Purple-crowned Lorikeet

Glossopsitta porphyrocephala

From deep within Australia's eucalyptus forests comes this tiny, vibrant parrot with its tell-tale purple crown and boundless energy.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is a small, vibrant parrot with predominantly bright green plumage. Its most distinctive feature is the purple crown, which contrasts beautifully with its green body. The bird also displays a fiery-orange band across its forehead and yellow-orange cheek patches.

The chest and belly show a mix of blue and light green hues, while the wings have red underwing coverts. Both males and females appear mostly similar, although females have darker irises, paler ear coverts and lack the crimson patches.

Juveniles have duller plumage overall, with reduced head colours.

Size

Length

15cm to 17cm

Wingspan

30cm to 35cm

Weight

40g to 55g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Green Purple

Secondary Colour

Red Yellow Blue Orange

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Grey

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet can be found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet can be found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Purple-crowned Lorikeets are endemic to Australia and found across the southern parts of the continent. They inhabit eucalyptus forests, woodlands, and mallee scrublands, showing a preference for areas with abundant flowering trees.

These birds are common in parts of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, and southern New South Wales. They are also frequently seen in urban parks and gardens, especially where native plants are present.

Elevation Range

Up to 1,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Purple-crowned Lorikeet. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons