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Australian Ringneck

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

                          iAustralian Ringneck
   Australian Ringneck (intermediate between B. Z. zonarius and B. Z.
   semitorquatus) near Augusta, Western Australia
   Australian Ringneck (intermediate between B. Z. zonarius and B. Z.
   semitorquatus) near Augusta, Western Australia

                             Conservation status

   Least Concern (LC)
                       Scientific classification

   Kingdom:   Animalia
   Phylum:    Chordata
   Class:     Aves
   Order:     Psittaciformes
   Family:    Psittacidae
   Subfamily: Platycercinae
   Tribe:     Platycercini
   Genus:     Barnardius
              Bonaparte, 1854
   Species:   B. zonarius

                                Binomial name

   Barnardius zonarius
   ( Shaw, 1805)

                                 subspecies

   B. z. zonarius
   B. z. semitorquatus
   B. z. barnardi
   B. z. macgillivrayi

                                  Synonyms

   Barnardius barnardi ( Vigors & Horsfield, 1827)

   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), but the two species readily interbred at the contact zone
   and are now considered one species. Currently, four subspecies are
   recognised, each with a distinct range.

   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.

Classification

   Currently, four subspecies of Ringneck are recognized .:
     * 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 close related
   . 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. Intermediates exist between all
   subspecies except for between B. z. zonarius and B. z. macgillivrayi.

   The species is considered not threatened, but in Western Australia, the
   Twenty Eight subspecies (B. z. semitorquatus) gets locally displaced by
   the introduced Rainbow Lorikeets that aggressively complete for nesting
   places. The Rainbow Lorikeet is considered a pest species in Western
   Australia and is subject to eradication in the wild.

Description

   The subspecies of the Australian Ringneck differ considerably in
   coloration. 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.

Ecology

   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 are
   sometimes seen as a pest by farmers.

Gallery

   B. z. semitorquatus

                      B. z. semitorquatus

                                         B. z. semitorquatus

                                                            B. z. semitorquatus
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Ringneck"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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