The

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

''Neophema'' is an Australian genus with six or seven species. They are small, basically dull green parrots differentiated by patches of other colours, and are commonly known as grass parrots. The genus has some

sexual dichromatism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most an ...

, with males having brighter hues.

Taxonomy

Sometimes the broad-tailed parrots are considered a subfamily. In this case, ''Neophema'' and

Bourke's parrot Bourke's parrot (''Neopsephotus bourkii'', formerly known as ''Neophema bourkii''), also known as the blue-vented parrot, sundown parrot, pink-bellied parrot, Bourke's parakeet, Bourke or "Bourkie", is a small parrot found in Australia and the o ...

are united in the

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confl ...

Neophemini.

mtDNA Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA or mDNA) is the DNA located in mitochondrion, mitochondria, cellular organelles within eukaryotic cells that convert chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mit ...

sequence In mathematics, a sequence is an enumerated collection of objects in which repetitions are allowed and order matters. Like a set, it contains members (also called ''elements'', or ''terms''). The number of elements (possibly infinite) is called ...

data (Miyaki ''et al.'' 1998) suggests that the former may be correct, but the latter almost certainly is not. Rather, it appears, the group would need to include more closely related forms, such as the

budgerigar The budgerigar ( ; ''Melopsittacus undulatus''), also known as the common parakeet or shell parakeet, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot usually nicknamed the budgie ( ), or in American English, the parakeet. Budgies are the only spe ...

and the ''

Pezoporus The genus ''Pezoporus'' contains three Australian species: the night parrot (''Pezoporus occidentalis'') and the cryptic ground parrots, the eastern ground parrot (''Pezoporus wallicus'') and the western ground parrot (''Pezoporus flaviventr ...

'' ground-parrots. However, while Joseph ''et al.'' (2011) also found ''Neophema'' to be related both Bourke's parrot and ground-parrots and form part of the tribe Pezoporini, they are not related to the budgerigar. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA published in 2021 indicated the ancestors of Bourke's parrot and the remaining ''Neophema'' parrots most likely diverged between 6.4 and 8 million years ago; the ''Neophema'' lineage diverged again, with one giving rise to the turquoise and scarlet-chested parrots, and the other to the four remaining species. Of these four, the ancestor of the orange-bellied parrot diverged next, then the elegant parrot, leaving the blue-winged and rock parrot as each others' closest relatives.

Species

There are 6 or 7 species: *

Blue-winged parrot The blue-winged parrot (''Neophema chrysostoma''), also known as the blue-banded parakeet or blue-banded grass-parakeet, is a small parrot found in Tasmania and southeast mainland Australia. It is partly migratory, with populations of blue-winge ...

, ''Neophema chrysostoma'' *

Elegant parrot The elegant parrot (''Neophema elegans'') is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to Australia. Naming and taxonomy The elegant parrot was called ''carteri'', ''bilgir'', or ''koolyederong'' by Aboriginal peoples. Its ...

, ''Neophema elegans'' *

Rock parrot The rock parrot (''Neophema petrophila'') is a species of grass parrot native to Australia. Described by John Gould in 1841, it is a small parrot long and weighing with predominantly olive-brown upperparts and more yellowish underparts. Its h ...

, ''Neophema petrophila'' *

Orange-bellied parrot The orange-bellied parrot (''Neophema chrysogaster'') is a small parrot endemic to southern Australia, and one of only three species of parrot that migrate. It was described by John Latham in 1790. A small parrot around long, it exhibits sex ...

, ''Neophema chrysogaster'' * Turquoise parrot, ''Neophema pulchella'' *

Scarlet-chested parrot The scarlet-chested parrot (''Neophema splendida''), known alternately as scarlet-breasted parrot, orange-throated parrot or splendid parrot, is a parrot endemic to central South Australia and inland southern Western Australia. The species is sex ...

, ''Neophema splendida'' Depending on the author, ''Neopsephotus bourkii'' (

) may also be considered a member of this genus.

Aviculture

The scarlet-chested parrot, turquoise parrot and elegant parrot are all commonly raised and bred in captivity with a number of unusual colour forms arising. The members of this genus are not altogether easy to keep, being tender birds that may die without apparent cause, succumbing to mobbing by more robust aviary mates or diseases. This has hampered captive propagation efforts, e.g. in the case of the critically endangered

orange-bellied parrot The orange-bellied parrot (''Neophema chrysogaster'') is a small parrot endemic to southern Australia, and one of only three species of parrot that migrate. It was described by John Latham in 1790. A small parrot around long, it exhibits sex ...

. They are certainly not "beginner's birds" and will usually not thrive if they are not provided with a spacious

aviary An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds, although bats may also be considered for display. Unlike birdcages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages. A ...

where a small flock can be kept in company of a few other small and harmless birds. It is possible to keep a pair or a single bird in a cage, but they will be sluggish and unhealthy if they are not let out to fly and socialize with humans frequently. Trade in wild-caught specimens is strongly restricted; in any case, these should be rejected because they are extremely tough to accustomize to aviary conditions. It is usually impossible, even for expert aviculturalists, to keep wild-caught birds alive for more than a few months. Captive-bred birds of several species are available, and these are far more hardy, though inexperienced aviculturalists should avoid them nonetheless. Popular in Australia and internationally, ''Neophema'' are sometimes referred to as 'grass parakeets' in avicultural literature. The most easily bred are Bourke's parrot (as ''Neophema''), scarlet-chested parrot (''N. splendida''), the turquoise parrot (''N. pulchella''), and elegant parrot (''N. elegans''), the most difficult and uncommon captive is the rock parrot (''N. petrophila''). Aside from Bourke's parrot, all are distinguished as predominantly green birds. The orange-bellied parrot has not been commercially available due to rarity and legal restriction.

References

* Miyaki, C. Y.; Matioli, S. R.; Burke, T. & Wajntal, A. (1998): Parrot evolution and paleogeographical events: Mitochondrial DNA evidence. ''Molecular Biology and Evolution'' 15: 544–551
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* Juniper & Parr (1998) Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World; . {{Taxonbar, from=Q1049046 Bird genera