Crimson Rosella

Scientific name
Platycercus elegans

At a Glance…..

Size 32-36 centimetres in length and 35 centimetres in height.

What It Eats Seeds, fruits, nuts, flowers, shoots, nectar and insects.

Gestation Eggs take 20 days to hatch.

Habitat Forests on the east coast of Australia from Victoria to Northern Queensland. Parks and gardens.

Common Predators Domestic cats and foxes.

What Is a Crimson Rosella?

As its name implies, the Crimson Rosella is a ‘crimson red' bird which is a species of the Parrot family. It is Australia's showiest and most familiar parrot and is sometimes called the Mountain Lowry. Its cheeks, flight feathers and tail are blue. There are several colour forms of Rosella's in Australia, including yellow and orange. The young of the Crimson Rosella are usually varied shades of green, with characteristic blue cheeks until they reach 12-15 months old.

Fascinating Fact

The Crimson Roslla is often tame in parks and gardens.

The birds range from 32 - 36 centimetres in length. Individuals from northern Queensland are smaller and darker than southern birds. The female resembles the male but is generally smaller with a narrower head and finer beak.

The Crimson Rosella is a social bird who loves to bathe and has a variety of calls: a call of shrill, quickly repeated short notes given in flight (an alarm call); a high pitched, two or three note bell-like whistle (a contact call); a lower- pitched, softer call of five to ten quickly repeated whistled notes (a feeding or roosting contact call); and a rich, musical chatter between birds in trees.

Where Does a Crimson Rosella Live?

The Crimson Rosella prefers humid forests on the eastern coast from Victoria to Northern Queensland, but can also be found in rainforests, dense eucalypt forests and timbered watercourses. They have also been introduced to Norfolk Island and New Zealand.

What Does a Crimson Rosella Eat?

Crimson Rosellas are seed eaters, but their diet also includes fruit, nuts, flowers, shoots, nectar and insects. They can sometimes be seen feeding on the ground, but they mostly feed in tree tops. They are easily attracted to garden seed trays and bird tables, although feeding wildlife is not recommended.

Crimson Rosella's Family Life

Crimson Rosellas breed between September and January. The male displays himself on a prominent branch or perch by raising his body to its full height, spreading his tail and ruffling body feathers. To end his performance he lowers his wings and bows in an up and down motion, chattering musically. The female responds in a similar fashion, but is less animated. This is often followed by a courtship feeding.

Crimson Rosellas nest in hollows located high in trees and lined with wood shavings and dust. The female alone incubates the four to eight (usually five) cream rounded eggs, although both sexes care for the young. The chicks hatch after about 20 days and although they leave the nest after about 35 days, they remain dependent on their parents for a further 35 days.

Usually seen in pairs or small family groups, Crimson Rosellas are plentiful in Australia. Immature (or young) flocks can be seen in autumn and winter.