Blue Bonnet

Northiella haematogaster

John Gould was the first to describe the species, in 1838.

Northiella commemorates Alfred John North, Australian zoologist; haematogaster is derived from Greek and means blood-red belly.

William T. Cooper, from left, Naretha Blue-bonnet (Psephotus haematogaster narethae), Blue-bonnet (Psephotus haematogaster haematogaster) 1970

Author’s note: There are several subspecies of the Blue Bonnet. Cooper’s plate shows the first described (also known as the nominate), Northiella haematogaster haematogaster (right) and Northiella haematogaster narethae, sometimes known as the Naretha Blue Bonnet. The latter subspecies occurs as an isolated population on the Nullarbor Plain.

John Gould (artist), Henry Constantine Richter (lithographer), Psephotus haematogaster (Crimson-bellied Parrakeet) 1848

Author’s note: This is the first published illustration of the species.

Ebenezer Edward Gostelow, The Blue Bonnet (Psephotus haematogaster) 1928

Author’s note: The Blue Bonnet is one of several parrot species in which the sexes are alike.