The name commemorates the German naturalist and explorer Eduard Rüppell.

They are sexually dimorphic; adult female birds have blue feathers on the lower back and the rump, whilst male birds lose this blue feather coloration as they become mature.

The Ruppell's parrot eats mainly seeds, flowers, leaves, anthropods, and bark.

It has been found that during the rainy seasons they prefer to eat flowers and insects.

[citation needed] The Rüppell's parrot nests in tree cavities.