Pezoporus
The genus Pezoporus contains three Australian species: the night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) and the cryptic ground parrots, the eastern ground parrot (Pezoporus wallicus) and the western ground parrot (Pezoporus flaviventris). The night parrot was previously separated in a distinct genus, Geopsittacus.
The night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) is a small parrot endemic to the continent of Australia. It is well known as being one of the most elusive and mysterious birds in the world, with no confirmed sightings of the bird between 1912 and 1979, leading to speculation that it was extinct. Sightings since 1979 have been extremely rare and the bird's population size is unknown, though based on the paucity of records it is thought to number between 50 and 249 mature individuals.
The eastern ground parrot (Pezoporus wallicus) of Australia is one of only five ground-dwelling parrots in the world, the others being its closest relatives, the western ground parrot (Pezoporus flaviventris), the extremely rare night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis), the somewhat closely related Antipodes parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor), and the unrelated highly endangered kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) from New Zealand.
The western ground parrot (Pezoporus flaviventris) is an endangered species of parrot endemic to Western Australia and is a close relative of the eastern ground parrot (Pezoporus wallicus) and the somewhat more distantly related and mysterious night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis). It is one of the world's rarest birds with about 150 individuals remaining.
Psittaciformes, The Parrot Index, a part of Phoenix Feathers © 2016 - 2023
Page last updated: 12/24/23
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