture would be canary seeds, some sunflower seeds, and millets. You can have a parakeet mix with sunflower seeds. Cockatiel mix is another choice.

In order to condition your bird, coat the seed mixture putting a half teaspoon of wheat germ oil. It gives vitamins and prevents the eggs from binding. Oyster shell, grit, freshwater, and cuttlebone must always be given. Supplements like the Petamine breeding formula and the Feather Up will be served in small cups.

For the fruits, offer melons, bananas, blueberries, cherries, apples, and blueberries. For the veggies, corn, broccoli, green beans, peas, spinach, lettuce, and carrots. Make sure all the foods are washed properly and free from chemicals.

After they are fed, take the uneaten food from the cage. Spoiled ones attract fruit flies. Seeds should be given as a last treat. It is like a dessert. The seeds could be millet, mixed canary seeds, cockatiel mix, and parakeet mix. Wild seeds are healthier for your birds as they have more nutritional values. Don’t purchase seeds having dog food or maize. You can purchase seeds online. Don’t forget to give them their water.

Breeding

Image Source

In the wild, they breed in spring. That is from August to January. It varies in dryer areas. In captivity, breeding them is not a problem. Breed the pairs separately as the males show aggression. Therefore, a big space must be given, letting each pair establish their own territory.

Put the nest on a higher position. The nest can be 22 centimeters in length and width and 30 centimeters in height. each clutch has 5-7 eggs, and incubation is for 19 days. The father bird feeds the female because she doesn’t leave the eggs during the incubation period. The chicks fledge after almost a month. Independence happens after 14 days. Breeding happens two times a year. Parents don’t leave their chicks.

Image Source

How to Care

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNql59EDUP8

Red-rumped parrots do well in temperature, having about 4.5 degrees Celsius. Don’t expose them to direct sunlight.

The cage for a pair should be 30Lx20Wx20H inches having ½ inch or bar spacing. These birds get so bored quickly. Thus, a roomy cage having plenty of ladders and toys is recommended to make them mentally and physically active. A supervised flight outside their cage would be appreciated by your pet. Again, their food should have seeds, millets, fruits, and veggies.

Red rumps are avid bathers in sand and water. give them daily baths and a misted as well. Not enough bathing has disadvantages for their health and appearance too. Clipping their nails should be done too.

In addition, they are aggressive, so a cage should have a single pair only. Breeding should be in a tier-style of the box. Don’t put them in a round type of cage. They like vertical nest boxes with aspen shavings on the bottom. Wood shavings like redwood, cedar, and pine have acids that can cause allergies to your bird.

The males step from a perch to another, calling at the female. The male’s head is raised and lean forward as its tails are fanned while the head is bobbing. Males feed the hen and guard their nest.

Accessories

After making or buying your cage, accessories should be included, too, in order to make them healthy and happy. They are toys, climbing ladders, and birdbaths. They play a crucial role in the overall health of your pet.

To start with, a birdbath is needed for washing their feathers and daily bathing. They lose their feather’s color and healthiness when they fail to a bath.

Second is the climbing ladders. These small birds have lots of energy. There is no way for them to release their energy without a ladder. This ladders would prevent them from being obese.

Last is the bird toys. Toys are an avenue for them to stimulate their brains and lessen over-eating and boredom. Most importantly, they would live longer.

Good-to-Know facts About Red Rumped Parrots

They live for about 15 years.
They are good parents and don’t mistreat their chicks.
They rarely mimic human speech.
They don’t produce sounds.
Their noise is like singing.
They live in big flocks having roles in hierarchy.
Their calls sound chee chillip chee chillip.
Their green plumage helps them camouflage in grasses.

