Mulga Parrot

The mulga parrot was given its current scientific name of Psephotellus varius by American zoologist Austin Hobart Clark in 1910, after its name Psephotus multicolor was ruled invalid as the original combination (Psittacus multicolor) had been used for another species. Gregory Mathews proposed the name Psephotus dulciei in 1911 for the same reason, unaware of Clark's proposal, which was published earlier and hence had priority. Mathews described two additional subspecies of mulga parrot in 1912: P. varius rosinae, from a specimen collected from Yorke Peninsula, noting that it had less red on the abdomen and its upper breast was a darker green, and P. varius exsul from a specimen from Mount Magnet in Western Australia, reporting it had a more blue than green color overall, particularly on the cheeks. In 1917, he revised his classification, noting that he had assumed the type collection came from New South Wales but was now made aware that Brown's original specimen came from the Eyre Peninsula on the Spencer Gulf. He added P. varius ethelae from a collection from the Macdonnell Ranges, noting it had all over paler plumage, and renamed the New South Wales form P. varius orientalis, noting its brighter plumage and more prominent red color on the abdomen. In 1955, British evolutionary biologist Arthur Cain reviewed various described subspecies and found none were valid. Cain concluded in 1955 that within the genus Psephotus the mulga parrot was more closely related to the golden-shouldered parrot than to the red-rumped parrot. A 2018 genetic analysis of specimens across the mulga parrot's range found that there were two lineages that had diverged around 402,000 years ago and recently expanded. The Flinders Ranges and Eyre Peninsula appear to have been the barrier between the two lineages. Preliminary investigation into physical characteristics that might distinguish them suggested that the red patch on the abdomen was possibly brighter and more extensive in the eastern population. McElroy and colleagues agreed the two populations were distinct enough to be recognised as subspecies, however it is unclear to which group the type specimen belongs to. John Gould called this bird "many-coloured parakeet" or "many-coloured parrot", a term used during the 19th century. The RAOU proposed "mulga parrot" in 1926. Other common names include various parrot and varied parrot.

The species ranges across the drier interior of the Australian continent, from Western New South Wales from Collarenebri, West Wyalong and Griffith westwards through the northwestern tip of Victoria and across South Australia and into the drier central regions of Western Australia west to the Wheatbelt and north to the Pilbara. The mulga parrot is generally encountered in pairs in arid grassland and mulga scrubland.

Breeding season is anywhere from July to December or after rainfall, with one or occasionally two broods raised depending on rainfall. A hollow in a tree is utilised for nesting, and a clutch of four to six white eggs measuring 22 x 18 mm is laid. Incubation takes 18 to 21 days and is done by the female alone, the male feeding her while she is on the nest.

* mulga parrot Category:Broad-tailed parrots Category:Endemic birds of Australia mulga parrot mulga parrot