Australian Ringneck breeding information

The Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius) is a parrot native to Australia. Except for extreme tropical and highland areas, the species has adapted to all conditions. Traditionally, two species were recognised in the genus Barnardius, the Port Lincoln Parrot (Barnardius zonarius) and the Mallee Ringneck (Barnardius barnardi), but the two species readily interbred at the contact zone and are now considered one species. Currently, four subspecies are recognised, each with a distinct range.

In Western Australia, the Ringneck competes for nesting space with the Rainbow Lorikeet, an introduced species. To protect the Ringneck, culls of the lorikeet are sanctioned by authorities in this region. Overall, though, the Ringneck is not a threatened species.

Description

The subspecies of the Australian Ringneck differ considerably in colouration. It is a medium size species around 33 cm (11 in) long. The basic colour is green, and all four subspecies have the characteristic yellow ring around the hindneck; wings and tail are a mixture of green and blue.

The B. z. zonarius and B. z. semitorquatus subspecies have a dull black head; back, rump and wings are brilliant green; throat and breast bluish-green. The difference between these two subspecies is that B. z. zonarius has a yellow abdomen while B. z. semitorquatus has a green abdomen; the latter has also a prominent crimson frontal band that the former lacks (the intermediate shown in the taxobox has characteristics of both subspecies). The two other subspecies differ from these subspecies by the bright green crown and nape and blush cheek-patches. The underparts of B. z. barnardi are turquoise-green with an irregular orange-yellow band across the abdomen; the back and mantle are deep blackish-blue and this subspecies has a prominent red frontal band. The B. z. macgillivrayi is generally pale green, with no red frontal band, and a wide uniform pale yellow band across the abdomen.

The calls of the Mallee Ringneck and Cloncurry Parrot have been described as "ringing", and the calls of the Port Lincoln Ringneck and Twenty-eight have been described as "strident". The name of the Twenty-eight Parrot is an onomatopoeic derived from its distinctive 'twentee-eight' call.

Taxonomy and naming

The Australian Ringneck was first described by the English naturalist George Shaw in 1805. It is a Broad-tailed parrot and related to the rosellas of the genus Platycercus; it has been placed in that genus by some authorities, including Ferdinand Bauer.

Currently, four subspecies of Ringneck are recognised, all of which have been described as distinct species in the past: (As of 1993, the Twenty-eight and Conclurry Parrot were treated as subspecies of the Port Lincoln Parrot and the Mallee Ringneck, respectively).

The classification of this species is still debated, and recent molecular research has found that all subspecies are very closely related. Several other subspecies have been described, but are considered synonyms with one of the above subspecies. B. z. occidentalis has been synomised with B. z. zonarius. Intermediates exist between all subspecies except for between B. z. zonarius and B. z. macgillivrayi. Intermediates have been associated with land clearing for agriculture in southern Western Australia.