The hooded parrot (Psephotellus dissimilis) is a species of parrot native to the Northern Territory in Australia. It is found in savannah and open woodland and is one of two extant species in its genus that breed in termite mounds. It has declined from much of its original range.
An Australian endemic, the hooded parrot inhabits to semi-arid areas of northeast Northern Territory, and is separated from the golden-shouldered parrot by the Carpentarian faunal barrier.
Though this species has disappeared from most of its original range, it remains common in protected areas. The hooded parrot is evaluated as Least Concern on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The diet consists mainly of seeds, berries and vegetables.
The hooded parrot digs cavities in termite mounds. It generally chooses conical termite mounds, only successful in flat two dimensional mounds if it digs at the edge rather than on the face of the mound. Excavation takes around three weeks. The tunnel is roughly horizontal and around 50 to 80 cm long.
Breeding takes place once or twice a year between April and August. The female lays four or five white, slightly shiny eggs that are 21 long by 19 mm wide.
The hooded parrot has a close ecological relationship with the moth species Trisyntopa neossophila. The female moth lays eggs in the parrot nesting cavity, so that the eggs hatch at the same time as the baby hooded parrots. The moth larvae live in small tunnels at the base of the cavity and emerge to eat the dark material of parrot feces, leaving the white uric acid deposits. They build a silk layer across the base of the cavity to protect themselves from chicks. They pupate in the cavity walls once the juvenile parrots leave the nest.
