About Neophema elegans (Gould, 1837)
The elegant parrot, Neophema elegans (Gould, 1837), measures 23 cm (9.1 in) in total length. Its body plumage is predominantly golden olive, with a dark blue frontal band on the head that has a paler blue line above it. The abdomen and vent region are yellow. Females are a duller olive shade across their entire body, and have a narrower blue frontal band than males. Most of the wing surface is olive, while the outer flight feathers are dark blue. The tail is edged with yellow, and shows mixed shades of olive and blue. The bill and legs are grey, and the eyes are dark brown. Juvenile elegant parrots have duller overall plumage than adults, and do not develop the characteristic frontal blue bands. This species is found across two separate, disjunct regions in Australia. One region spans southwestern Australia, stretching from Moora in the north to Merredin and Esperance in the east. The second region covers southeastern South Australia (including Kangaroo Island), extending north to Marree and east into western Victoria.
