Eastern Rosellas aka Common Rosellas
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The Eastern Rosella, Platycercus eximius, is a parrot native to southeast Australia and Tasmania. It has also been introduced to New Zealand.
Like just about Rosellas, the Eastern Rosella makes a strikingly beautiful and relatively quiet aviary occupant. It also has become increasingly popular as a pet.
The rosella pictured to the right is a male. The female rosellas have lighter colors than the males.
The Eastern Rosella is found in lightly wooded country. It eats grass seeds and fruits. (Adapted from source: Wikipedia.org)
Description:
Head, upper breast and under tail-coverts red; cheeks white; lower breast yellow becoming yellowish-green on abdomen; feathers of lower breast and abdomen with fine dark edging; nape, back and shoulder feathers black with yellowish-green edging; inner median wing-coverts black; bend of wing and outer median wing-coverts blue; secondary-coverts pale blue; secondaries, outer webs at base of primaries and under wing-coverts blue; lower back and upper tail-coverts pale green with fine dark edging; upperside of middle tail-feathers dark green with narrow dark blue edging; outer tail-feathers pale blue with dark blue base and pale tips; tail underside pale bluish; bill light grey-horn color; narrow periophthalmic ring grey to dark grey; iris dark brown; feet grey. Female on average smaller and with duller red; edging to back feathers dull green; whitish under-wing stripe present in many females; mostly smaller and narrower bill. Immatures similar to female, but with duller plumage; back of crown and nape green; pale under-wing stripe present; adult plumage attained at 18 months. 
Length: 30 cm (12 ins)
Diet:
Rosellas are customarily fed seeds, fruits, vegetables, eggfood, greens, mealworms, nuts, dog chow, bread, and minerals.
Breeding:
Rosellas are easy to breed; they are robust, do not fear cold but need a dry shelter. The breeding season usually starts in March or April (in Australia from September through January). During the incubation period she is fed by her mate. They nest in a wooden nest, high above the ground, filled with chips or turf.
The female lays 5 to 6 eggs that she incubates alone for about 21 days. During the incubation period she is fed by her mate.
It is recommended that couples are kept alone in an aviary, and to even avoid keeping two couples in two contiguous aviaries - as they may be aggressive.
Species: Scientific: Platycercus eximius eximius ... English: Eastern Rosella, Common Rosella, Bundullock ... Dutch: Prachtrosella ... German: Rosellasittich ... French: Rosella Orientale ... Sub-Species: ceciliae, eximius, diemenensis
Sub-species:
Tasmanian Rosellas: Please scroll up for information on care and breeding.
Species: Scientific: Platycercus eximius diemenensis ... English: Tasmanian Rosella ... Dutch: Tasmaanse Rosella ... German: Tasmanischer Rosella ... French: Rosella de Tasmanië
Description: As eximius, but head and upper breast darker red; white patch to cheek much larger. Female with same distinguishing features as nominate form. Length: 30 cm (12 ins)
Distribution:Tasmania
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (please scroll down to no. 3 and click on link to view photo)
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