Western Rosellas or Yellow-cheeked Rosellas
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Distribution:
The Western Rosella is indigious to the coastral areas of South-western Australia.
Description:
Head, breast, abdomen and under tail-coverts red; chin, cheeks and lores yellow; nape and back feathers black with green edging; also partially with red edging in some older birds; shoulder feathers black becoming green towards tips; inner median wing-coverts black; edge of wing, outer median wing-coverts and under wing-coverts violet-blue; secondary-coverts green with violet-blue outer webs; secondaries green with narrow greenish-blue edging to outer feathers; outer webs at base of primaries and primary-coverts bright violet-blue; lower back and upper tail-coverts green; upperside of middle tail-feathers dark green; outer tail-feathers pale blue with dark blue base and pale tips; tail underside pale bluish; bill light greyish-horn color; narrow periophthalmic ring grey to dark grey; iris dark brown; feet greyish-brown.
Female with duller red; breast, upper abdomen, crown, nape and lower cheeks green with broad dull red edging; back dull black, each feather broadly edged with green; outer middle wing-coverts green tinged violet-blue; secondary-coverts and outer secondaries with less violet-blue to outer webs;outer webs at base of primaries and primary-coverts dull violet-blue; lower back and upper tail-coverts green; upperside of middle tail-feathers dull dark green; outer tail-feathers pale blue with dark green base and pale tips;whitish under wing-stripe present.
Immatures mainly green to olive-green and with orange-red feathers on forehead, breast, abdomen and umder tail-coverts; young males with more red, particularly breast feathers, which are orange-red; yellow cheek patch mostly absent; light under wing-stripe present adult plumage attained by 14 months. 
Length: 26 cm (10 ins)
- Mutations / Colors: In aviculture, many beautiful mutations have occurred. Please visit this website for photos.
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.
Taxonomy:
Scientific: Platycercus icterotis icterotis ... English: Western Rosella, Yellow-cheeked Rosella ... Dutch: Stanley Rosella, Geelwang Rosella ... German: Stanleysittich ... French: Rosella Stanley de qouest
Sub-Species: icterotis, xanthogenys
Sub-species:
Species: Scientific: Platycercus icterotis xanthogenys ... English: Red-backed Western Rosella ... Dutch: Roodrug Stanley Rosella ... German: Rotrücken Stanleysittich ... French: Rosella de Salvador
Description: As icterotis, but with paler cheek patch; nape, back, and shoulder feathers black with broad brownish-grey and red edging; lower back and upper tail-coverts olive-grey; middle tail-feathers dull dark blue with little or no dark green tingeing. Female as icterotis, but much paler; nape, back and shoulder feathers dark grey with broad brownish-grey edging; lower back and upper tail-coverts olive-grey. Immatures as described for nominate form, but mainly olive-grey; back and wing edging pale grey.
Distribution: The interior of south-western Australia
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (scroll down to no. 2 - click to view photo
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