Eastern Rosella

Eastern Rosellas are medium-sized colourful parrots with distinctive white cheek patches. It has a red head, neck and breast, with yellowish to greenish upper parts, a yellow underbody and a yellow-green to blue-green rump, with a red undertail. The shoulders are bright blue. Females are usually similar to males, but sometimes duller and young birds are even duller and can be aged by their bill colour, which is yellow or orange, changing to off-white when mature.

The Eastern Rosella are found throughout south-eastern Australia, from Queensland to Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. Also found in Tasmania.

Eastern Rosellas can be expected to live 15 or more years.

The size of the Eastern Rosella is 28 - 32 centimetres in length and weighs approximately 99 grams.

The Eastern Rosella mostly feeds on the ground, especially amongst grasses in lawns, pastures, in trees and bushes. Main dietary items include: seeds, fruits, buds, flowers, nectar and insects.

The Eastern Rosella inhabits open woodlands, grasslands, farmlands and bushland. Often found in urban habitats such as parks, gardens and golf courses.

Breeding season is between August and February. The female will choose and prepare the nesting site, usually a hollow in a eucalyptus tree. 4 - 8 eggs will be laid on a decayed wood bed and the female incubates the eggs for about 19 days while the male regularly feeds her. The young will stay in the nest for a further 32 days.