The Naretha bluebonnet or Naretha parrot is a bird found in a remote and arid region of Australia. It is one of two species in the genus Northiella, and was first recorded in 1921 in Central Australia.
Region
Nullarbor Plain and southern Great Victoria Desert, interior Australia
Typical Environment
Occurs in arid shrublands dominated by saltbush and bluebush (Atriplex/Maireana), mallee, and acacia (mulga) woodlands with open ground. Often associated with chenopod flats, low dunes, and stony plains near ephemeral water. It keeps close to cover but forages in open patches, frequently along the Trans-Australian Railway corridor and remote station lands. The species is largely sedentary, with local movements following seed availability after rain.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 600 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The Naretha bluebonnet is a little-known arid‑zone parrot confined to remote interior Australia, first recorded in 1921 near Naretha on the Trans-Australian Railway. It favors sparse shrublands and is often seen in pairs or small groups feeding quietly on the ground. Its subtle sandy-brown plumage helps it blend into the desert, while flashes of blue on the face and shoulders give the species its name. It is generally sedentary but will move locally after rainfall to exploit seeding plants.
Temperament
wary but calm; usually unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
fast, low direct flight with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically found in pairs or small family parties, occasionally looser groups at water. Monogamous pairs nest in hollows of eucalypts or acacias, stumps, or fence posts when available. Breeding is timed to rainfall pulses; clutches are moderate, and the female incubates while the male provides food.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft chattering and twittering when perched, with sharper metallic 'chink' or 'tink' contact calls in flight. Prolonged singing is uncommon; calls carry well in open country.
Plumage
Sandy-brown to olive-brown upperparts with a contrasting cobalt to turquoise-blue face and shoulder patch; underparts paler brown with a small, often faint reddish patch on the lower belly and bluish undertail. Long, graduated tail shows blue-green hues with darker central feathers. Overall appearance is subdued and well-camouflaged, with brighter blue highlights most evident in good light.
Diet
Feeds mainly on seeds of grasses, saltbush/bluebush, acacias, and various herbs; also takes buds and flowers and occasionally soft fruits. Forages mostly on the ground, picking fallen seeds and green shoots. Will opportunistically exploit post-rain seeding events and visit stock troughs or natural soaks.
Preferred Environment
Open chenopod shrublands, mallee edges, and mulga country with scattered cover and bare ground for foraging. Often near water points and along lightly vegetated rail or track verges.
