The Galah (35 cm) can be easily identified by its rose-pink head, neck and underparts, with paler pink crown, and grey back, wings and undertail. Birds from the west of Australia have comparatively paler plumage. Galahs have a bouncing acrobatic flight, but spend much of the day sheltering from heat in the foliage of trees and shrubs. The voice is a distinctive high-pitched screech, 'chi-chi'. Huge noisy flocks of birds congregate and roost together at night.
The Galah is one of the most abundant and familiar of the Australian parrots, found in large flocks, in a variety of timbered habitats, usually near water. It occurs over most of Australia, including some offshore islands, and is becoming more abundant round areas of human habitation. The growth in population is largely a result of increasing availability of food and water. Escaped aviary birds have also contributed to these numbers.