Crimson Rosella

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Crimson Rosella
Crimson Rosella
Crimson Rosella
Crimson Rosella

Crimson Rosella

Platycercus elegans

Breeds September-January. Nests in tree hollows. The female incubates 4 to 8 eggs for 20 days. Both sexes care for the young. The chicks remain dependent for 35 days after leaving the nest. Yellow birds hybridize with red birds to produce orange offspring.

Details Description
Type
Bird
Group
Parrot
Other Common Names
Red Lowry
Identifying Characteristics

Size 32-37 cm. Several colour forms exist. The crimson variety has mostly red plumage with bright blue cheeks. Feathers of the back and wing coverts are black. Flight feathers have broad, blue edges. Tail is blue above and pale blue below. The yellow variety has yellow replacing all of the crimson areas and the tail is more green. The Adelaide Rosella has the crimson areas replaced with colours ranging from yellow to dark orange.
Distinctive Markings

Characteristic blue cheeks in all varieties.
Diet

Omnivore. Feeds on the seeds of eucalypts, grasses and shrubs. Will also eat some insects and tree blossoms.
Habitat

Commonly associated with tall eucalypt and wetland forests. Also includes heavy wet forests, inland river belt trees and mallee areas.
Native Status
Native to Australia
Sounds
Clear, ringing "k - tee - tip, k - tee - tip".
Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Psittaciformes
Family
Psittacidae
Genus
Platycercus
Species
elegans
Crimson Rosella
Several populations exist. The crimson variety are found in north Queensland, south Queensland as far as south-eastern South Australia and on Kangaroo Island. The orange variety are found in the Flinders Ranges. The yellow variety is found along the Murray and Murrumbidgee and neighbouring rivers. Crimson birds have been introduced to Norfolk Island and New Zealand.

Distribution maps indicate current and historic locations where species have been sighted.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Conservation Status
DEPI Advisory List
Not listed
FFG Act
Not listed
EPBC Act
Not listed

The conservation status of species is listed within Victoria and Australia.

The Department of Environment and Primary Industry (DEPI) Advisory List consists of non-statutory advisory lists of rare or threatened flora and fauna within Victoria.

The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) lists threatened species in Victoria. Under the Act, an Action Statement is produced for each listed species.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s key piece of environmental legislation, listing nationally threatened native species and ecological communities.

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