Bluebonnet (bird)
Blood -bellied parrot
The blood -bellied parrot ( Northiella haematogaster ) is a species of parrots authentics. It belongs to the fauna of Australia, where it is common in the southeast and south-central Australia. There are four subspecies. The species is fully protected by law in Australia.
Features
Bloodbelly parakeets reach a body length of up to 29 centimeters. The name derives from the red feathers on the lower abdomen that moves down the runs. Sometimes is also partially yellow plumage. The breast region as the neck is gray feathered to mauveblau it. Grey is also the beak, face mask, however, is blue. The upper wing cover is colored blue. The females are similar to males, they are often somewhat paler and have a lower amount of red on the belly. The blue face mask is less extensive. The beak of the female is smaller than that of males and the upper mandible is narrower.
Young birds are like the female something colored matt. The red color patches on the belly are very small. The body underside is pale yellow. They have striking underwing stripe. The beak is horn colored greyish in adult birds is in them still pale yellowish.
The flight is undulating and differs only slightly from that of the species of flatfish tail parakeets. However, unlike these they hold outstretched during the gliding phases the wings.
Behavior and habitat
Bloodbelly parakeets inhabit semi-arid and arid areas, which have a loose trees. This includes grassland with scattered trees and shrubs, open forms of the Mallee, dry bushland, gallery forests and trees in the vicinity of farmland. Bloodbelly parakeets live in pairs or in small groups. Occasionally form at water points and particularly abundant feeding grounds also smaller flocks. Among the largest so far observed flocks counted one, which included a hundred Bloodbelly parakeets that were associated with multi-color parakeets. However, they are predominantly observed in groups that are less than 11 copies. They are regarded as predominantly site- faithful birds.
Bloodbelly parakeets eat seeds of grasses, herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees as well as fruit, flower, berries, nectar and insects and their larvae. They also adopt on like fine grit, sand, and charcoal.
Bloodbelly parakeets are cavity nesters that breed usually in a cave in a branch or a tree trunk. The nesting site is chosen by both partners. The entrances to the burrows are often only small gaps near the ground. The nest boxes can still be very deep and are sometimes below the surface. The female lays four to seven eggs. The incubation period is 19 to 20 days.
System
The species was counted earlier to Sing parakeets. Biochemical studies have now shown that this classification is not justified. Rather, they are more closely related to the collar parakeets and Platt tail parakeets in the strict sense.
- Genus: Bloodbelly parakeets ( Northiella ) Type: blood -bellied parrot ( Northiella haematogaster ) Subspecies: Gelbsteißsittich ( Northiella haematogaster haematogaster )
- Subspecies: Rotsteißsittich ( Northiella haematogaster haematorrhous )
- Subspecies: Narethasittich ( Northiella haematogaster narethae )
- Subspecies: Pale Gelbsteißsittich ( Northiella haematogaster pallescens )