The paradise parrot (Psephotellus pulcherrimus) is an extinct species of colourful medium-sized parrot native to the grassy woodlands extending across the Queensland and New South Wales border area of eastern Australia. Once moderately common within its fairly restricted range, it became extinct in 1927.
Description
The plumage was extraordinarily colourful, even by parrot standards, a mixture of turquoise, aqua, scarlet, black and brown. The tail was almost the same length as the body, unusual for a bird that, although a rapid flyer, spent almost all of its time on the ground. thumb|Extinct paradise parrot (male)
Taxonomy
The description of the species was first published by John Gould in 1845. Gould used the description supplied to him by the field worker John Gilbert, and was suspected to have copied the field notes of Gilbert from a letter that became lost. A letter from Gilbert (May 1844) describing this parrot was forwarded to Edward Smith-Stanley (Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby), apparently to entice the enthusiast into purchase of specimens in Gould's possession. A copy of the Gilbert letter, written out by Stanley, that emerged from an archive in Liverpool in 1985 showed a correlation in the wording. Two specimens, thought to be from the type series used in the first description, were supplied to Stanley and these are held at the Liverpool Museum. The type specimen resides at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. and feeding, so far as is known, almost exclusively on grass seeds. Some observers state that termitariums were occupied by the same breeding pair in successive years. Less certain is confirmation of holes at riverbanks being tunnelled out by this species. A recorded range of one pair over a month was restricted to an area of two hectares.
A series of searches turned up a few more individuals over the next decade, but the last confirmed sighting was on 14 September 1927.
The Atlas of Australian birds (RAOU, 1984) noted it was not reported in the field during the survey (Field Atlas, 1977–1981). The historical reports are commonly from an area in the southeast of Queensland, showing a rapid decline after the 1880s.
The species had occurred at the Duaringa district until 1902.
An attempt to solicit reports from the public in 1918, after a dearth of observations, indicated the presence at several locations.
Confirmed sightings were made 1926–27 at widely separated locations of the known range, at Casino, New South Wales (November 1926), and near Ipswich (1927) and Burnett River (November 1927).
- Glimpses of Paradise: The Quest for the Beautiful Parakeet, Penny Olsen , Canberra: National Library of Australia, 2007