Pale-headed Rosellas

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Distribution:

Pale-headed Rosellas can be found along the eastern seaboard of Australia, specifically Northern Queensland, South of Cairns and Mitchell River to Southern New South Wales. They inhabit inhabit open forest areas, farmland, parks and gardens.

Description:

The Pale-headed Rosella averages 30 - 32 cm or 12 to 12.5 ins in length.

This is a beautiful parrot with a striking color combination of a blue body and pale yellow head. There are red and green markings on the rump and blue on the underbelly - this blue is also seen on the face of Cape York individuals of this species, thus sometimes giving rise to the second common name of 'Blue-cheeked Rosella' (not to be confused with the 'Blue-cheeked Rosella' group).

Adult males: Their head, including cheeks and throat white; crown, nape and ear-coverts are tinged pale yellow. The breast is blue to deep blue with a variable yellowish-white tinge. All feathers from the breast and abdomen have a fine dark edging. The nape and back feathers are black with a broad yellow edging. The shoulder feathers are black with a broad greenish-blue and yellow edging. The lower back and upper tail-coverts are bluish-green. All feathers have a fine dark edging. The underside of the flight feathers show a white wing-stripe that can be seen in both sexes. Males are slightly larger.

Females are on average smaller and often have paler breast abdomen feathers. Her bill is mostly smaller.

Immatures resemble adults, but they have a duller plumage. The back of the crown and nape often have a few scattered red feathers. They have a paler under-wing stripe. Young birds attain the adult coloration after their second molt - when they are about 12 to 16 months old. At that time they also become sexually mature.

Diet:

A good Rosella diet should consist of canary seed, a mixture of millets, sunflower and safflower. Most people will use a Cockatiel seed mix with added Canary seed. They also enjoy fresh fruits & veggies such as apples, blackberries, oranges, cucumbers, sweet potato and mango. Kale, boiled egg can also be offered. I find that our Crimson Rosellas tend to appreciate fresh foods while the Golden Mantles will take bits and pieces leaving leftovers.

Sprouted or germinated seeds are usually more easily accepted by "seed addicts" than fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Sprouted seeds are healthier as the sprouting changes and enhances the nutritional quality and value of seeds and grains. Sprouted seeds are lower in fat, as the process of sprouting utilizes the fat in the seed to start the growing process - thus reducing the fat stored in the seeds.
• Sprouted seeds will help balance your bird’s diet by adding a nutritious supply of high in vegetable proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and chlorophyll.
• Soaked and germinated "oil" seeds, like niger and rape seeds, are rich in protein and carbohydrates; while "starch" seeds, such as canary and millets, are rich in carbohydrates, but lower in protein.
• It is in invaluable food at all times; however, it is especially important for breeding or molting birds. Sprouted seeds also serve as a great rearing and weaning food as the softened shell is easier to break by chicks and gets them used to the texture of seeds.



• Click here for more information on bird nutrition.

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 March). When courting the male will bow forward low on the perch while sounding out the mating calls. If approved the hen will do the same and they can often be seen feeding each other before mating.

The Pale-headed Rosella hen typically lays 3 to 5 eggs that she incubates alone for about 22 - 24 days. During the incubation period she is fed by her mate.

Established pairs can be prolific and may produce two to three clutches per season - especially if their young are pulled for handfeeding and they have plenty of food available. However, typically they raise one to two clutches per year. During the incubation period she is fed by her mate. After hatching chicks will leave the nest at about 6 weeks old.

Some breeders prefer to pull babies at 2-3 weeks old for handfeeding. This will allow parents to get started on another clutch.

Handfed Rosellas can still be a bit flighty and care should be taken to ensure the wings stay clipped to avoid injury. The young will need daily attention to remain tame.

Housing:

Rosellas do best in an aviary setting or long flight cages as they are avid flyers. 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 and get distracted from breeding. If this separation is not possible given the space and resources that you have, it is recommended to have the walls double wired with a separation of about 3 inches (75mm) or even place a solid wall between the neighbors. You also need to have available aviary space for the young birds as they should be separated as soon as they are fully independent of their parents.

Rosellas like to chew on wood therefore metal frames with strong wire / mesh is recommended. 

Minimum aviary size should be about:

Width: 40 inches (1000mm) - 47 inches (1200 mm)
Length: 16 feet (5000 mm)
Height: 7 feet (2100 mm) 

The roof should be covered with transparent or opaque corrugated roofing material. For easy maintenance and sanitation, a concrete floor that can be hosed down daily is recommended.

Nest Box:

In their natural habitat, they nest in a tree cavity, high above the ground, filled with chips or turf. In captivity, a standard rosella nest box size would be 10" x 11" x 24". Rosellas like their nesting place to be high up -- ideal would be 5 to 10 meters - or as high as the aviary allows. The nest log or box should be placed at the rear of the aviary in a sheltered location to protect it from the elements and provide privacy.

• Please click here for in-depth information on breeding.
• Click here for average clutch sizes and incubation data for the different rosella species.

Training and Behavioral Guidance:

• Parrots generally present challenges, such as excessive screaming or chewing - especially at certain stages in their life. They do discover their beaks as method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage" and they can generally be somewhat naughty, and it really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. Undisciplined parrots will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. They regard anything in your home as a "toy" that can be explored and chewed on; destroying items that you may hold dear or are simply valuable. Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation.
  
  
  • Web Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training.
  
  
  
  • If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
    
    • the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
      • Stop Biting
      • Perform Tricks &
      • Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
    • and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.

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Species: Scientific: Platycercus adscitus palliceps ... English: Pale-headed Rosella, White-cheeked Mealy Rosella ... Dutch: Bleekkop Rosella, Palliceps Parkiet ... German: Blaßkopfrosella, Blaubuerzeliger Blaßkopfrosella ... French: Rosella à tête pâle

Sub-Species / Races Including Nominate: adscitus, mackaiensis, amathusiae, pallicep

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Sub-species:

Blue-cheeked or Pale-headed Rosellas: Species: Scientific: Platycercus adscitus adscitus ... English: Blue-cheeked Rosella ... Dutch: Blauwwang Rosella ... German: Blauwangenrosella, Gelbbuerzeliger Blaßkopfrosella ... French: Rosella à tête pâle du Nord

Description: Crown, nape and ear coverts (feathers covering the ears) pale yellow; upper cheeks and lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird's head) are white; lower cheeks and under wing-coverts violet-blue; upper breast pale yellow, in many birds suffused with blue; lower breast and abdomen pale blue becoming greenish-blue mixed with yellow to sides; breast and abdomen feathers with fine dark edging; nape, back and shoulder feathers black with broad pale yellow edging, becoming pale greenish-blue on shoulders; inner median wing-coverts black; bend of wing and outer median wing-coverts pale violet-blue; secondary-coverts pale blue; secondaries,outer webs to base of primaries (longest wing feathers) and primary-coverts strong violet-blue; lower back greenish-blue, becoming bluish-yellow on the upper tail-coverts and with fine dark edging; under tail-coverts red; upperside of middle tail-feathers dark bronze-green becoming dark-blue at the tips; outer tail-feathers pale-blue with dark-blue base and pale tips; tail underside pale-bluish; bill pale light greyish-horn color; narrow periophthalmic ring grey; iris dark brown; feet dark grey. Female with whitish under-wing stripe; mostly smaller. Immatures as adults, but with duller plumage; often with a few grey and red feathers to head; paler under-wing stripe; adult plumage attained at 16 months. ... Length: 30 cm (12 ins)

Distribution: Cape York Peninsular, Queensland, Australia; overlaps with palliceps in Atherton Tableland.

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