Rosella

Rosella are a medium sized parrot, all with a blend of striking colours. A characteristic of rosella is the long, flat and often graduated tail. To be honest, I never really notice the tail as the bright colours always draw my eye. There are 6 species of rosella, with a total of 19 sub-species, all found in Australia.

Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans)

The Crimson Rosella is very interesting. As a young bird, it is green becoming patchy red, green and blue as it gets older (photo right). Adults are a bright scarlet with blue patches on the face, wings and tail.

Crimson Rosella are only found in the south east of Australia and a small area of northern coastal Queensland. Interestingly, they are also present on Norfolk Island in the Pacific, close to New Zealand.

Yellow Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans flaveolus)

The Crimson Rosella has 2 very distinct sub-species. The first is the Yellow Rosella. It is dominant within its range across Northern Victoria, southern New South Wales and into South Australia. It is thought that a population of Crimson Rosellas became isolated in a region with a different environment, possibly with different food sources or selective pressures. Over time, genetic mutations that favored yellow plumage became more common in this isolated population, eventually leading to the distinct yellow coloration we see today.

Adelaide Rosella (Platycercus elegans adelaidae)

The Adelaide Rosella is the second subspecies of the Crimson Rosella. It's known for its distinctive orange-red plumage, a blend of the crimson of the Crimson Rosella and the yellow of the Yellow Rosella. This unique coloration is a result of interbreeding between these two subspecies. The Adelaide Rosella is considered a hybrid swarm, meaning it originated from extensive interbreeding between the Crimson and Yellow Rosellas where their ranges overlap. It's primarily found in the Adelaide region and surrounding areas of South Australia. It can be found in a range of shades from bright yellow to orange/red.

Western Rosella (Platycercus icterotis)

The Western Rosella is my favourite of the group - there is just something about the scarlet on them. They are only found in the south western corner of Western Australia and, as seen below, love feeding on grasses and their flowers. The photos show a young male moulting into adult plumage on the right.

Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius)

The Eastern Rosella is found in the south east and Tasmania. At times, it can be seen in large flocks and is often present in urban areas within its range. This rosella has every colour in its plumage and is quite amazing to see. Unusually, the sexes are alike.

Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus)

The Pale-headed Rosella is another multi-coloured rosella with 2 forms. The blue-cheeked (adscitus) on the right is found in the east from northern Queensland through to NSW. The white-cheeked (palliceps) is on the left. These parrots are more shy than the other species and will not usually let you get very close.

Northern Rosella (Platycercus venustus)

This is a pale yellow rosella with black crown and contrasting with white cheeks. It is the only rosella found in Northern Territory and northwestern Western Australia, where it inhabits open forests and woodlands, often near creeks and streams. Primarily pale yellow and black above, with blue wings and tail and red under the tail, it is a very colourful and striking bird. They are usually observed in pairs or small groups and generally difficult to find.

And still to find ...

Green Rosella

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