Abstract
When recalling his original description and naming of the Scarlet-chested Parrot in 1840 from a single specimen procured in Western Australia, John Gould wrote in his Handbook to the Birds of Australia, "It is a source of much regret to me, that I am unable to give more than a very slight notice of this beautiful bird". For almost a century the species remained an enigmatic inhabitant of the arid interior of Australia, with very few sightings of only single birds, pairs or small parties being reported, and this gave rise to widespread concern that it was extremely rare, or even in danger of extinction. It was 'rediscovered' in August 1931, when several pairs were brought to Adelaide, South Australia. The striking beauty of these living birds caused much excitement, and made such a strong impact that a pair was purchased by the Governor and sent to Britain as a gift for King George V. The remaining birds were acquired by local aviculturists, and the first confirmed breeding in captivity was achieved in that year by Simon Harvey. From these beginnings, the Scarlet-chested Parrot progressed to become one of the most successful parrots in aviculture, eventually reaching its present-day domesticated status with numerous color mutations well established in aviaries throughout the world.
In Praise of Beauty
From the time of its discovery, writers have extolled the beauty of the Scarlet-chested Parrot, and I have no hesitation in adding my praise, for I consider the adult male to be one of the most beautiful of all parrots! Approximately 20cm in length and weighing some 40g, the adult male has the upperparts bright green, extending to sides of the neck and breast, while the head is brilliant blue, becoming markedly deeper on the cheeks and throat. The wing-coverts also are blue, becoming darker on outer webs of the flight feathers. Scarlet extends from the foreneck to middle of the breast, giving way to bright yellow on the lower underparts. The central tail-feathers are green, and the lateral tail-feathers are blue broadly tipped yellow. The bill is· grey-black, the iris brownishgrey, and the legs greyish-brown. Females and juveniles have paler blue restricted to the forehead and face, and the breast is green.
That a species so familiar in captivity remains so litde-known in the wild is due to the remoteness of its range across the arid interior of southern Australia from southeastern Western Australia to extreme southwestern Queensland, westernmost New South Wales and far northwestern Victoria. Within this vast region, the parrots are associated closely with dry mallee or mixed Eucalyptus-Acacia scrublands, usually where there is a sparse groundcover of Triodia or Plectrachne grasses. A predilection for recently-burned country has been reported from parts of the range, and it is likely that an upsurge in new growth with abundant seeding grasses probably attracts the birds to these lands. Also, it has been noted that birds often are encountered many hundreds of kilometers from available surface water, prompting the claim that they satisfy their moisture requirements by drinking dew or chewing succulent plants. However, an apparent dependence on surface water is demonstrated by a report from South Australia, where three birds were disturbed repeatedly as they came to drink at a dam, eventually forcing one bird to settle on the water in the middle of the dam and drink from the surface.
Irregular Irruptions and Fluctuating Numbers
I am sure that the Scarlet-chested Parrot is not as rare as is generally claimed, and any assessment of its overall status is made difficult by the often largescale irruptions that occur at irregular intervals. The stronghold appears to be in the Great Victoria Desert from western South Australia west to southeastern Western Australia, where the species can be locally common, though I suspect that even here population levels fluctuate in response to prevailing climatic conditions. After the 1890s, little was heard of these parrots until 1939, when there was an irruption near Wynbring, in southwestern South Australia, and more than 500 birds were captured for the avicultural market. Since that time there have been further irruptions, most notably in eastern South Australia during the 1960s, and in mid May 1993 a count of 240 birds was made near Vokes Hill Junction, in the Great Victoria Desert, with the total population at this locality at that time being estimated at between 300 and 500 birds.
It is more than 30 years since my only good sighting of wild Scarlet-chested Parrots occurred north of Poochera, South Australia, but I recall vividly the thrill of that encounter, and especially the beauty of an adult male sitting in full view atop a small saltbush. Some 20 years later, in far northwestern Victoria, I had a fleeting glimpse of a small flock that flew across the track in front of my vehicle, but searches in the surrounding mallee failed to relocate the birds. At times of local abundance, these parrots may be seen in quite large flocks, which apparently are aggregations of smaller independent groups, but isolated pairs generally are encountered during the breeding season and parties of up to 10 or 20 birds at other times. Despite the brilliant plumage coloration, they are very unobtrusive, spending much of the clay on the ground or in low shrubs searching for seeds. They are extremely quiet in their actions and, unless flushed, may be easily overlooked.They are very tame, normally allowing a close approach, and if disturbed merely walk off through the under-growth or flutter to a nearby tree. As they take flight, the yellow outer tail-feathers become conspicuous and their feeble, twit-tering call-notes are heard.