The Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius) is a parrot native to all mainland Australian states. Except for extreme tropical and highland areas the species has adapted to all conditions. Traditionally, two species were recognized in the genus Barnardius, the Port Lincoln Parrot (Barnardius zonarius) and the Mallee Ringneck Barnardius barnardi)^[2], but the two species readily interbred at the contact zone and are now considered one species^[3][4]. Currently, four subspecies are recognised, each with a distinct range. It has been suggested that True parrots be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the zoological term. ...

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. Binomial name Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) The Rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) is a bird common to the eastern seaboard of Australia, ranging though to South Australia. ...

Classification

Currently, four subspecies of Ringneck are recognized, all of which have been described as distinct species in the past: ^[4][5]

• The Port Lincoln Parrot or Port Lincoln Ringneck (B. z. zonarius (Shaw, 1805)) is common from Port Lincoln in the south east to Alice Springs in the north east, and from the Karri and Tingle forests of South Western Australia up to the Pilbara district.
• The Twenty Eight (B. z. semitorquatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1830)), named in imitation of its distinctive 'twentee-eight' call, is found in the south western forests of coastal and subcoastal Western Australia.
• The Mallee Ringneck (B. z. barnardi (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827)) inhabits New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.
• The Cloncurry Parrot (B. z. macgillivrayi (North, 1900)) is found from the Lake Eyre basin in the Northern Territory to the North gulf of Queensland.

The classification of this species is still debated, and recent molecular research has found that all subspecies are very closely related ^[4]. 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.^[6] Intermediates exist between all subspecies except for between B. z. zonarius and B. z. macgillivrayi.^[4][7] George Shaw. ... Port Lincoln (postcode 5606) is a city in the Australian state of South Australia. ... Alice Springs on a large scale map Alice Springs is a large town in the Northern Territory of Australia located at 23°42′ S 133°52′ E. Its population of 28,178 (2001 Census) makes it the second-largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of... The Pilbara is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. ... Jean René Constant Quoy (November 10, 1790 - July 4, 1869) was a French zoologist. ... Joseph Paul Gaimard (lithograph by Emile Lassalle) Joseph Paul Gaimard (1796 - 1858) was a French naturalist. ... Nicholas Aylward Vigors (1785 – October 26, 1840) was an Irish zoologist and politician. ... Thomas Horsfield, M. D., (1773 - 1859) was an American physician and naturalist. ... Alfred John North (1855 - 1917) was an Australian ornithologist. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Slogan or Nickname: The Territory, The NT, The Top End Motto(s): none Other Australian states and territories Capital Darwin Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator Ted Egan Chief Minister Clare Martin (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $10,418 (8th)  - Product... Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Peter Beattie (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd)  - Product per capita  $40,170/person (6th) Population (End of November 2006)  - Population  4,164,590 (3rd)  - Density  2. ...

The species is considered not threatened,^[1] but in Western Australia, the Twenty Eight subspecies (B. z. semitorquatus) gets locally displaced by the introduced Rainbow Lorikeets that aggressively compete for nesting places.^{[citation needed]} The Rainbow Lorikeet is considered a pest species in Western Australia and is subject to eradication in the wild.^[8] Binomial name Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) The Rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) is a bird common to the eastern seaboard of Australia, ranging though to South Australia. ...

Description

The subspecies of the Australian Ringneck differ considerably in coloration^[2]. It is a medium size species of around 33 cm 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 different 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 a wide uniform pale yellow band across the abdomen.

Behaviour

The Australian Ringneck is active during the day and can be found in eucalypt woodlands and eucalypt-lined watercourses. The species is gregarious and depending on the conditions can be resident or nomadic. As most parrots, it breeds in tree cavities. Breeding season for the Northern populations starts in June or July, while the central and southern populations breed from August to February but this can be delayed when climatic conditions are unfavourable. This species eats a wide range of foods that include nectar, insects, seeds, fruit, and native and introduced bulbs. It will eat orchard-grown fruit, and is sometimes seen as a pest by farmers^[2][5][9]. natural range Species About 700; see the List of Eucalyptus species Eucalyptus (From Greek, ευκάλυπτος = Well covered) is a diverse genus of trees (and a few shrubs), the members of which dominate the tree flora of Australia. ...

Gallery

B. z. semitorquatus Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 526 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1051 pixel, file size: 296 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I took this photograph in April 2006 near Augusta, Western Australia. ...

B. z. semitorquatus Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2576 × 1932 pixel, file size: 1. ...

B. z. semitorquatus Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2576 × 1932 pixel, file size: 1. ...

B. z. semitorquatus Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2576 × 1932 pixel, file size: 2. ...

References

• The Atlas of Australian Birds, Blakers, Davies & Reilly, (1984) ISBN 0-522-84285-2
• Photographic Field Guide to Birds of Australia, Jim Flegg, (2002) ISBN 1-876334-78-9

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... For other meanings of bird, see bird (disambiguation). ... Subfamilies see article text Feral Rock Pigeon beside Weiming Lake, Peking University Pigeons and doves comprise the family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, including some 300 species of near passerine birds. ... The word roller can mean:- Some species of birds: see hereinunder. ...

External links

• Gould's The Birds of Australia plate