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Platycercus elegans
The Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) is a medium-sized Australian parrot at 36 cm (14 in) long, much of which is tail. There are five subspecies, three of which are actually crimson. I don't know if this spotting is male or female, but there is very little difference between the sexes. There was a second bird present, but it was still high up in the tree. This bird was making a loud but brief call at regular intervals, and each time it would shake its tail from side to side. Part of a courtship ritual perhaps? As this was a wild bird, it was very aware of my presence and quite nervous, even though I was some distance away. My camera did the best it could under the circumstances.
Suburban park in inner-city Brisbane. It was spotted originally (feeding?) in a native eucalypt, but then it flew a bit closer and rested on the power cable.
This is my first encounter with the species at "this" location. I was made aware of the bird when I heard it's chattering, and thought at first it was a Pale-headed Rosella, a species which I've spotted before at this same location.
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