Naretha parrot
The Naretha bluebonnet, or Naretha Parrot, is a bird found in a remote and arid region of Australia. Northiella narethae is one of two species in the genus Northiella, it was first recorded in 1921 in Central Australia.
The Naretha bluebonnet is smaller than the eastern bluebonnet, at around 28 cm (11 in) in length. The legs and feet are dark grey, and the iris is dark brown. The adult male has a two tonal facial pattern with a lighter green-blue forehead, lores and the area above the eye contrasting with the rest of the face which is a purplish-blue. The light grey-brown head, foreneck and breast are marked with pale steaks and diffuse spots. The back is olive-grey. The belly, vent and thighs are a uniform yellow with the red being restricted to the undertail-coverts area. The lesser wing coverts are blue and outer median wing coverts red, while the inner median and greater wing coverts, and inner secondaries a yellow-olive colour. The central tail feathers are tinged with pale blue. The adult female has a duller blue on the forehead, and reduced colour on wings and tail, and with no tint of orange on the belly. It is smaller overall at around 26 cm (10 in) in length.
The Naretha bluebonnet is reported to have been common in the arid Nullarbor region, and became rarer during the 20th century. The localised range of individuals is thought to make the species highly endemic to an area on the border of Western and South Australia.Narethas are located in what is termed the Myall woodlands - this is a woodland dominated by acacia species.The Naretha homelands extend over a large and isolated range. They are often observed more readily in areas where water has become an altered focal point - notably water troughs for stock.
Breeding takes place in hollows in she-oak (Casuarinaceae) trees. The oval eggs are matte white.Breeding begins early and Narethas are laying their first eggs by mid July. In the wild the site chosen is often a she-oak tree hollow which has a small knot hole entrance. However observers have also reported they have seen hens of the species emerge from tree crevices and splits rather than actual holes. The scarcity of suitable trees in the Naretha homelands is perhaps the most likely explanation as to why a bird would squeeze itself in such a small space.
