Parrot Reference Photos in Full Color
Parrot colors are so strong that painters often doubt them. These parrot reference photos let you check every feather: galahs, cockatoos, lorikeets, rosellas and king parrots photographed in Australia, and the kea photographed in the mountains of New Zealand. Start with Galah Cockatoo Parrots (185 photos), Kea Alpine Parrot (86 photos and a video) or Crimson Rosella Parrot (72 photos). Packs start at $5.99.
Color you can trust
Small, compressed images can shift strong colors and blur the edges between them. That is a problem when the color is the subject. These packs are full-resolution originals, 5100 × 3450 or 6000 × 4000 pixels. You can zoom in to see where one color ends and the next begins on a wing or a cheek patch, which is exactly where parrot paintings need care.
Australian parrots, photographed where they live
Most packs in this collection were photographed in eastern Australia by the contributor AustraliaRef:
- Galah Cockatoo Parrots: 185 photos from Queensland of galahs sitting in trees and on cables, taking off from the ground and flying between branches. It is the best pack here for wings in motion.
- Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo: 42 photos from Sydney of a cockatoo on a branch, feeding on tree fruits.
- Crimson Rosella Parrot: 72 photos from New South Wales.
- King Parrot: 63 photos from New South Wales.
- Rainbow Lorikeets Parrot: 43 photos from New South Wales.
For more birds and animals from the same region, see Australian animal reference photos.
The kea: a mountain parrot
The kea is the world's only alpine parrot and lives in the mountains of New Zealand's South Island. It is an endangered species. The Kea Alpine Parrot pack has 86 photos taken at Arthur's Pass. The bird jumped onto the photographer's car mirror, which gave eye-level close-ups, and then onto the ground for a short walking sequence. A 37-second handheld video is included. Kea feathers are olive green with orange under the wings, a useful contrast to the bright Australian species.
A toucan for comparison
The Toucan is not a parrot, but its huge, colorful bill makes it a useful study next to them. The pack has 75 photos, photographed in Singapore.
Frequently asked questions
Which pack shows parrots in flight?
Galah Cockatoo Parrots includes birds flying off the ground and between branches. The other packs mostly show perched and feeding birds, with close-ups of head and feathers.
Are these wild birds or pets?
Several descriptions show birds in open settings: galahs on trees and cables in Queensland, a cockatoo feeding on tree fruits in Sydney, and the kea at Arthur's Pass. The rosella, king parrot and lorikeet descriptions do not say. Each product page lists the location.
Is there a macaw or African grey pack?
There is none in the collection at the moment. The parrots here are Australian and New Zealand species. For other tropical birds, see our full bird reference photos, which include flamingos, spoonbills and a toucan.