Red Bellied Parrot – Orange Belly Parrot

People usually land on this topic while trying to identify a green parrot with a warm-coloured belly, or while checking whether a bird they’ve seen (or been offered as a pet) is the rare Orange-bellied Parrot. That distinction matters. One species is common and often seen around farms and parks; the other is a critically endangered migrant with tightly protected breeding and wintering areas.

The original text muddles two very different parrots and includes several factual errors (including where they live, their size, and whether they’re suitable as pets). Below is a corrected, Australia-focused guide that separates the Red-rumped Parrot (often miscalled “red-bellied”) from the Orange-bellied Parrot and explains how to tell them apart.

First: these are not the same bird

There is no Australian species commonly recognised as the “Red-bellied Parrot”. What people often mean is the Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus)—a widespread inland bird with a red rump (not a red belly). The Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) is a separate species: smaller, migratory, and critically endangered.^{1, 2, 3}

Quick identification (fast, field-friendly)

• If you see a bright red patch on the lower back/rump (often flashing in flight) on a mostly green parrot in open grassy country, it’s likely a Red-rumped Parrot.¹
• If you see a small parrot with a distinct orange belly patch and blue on the face/wings, near coastal saltmarsh in Victoria or South Australia in autumn/winter, treat it as a possible Orange-bellied Parrot and report the sighting through local channels (e.g., state environment department reporting pathways).^{2, 4}

Red-rumped Parrot (often mislabelled “red-bellied”)

What it looks like

Red-rumped Parrots are slim, medium-small parrots (around 27 cm long). Adult males are mostly green with a vivid red rump; females are duller and usually lack the bright rump patch.^{1, 5}

Where it lives

This is a bird of open grasslands, lightly timbered plains, farmland and watercourses across inland and south-eastern Australia. It’s not a coastal specialist, and it’s not a long-distance migrant.^{5, 6}

Diet and feeding style

Red-rumped Parrots feed mostly on the ground, taking grass seeds and other plant material, with some feeding in shrubs and trees as conditions change.^{5, 6}

Breeding (wild behaviour)

They typically nest in hollows (often in eucalypts) and may also use posts or other cavities. Clutch sizes are commonly reported around 4–6 eggs, and breeding can occur across a broad season depending on conditions.^{5, 6}

Orange-bellied Parrot (critically endangered)

What it looks like

The Orange-bellied Parrot is a small, bright green grass parrot with a yellowish chest and a clear orange patch on the belly. It’s around 20–21 cm long and roughly 40–50 g—noticeably smaller and lighter than many common backyard parrots.^{2, 4}

Where it lives (and when)

This species is one of only a few migratory parrots in the world. It breeds in south-west Tasmania (at Melaleuca and surrounds) in spring and summer, then crosses Bass Strait to spend autumn and winter along the coasts of Victoria and South Australia, usually staying very close to the shoreline in suitable habitat.^{2, 7}

Habitat and diet

On the mainland, Orange-bellied Parrots are strongly associated with coastal saltmarsh and nearby weedy pastures, where they forage for seeds of salt-tolerant plants and other low vegetation.^{2, 7}

Conservation status (why the wording matters)

The Orange-bellied Parrot is listed as Critically Endangered under Australia’s national environment law (EPBC Act). Recovery relies on coordinated habitat protection and intensive management, including captive breeding and releases.^{4, 8}

Common misconceptions fixed

• “Orange-bellied Parrot is a subset of the Red-bellied/Red-rumped Parrot”: false. They are different species in different genera.^{1, 2}
• “Both are threatened species”: false in general use. The Orange-bellied Parrot is Critically Endangered; the Red-rumped Parrot is widespread and not nationally listed as threatened.^{4, 6}
• “These are popular pet birds in Australia”: misleading. The Orange-bellied Parrot is a threatened wild species managed under conservation programs and is not a normal pet bird; discussing it as a pet option is inappropriate.^{4, 8}

If you think you’ve seen an Orange-bellied Parrot

Take notes rather than chasing the bird. The key details are location (exact spot), date and time, flock size, behaviour (feeding on saltmarsh plants or in adjacent pasture), and any photos taken from a distance. In Victoria, official information pages also outline where the species typically occurs and why sightings matter.²

References

1. World Parrot Trust — Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus)
2. Victoria DEECA — Orange-bellied Parrot species information
3. Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania — About Orange-bellied Parrots
4. Australian Government (DCCEEW) — Orange-bellied Parrot (EPBC status and overview)
5. Birds in Backyards (BirdLife Australia) — Red-rumped Parrot
6. Biodiversity of the Western Volcanic Plains (Vic) — Red-rumped Parrot field guide entry
7. Australian Government (DCCEEW) — National Recovery Plan for the Orange-bellied Parrot (2016; page updated 2021)
8. ABC News (31 March 2025) — Reporting on Orange-bellied Parrot genetic diversity and conservation options