Health Issues

Psittacosis, or “Parrot Fever.” This is due to a bacterium knows as chlamydophila psittaci. The symptoms are lethargy, droopy eyes, difficulty breathing, and runny stools. Antibiotics are used to treat it. Early diagnosis will increase survival.
Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD). This common to macaws and parrots. It will affect the digestive and nervous systems. With this, they can fly or perch; there will be undigested food in their feces. It includes seizures, depression, and gastric upset.
Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD). This suppresses your bird’s immunity leading to more infections and diseases. Feather loss, skin lesions, and abnormal growth of the beak are some signs.
Yeast Infections in Cage Birds. Yeast infects the mouth and beak. This is common to the young birds in the cage.
Cage birds are susceptible to yeast infections, which are characterized by white spots in the mouth and beak and abnormal droppings. Young cage birds commonly suffer from yeast infections. They will be treated on antifungal medication.
Nutritional Deficiencies in Birds. They lack supplements like Vitamin A or calcium. They may suffer seizures and difficulty breathing. Pellets give more nutrients than the seeds.
Giardia. This is caused by a protozoan disease. It leads to dry skin or diarrhea. Birds often pluck their feathers due to itchiness. Proper hygiene would cure and control Giardia.

Signs of Sickness

They are sensitive and try not to show their symptoms. Owners should show attention to the general attitude, behavior, and attitude of their pets. Talk to your vet before the situation gets worse.

Bird Droppings. Droppings could show some symptoms, especially if the color becomes rusty brown, tarry, black, or yellow. It could indicate internal bleeding. Monitor also the consistency, either it is too firm or runny.
Ruffled Feathers and Weight Loss. Ruffled feathers could indicate problems or disorders in the respiratory. It could hide weight loss too. Weight loss reduces their strength and inhabits the functions of the organ too. Weighing your pet is a way to monitor.
Red, Inflamed, or Runny Cere or Eyes. If there is inflammation, redness, or discharge, your pet could be sick. Wrap your pet up to make them warm. Cloudy eyes and eye discharge is a symptom of muscular, nervous, or respiratory problem.
Reduced Appetite. Birds have a very fast metabolism; thus, daily nutritional needs must be met. The intestinal blockage leads to losing weight and not eating. Clean the cage every day to remove any possible object that could be ingested.
Open-Mouthed Breathing. Breathing in the open mouth while having a rest is a sign of being sick. Seek your vet’s attention about this.
Dirty Feathers. Birds love preening and bathing. If they look messy, they could be sick. Check on your bird’s eating and droppings too.
Tail Bobbing. Another common sign is the tail bobbing done repeatedly. They bob their tails to breathe and expand their lungs for breathing. Difficulty in breathing causes the tail to move up and down.
Changes in Vocalization. Changes in the general tone or frequency in their tone means something. That is why owners should be familiar with their bird’s patterns of normal vocalization.

Treatment and Prevention

Do a daily examination. Give toys and routine of regular exercise. These will give positive results to the mental, physical, and emotional aspects of your pet. Offer various diets for them to get all the minerals and vitamins they need. Keep the cage or aviary clean.

Availability: Where to Get One?

You can get this bird at pet shops or go online for bird breeders who sell this bird online. If not, you better go to rescue organizations or shelters and adopt this bird.

FAQ Section

What do red-rumped parrots eat?

The Red-rumped Parrot feeds in seeds and grasses as well as flowers and fruits.

Do red-rumped parrots talk?

Talking is not their nature, but with lots of perseverance and patience, they can learn somehow. Instead of talking, they have a sweet song making them popular.

How long do red rump parrots live?

In captivity, these birds will live for 15 to 32 years if given utmost care.

Do red rump parrots make good pets?

Yes, they do. They have an incredible ability to adapt. Owners get no trouble raising them. Breeding them is easy too.

How long does it take for red rump parrot eggs to hatch?

Their eggs hatch after 20 t0 25 days of the incubation period. They are soft and white.

What is the friendliest parrot for a pet?

Here the friendliest parrots: canaries and finches, lovebirds, budgies, conures, caiques, cockatiels, and Meyer’s parrots.

Can parrots be potty trained?

Yes, they can. It will just take time, patience, commitment, positive reinforcement, and consistency. Larger birds are easily trained generally.

Why is my parrot so quiet?

There are many reasons that contribute to this unusual quietness of parrots, including injury, lack of exercise, boredom, illness, and more. owners should pay attention to any changes in behavior and appearance.