Red-rumped Parrots are pretty little birds. Their colours are a shimmering mix of blue, green, and yellow. So, why the name “red-rumped”? If you manage to see the male bird at the right angle, you’ll spot a patch of red between his wings, above his tail.

We don’t see Red-rumped Parrots in my area, on Australia’s east coast just north of Sydney. I saw these birds while on a recent trip westwards. Both sightings were on the Barrier Highway, a 1000-kilometre road that leads west from Nyngan to Broken Hill and beyond.

The first two were feeding on the grass at a rest stop between Wilcannia and Cobar. Here’s the female , followed by the male:

The second pair were at Nyngan Riverside Tourist Park, located in the town of Nyngan at the eastern end of the Barrier Highway.

Common name: Red-rumped Parrot
Scientific name: Psephotus haematonotus
Approximate length: 26-28 cm
Date spotted: 22 July 2026 (winter)
Location: Barrier Highway and Nyngan, New South Wales, Australia: 31°33’33.1″S 147°10’51.7″E