Swift parrot is a medium-sized parrot. It is known for flying fast across straight distances. It measures about 10 inches (25 centimeters) in length. The swift parrot is native to southeastern Australia. However, swift parrots only breed in the Australian island state of Tasmania. 
The swift parrot has bold coloring. Bright green feathers cover most of the bird’s body and head. The top of the bird’s head is crowned with dark blue feathers, with bright red feathers around the beak and throat. The swift parrot also has patches of red feathers on its wings. It has a long tail of red and purple feathers. Male swift parrots are more brightly colored than females. Due to its coloring, the swift parrot is also called the red-faced or red-shouldered parrot.
Swift parrots spend most of their life in trees, roosting in groups. In Tasmania, they usually live in blue gum trees. In mainland Australia, the birds often inhabit dry woodland areas, but they can also be found in suburban gardens and parks. They mainly feed on nectar from flowering eucalyptus trees, as well as seeds and small insects.
Each year, the birds fly across the Bass Strait to their breeding grounds in Tasmania. Swift parrots breed from September to January. They build nests in the hollows of trees. The female typically lays 3 to 4 eggs. Around April, the parrots fly back to the Australian mainland.
The swift parrot is in danger of dying out completely. One of its most important predators is the sugar glider, a species of Australian marsupial. In Tasmania, sugar gliders often attack the nests of swift parrots. The parrots are also threatened by deforestation, which destroys their forest habitats.
