Red-Winged Parrot
By Vanessa Gritton
Photos by Daniel Zupanc

A little-known bird outside its home range, the red-winged parrot, Aprosmictus erythropterus, is not prevalent in the collections of aviculturists in the United States. Even with its many names - including red-shouldered parrot, blood-winged parrot and crimson-winged parrot (or parakeet) - it is often difficult to find. Because of its relative rarity in captivity, serious aviculturists are those best suited for keeping these birds, as they can be quite expensive.

Found in extreme southern New Guinea and northern and northeastern Australia, except along the east coast, these parrots are fairly common throughout most of their range. They inhabit several types of terrain including open forest, arid scrub and wooded savannah, especially along rivers. They are mainly arboreal, preferring to stay in the trees and larger shrubs.

Pairs or family groups make up their social structure, but they have been found rarely in larger flocks of up to 50 birds. In the wild these parrots eat a varied diet including seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, flowers, nectar, insects and larvae. As with most Australian animals, red-winged parrots are protected by law, although they are not considered endangered or threatened.

The red-winged parrot is sexually dimorphic, which means that males and females have different physical characteristics. The male is generally green, with yellowish-green on the underside of the body. The forehead through the nape has a light blue tint. The scapulars and upper part of the back is black. A beautiful blue covers the lower back to the rump. The name of these birds comes from the vivid red coloring of the wing coverts. The iris of the males is reddish orange. The female of this species is also generally green but is paler than the male. The lower back and rump is a pale blue. Females also have red wing coverts but to a lesser extent. The iris in females is brown.

In both sexes the beak is orange, and legs and feet are gray. Both sexes have long, square tails. Immature birds look similar to females but have a yellow bill. Males can take up to two years or longer to attain adult plumage. In different geographical regions there are perhaps two or three subspecies of red-winged parrots that have slight size and plumage differences. At adulthood, the average size these birds attain is 13 to 14 inches.

Home Decorations

Red-winged parrots are best kept in a breeding situation since their numbers in American aviculture are quite small. Housing for these birds should be an aviary with dimensions of at least 8 feet by 5 feet by 6 feet. If the aviary is outside, special precautions should be taken when designing and building the enclosure. Galvanized wire contains zinc, which has been shown to cause toxicity in parrots. This wire holds up better under outdoor conditions but can cause poisoning. Other types of wire may not cause poisoning problems but will not weather as well outdoors. A gauge of 1/2 inch by 1 inch, or smaller, is best - this helps to keep predators out of the enclosure.

A useful design is to surround the main aviary in another complete enclosure. This can help in two ways - if the bird were to escape the primary containment, it is still inside another enclosure. It also will virtually eliminate the chances of a large predator, such as a raccoon or fox, being able to grab a parrot's leg or other body part through the wire. After the enclosure is finished, a thorough check should be done for any hole or gap in the aviary. The tiniest space can allow a snake to enter, and even seemingly small snakes can take adult birds.

These birds should only be kept outside in temperate climates and do not usually acclimate well to cooler climates. Even in warmer climates, they need heated shelters to protect them in cooler weather. A nest box with heat lamp or ceramic heater should always be provided if birds are left outside at night or on rainy days. Likewise, shadecloth should be put up to shade a portion of the enclosure in hotter weather and a shallow pan of cool water should always be available for bathing.

As red-winged parrots are arboreal, they need a significant amount of perching. A well-planted aviary, especially with native species of trees or shrubs like acacia or eucalyptus, is ideal. A nest box is important for breeding purposes as these birds, like most parrots, are cavity nesters.

They should be kept alone in pairs for breeding, but males can become aggressive toward mates on occasion. Have a back-up aviary or cage indoors for a male if it becomes necessary to remove him from the enclosure. Incubation of three to six eggs is done by the female and lasts about three weeks. Chicks are dependent on parents and do not leave the nest for about six weeks.

Red-winged parrots kept in a breeding situation will still enjoy toys. Toys may also keep the birds from chewing on less desirable items like plants or wire. Wooden toys should always be available. Acrylic toys will hold up to frequent chewing and will usually last a lot longer than wood toys, but they are generally more expensive. Very inexpensive toys can be made out of branches from nontoxic trees, but this might lead to chewing on certain plants inside the aviary.

Feeding and Finding

Feeding should include a wide variety of choices. Pellets are important to ensure the birds are receiving a balanced diet and should make up about one-third of the diet. Pellet size should be that for a cockatiel or small parrot. Some birds may prefer even smaller pellets manufactured for budgies. Seeds should make up another one-third of the diet. A good seed mix can be made by combining finch, parakeet and cockatiel (limited sunflower) high quality commercial seed mixtures. The other third of the diet should be fresh fruits and vegetables, greens and sprouts. Green beans, peas, carrots and corn are usually savored. Spinach, romaine and kale are readily taken.

Live food should also be offered, especially during breeding season. Mealworms are the easiest to obtain, but waxworms (waxmoth larvae) are often the favorite choice of birds. Waxworm consumption should be limited, as they are higher in fat content than mealworms. Some birds may also take small crickets. Even table foods can be offered like pasta, rice, cooked beans and lean meats. Nectar and nontoxic flower blossoms can also be offered as a treat.

Birds kept outside will need fresh food at least twice per day. In warmer weather the food, especially fresh vegetables and fruit, may need to be replaced more than twice a day. In an outdoor aviary, small pests are almost impossible to exclude. Feeding on an elevated stand that is placed away from any surface that pests can climb can help. Using cooking spray on the pole helps make the surface too slick for mice to climb. It may also help reduce the ants getting to the bowls. More spray will probably need to be reapplied every day.

Finding red-winged parrots may prove quite time consuming. There are only a few breeders in the United States. Most are located in warmer climates such as California, Florida and sometimes the Southwest. The Internet can be helpful in finding a breeder to start your collection. The price of these birds can vary but is generally in the $700 to $800 range for a single adult. There is not a large demand for these birds, so breeding for pet owners will probably not be profitable. Until more aviculturists in the United States begin breeding red-winged parrots, their availability will be limited and their price will be high, but an experienced aviculturist will find breeding these beautiful birds can be very rewarding.

VANESSA GIRTON, a professional aviculturist also involved in ornithological field work, lives in Asheboro, North Carolina.