The red-rumped parrot is a hardy, attractive Australian grass parrot, the male emerald-and-yellow with a brick-red rump and the female a muted olive-grey. Easy to keep and breed, quiet-voiced, and undemanding, it is a classic beginner's aviary parakeet. It is now the sole member of the genus Psephotus, its former relatives having been moved to Psephotellus.
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Small-to-medium broad-tailed parrot ~27-28 cm long; ~55-85 g
Lifespan
10–20 years
Social needs
pair
Native region
South-eastern Australia (open woodland and grassland of the Murray-Darling Basin and surrounding areas in NSW, Victoria,
Origin
Old World
Climate
🍂 Temperate
Family
Psittaculidae
Genus
Psephotus
Part of the Australian grass parrots
Slender, ground-foraging Australian parrots (Polytelis, Neophema, Psephotus and allies) of grasslands and open woodland; mostly gentle, quiet aviary birds that graze on seeding grasses and need length to fly.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Pair flight cage
48 × 24 × 30 in, bar spacing 1/2 in
Slim Australian grass parrot best kept as pairs in horizontal flight cages with multiple natural perches, foraging, ground feed area, and varied vegetables/seeds. Quiet and gentle but cock-on-cock aggression appears in breeding season.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Long flight cage or indoor flight
72 × 30 × 36 in flight cage
Six-ft horizontal flight gives real flying length, room for foraging on the ground, and a calm environment. Add bathing pan and varied perches; rotate enrichment regularly.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Outdoor aviary
10 × 3 × 6 ft outdoor aviary
Walk-in aviary with planted shrubs, ground-foraging substrate, and a frost-free shelter. Red-rumped parrots thrive in single-pair aviaries and breed reliably given space and ground access.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg
Birds develop inside a hard-shelled egg incubated by the parent(s). Egg size, shell color, and clutch size vary by species; the embryo develops over days to weeks before hatching.
Photo coming soon
Hatchling / Chick
Hatchlings are either altricial — naked, blind, and dependent on parents (typical of parrots and songbirds) — or precocial — downy, mobile, and self-feeding soon after hatching (typical of poultry and waterfowl). Down gives way to the first feathers.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile / Fledgling
Fledglings grow in their juvenile plumage and begin to fly and feed themselves, though they may still beg from parents at first. Juvenile feathering is often duller than the adult and is replaced as the bird matures.
Adult
Adults attain full body size and mature plumage, and are capable of breeding. Many species show distinct adult coloration, and in sexually dimorphic birds males and females differ in plumage, size, or markings.
no rights reserved via iNaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57603146
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Selectively bred (man-made)
representative
Yellow (Opaline/Yellow)
A mutation in which the green is replaced by bright yellow, the male often retaining the red rump; well established and popular in aviculture.
representative
Blue
A recessive mutation giving a blue-and-white bird with the red rump replaced by pale pink/white; less common.
representative
Cinnamon
A sex-linked dilution softening the black/melanin to warm brown, lightening the overall plumage.
Habitat & enclosure
An aviary species at its best: provide a planted or suspended flight aviary at least 2.5-3.5 m (8-12 ft) long with a dry, draft-free roofed shelter. They are very cold-hardy once acclimatized to temperate climates but need protection from frost, damp, and wind. If cage-housed, use the largest flight cage possible with daily out-of-cage flight. Keep as single pairs per aviary, as males become territorial and can be aggressive toward other red-rumps and small birds, especially in the breeding season.
Substrate
In planted/flight aviaries use a well-drained sand or gravel floor (or managed natural earth) kept dry and raked, since these ground-feeders are exposed to fecal-borne parasites. Suspended aviaries with wire floors greatly reduce parasite load. For cages, plain paper liners allow easy cleaning and droppings checks.
Equipment & setup
A long aviary or large flight cage with a draft-free shelter; varied natural-branch perches; seed and soft-food dishes plus clean water and a bathing dish; cuttlebone, mineral block and grit; foraging toys and fresh browse. A nest box (~15 x 15 x 30-40 cm) with wood shavings/peat is added for breeding pairs. UVB lighting benefits indoor birds.
Diet
Feed a good small-parakeet/grass-parrot seed mix (canary, white and panicum millets, some plain canary and a little sunflower) plus abundant sprouted/soaked seed, seeding grasses, fresh greens (chickweed, dandelion, silverbeet) and vegetables, with some fruit. A small-parrot pellet can supplement. Offer soft/egg food and extra sprouts when rearing chicks. Provide cuttlebone, mineral block, and grit. Avoid avocado, chocolate, and other toxic items.
Behavior & temperament
Quiet and pleasant-voiced with a melodious whistle, the male is a notable songster among parakeets. Peaceful toward larger calm species but males are territorial toward other red-rumps and small finch-type birds, particularly when breeding, so house one pair per aviary. Not usually kept as a hand-tame cuddle pet, though aviary birds become confiding; they are active foragers that spend much time feeding on the ground. Provide browse and foraging to keep them occupied.
Health
Robust and long-lived for their size. Because they feed heavily on the ground they are prone to intestinal worms and protozoal/bacterial infections in earth-floored aviaries; routine worming and fecal checks are important. Watch for obesity on rich seed diets, and fungal problems in damp housing. Quarantine new birds for psittacine viruses (PBFD, polyomavirus). UVB or natural sunlight supports calcium metabolism.
Tips, DIY & hacks
An ideal first aviary parakeet: hardy, easy to breed, and inexpensive. Provide seeding grasses and ground foraging to suit their natural behavior, and worm regularly if kept over earth. House strictly one pair per aviary to avoid male aggression. Their soft, musical calls make them a good choice where noise is a concern. Suspended cages simplify hygiene and parasite control.
