Intro

The Princess Parrot is one of Australia’s most beautiful desert birds. With soft pink, blue-grey and olive-green feathers, and long pointed wings built for fast flight, it is perfectly adapted to life in some of the country’s driest landscapes.

These parrots roam across deserts, sand dunes and savanna woodlands, feeding on seeds, flowers and nectar. They nest in tree hollows, but much of their life–including where and when they breed–remains a mystery.

Key threats

1. Harsh and changing desert conditions
Princess Parrots rely on unpredictable desert resources, which can shift dramatically with drought and rainfall.

2. Limited nesting sites
They depend on old trees with hollows for breeding, which may be scarce in some areas.

3. Knowledge gaps
Because we know so little about their movements and population size, it is difficult to protect the areas most important for their survival.

Why are they difficult to study?

1. They are highly nomadic
Princess Parrots move vast distances depending on local conditions, and may not return to the same area for many years.

2. They live in remote deserts
Their habitat spans more than two million square kilometres across Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia.

3. Sightings are rare and unpredictable
In some regions, decades can pass without confirmed sightings, making long-term monitoring extremely challenging.

What are we doing?

Research and Monitoring

We have begun gathering up-to-date information on where Princess Parrots occur, how many there may be, and how they move across the landscape. Working with communities and conservation groups, we are collecting sightings and building a clearer picture of their distribution.

Future research

By mapping key habitats and understanding movement patterns, we aim to identify the areas most important for conservation and ensure these remarkable desert parrots can survive long into the future.

What you can do

Have you seen the princess parrot?

We are collecting sightings and information from people who have seen this bird in the wild. If you have seen a princess parrot or have any other information about them, please fill out our sightings form.