Princess Parrots are certainly the most exotic and probably the most sought-after of all the "long-tails" in Australia, partly because they normally live in some of the most remote desert regions and so are very rarely seen by birdwatchers unless a special expedition is undertaken to the known haunts in the hope of seeing one. Trouble is, unless you have the latest up to date information about breeding birds which must remain in an area for a breeding season, during the rest of a year, they can be there one minute and gone the next. They are one of our true nomads and in the boom or bust conditions of our deserts, they have to wander widely in search of the good times.

As well as grass seed, Princess Parrots feed on a wide variety of annuals that abound in the dunes in good seasons - flowers, fruits and also nectar. One of their favourites is the "Upside Down" plant, Leptosema chambersii, a native pea which flowers at ground level. See pic 279202