I was reading up on the Mallee or Barnards parakeet, the latest addition to my favorite birds list. I had seen pictures of this bird before, but not a single one has ever come close to showing what this bird looks like! Our local pet shop has a pair, and that's where I first saw them. WOW! such brilliant green! I knew I had seen pictures, so I went home to look it up. I indeed found the picture, but it was dull and subdued compared to the brilliance of the real thing. In my book, it gives the name Cloncurry as another name for the Mallee. But this is incorrect according to this article I found while looking for a better picture. I did find a pic that was pretty good, You'll see it below. I think this is a bird I'll be looking for to breed here at Qwatra! :)
http://www.birdkeepinginaustralia.com/articles/article22.html"
The Mallee ringneck parrot is also known as the Mallee parrot, Ringneck parrot, Barnard's parrakeet or buln buln. It is often confused with its close relative, the Cloncurry parrot. Both the Mallee ringneck and the Cloncurry are the same size but their body colourings are different and more distinct than the Twenty-eight and Port Lincoln. They are approximately 34cm in length including 17.5cm of tail.
The male Mallee ringneck has an overall blue-green body plumage, a red frontal band above the beak and blue cheeks. They have a V-shaped brown-blue band extending from the eyes, back around the head, to meet a narrow yellow collar at the nape. There is an irregular band of orange-yellow across the belly, with the back and mantle a deep blue-black. The shoulders are yellow; the outer webs of the flight feathers blue, the underwing coverts also blue. The central tail feathers are blue with a faint edging of white. The eye is dark brown; bill is pale grey; feet and legs are grey.
The female is very similar to the male, but the back and mantle are a dark grey-green. The hen is slightly smaller, especially in its head size. Immature birds are duller than the female. The normal call sounds something like 'Kwink-Kwink-Kwink' and, when disturbed, the alarm call is a harsh metallic shriek."
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The Cloncurry is of similar size and stature as the Mallee with the sexes alike. The Cloncurry has a general plumage of pale green; no red frontal band; a wide pale yellow band across the belly; the wing coverts are green; and the tail feathers get darker as they go down the tail, almost to a blue. The feet and legs are grey-brown. The female is paler than the male and slightly smaller. Immatures are duller than the adult birds and may posses a russet frontal band which disappears after a few months. They have a call, courtship and mating habits very similar to a Mallee. They seem to be a quieter bird and more docile among my collection of ringnecks. The male Cloncurry is the clown of my collection, as he usually hangs upside down on the aviary roof and moves from one side to the other. He is usually seen to roost this way too."
Remember a while back I mentioned the local pet shop where I saw a pair of Mallee Ringnecks? They were listed "not for sale" and had a cockatiel-size nest box sitting on the floor of their dark enclosure. I knew they would never breed for their owner in those conditions. I had asked the pet department manager (who personally owned them) if he ever decided to sell them, I would be interested in buying them. Well, not long ago he called me and asked me if I still wanted them. I of course 
said "you bet!" He said he was moving, and couldn't take the birds with him. He gave me an unbelievable deal on them! I brought them home and have them in a large parrot cage in the office until spring. We'll be building the indoor/ outdoor flights, and these active little emeralds are gonna LOVE it!! :) The male (the one that's a tad bigger and brighter) we named Sprite, and the female is Fern.
