Crimson Rosellas also called the Pennant's Rosellas
Rosellas Information ... Rosella Species ... Rosella Photo Gallery ... Bird Nutrition
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The Crimson Rosella, Platycercus elegans, is native to east and south east Australia (Southern Queensland to Victoria in Australia). It has also been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. Its preferred habitat includes mountain forests and gardens.
They make strikingly beautiful and quiet aviary occupants, and are popular as pets as well.
Description:
The Crimson Rosella averages 26 - 36 cm (10.4 - 14 ins) in length (including tail). The wings are typically 164 - 188 mm (6.5 - 7.5 ins) long.
Adult male: The plumage is generally red. The cheeks are violet-blue. The nape, back and parts of secondaries are black with a broad red edging. The inner median wing-coverts are black. The bend of the wing, outer median wing-coverts and secondary coverts are blue. The secondaries, outer webs of base of primaries (longest wing feathers) and under wing-coverts are blue. The upperside of the middle tail feathers are dark blue with a black base. The outer tail feathers are dark blue with a lighter edging and pale tips. The tail underside is pale bluish. The bill is horn-grey and they have narrow grey eye rigns. The irises are dark brown and the feet are grey.
The female is on average smaller and has a narrower bill. Her plumage has a greenish tinge to the upperside of the middle tail-feathers.
Immature birds: The red plumage that can be seen on the adults is olive-green in young birds, except for the forehead, crown, upper cheek area, throat, parts of the upper breast, thighs and under tail-coverts. The inner median wing-coverts and outer secondary-coverts are dull olive-green. The under wing-coverts are dull blue. The upperside of the middle tail-feathers are dark olive-green with blue-black tips. The tail underside is pale grey-blue. The pale under-wing stripe is present. 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.
Adults and juveniles show strikingly different coloration in south-eastern populations, with predominantly golden-olive body plumage on the juvenile.
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.
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.
They also enjoy fresh fruits & veggies such as apples, blackberries, oranges, cucumbers, sweet potato and mango. Kale, boiled egg can also be offered.
- Please 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 female typically lays 3 to 7 eggs that she incubates alone for about 19 - 21 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.
Photos and below information are courtesy of Mandy & Paul - Breeder of Canaries & Other Exotic Birds - Singing Wings Aviary - www.singing-wings-aviary.com (A great source for these colorful parrots)
Crimson Rosella Mutations / Sub-species:
The Crimsons have a few mutation color mutation such as Blue, Yellow, Lutino and Silver.
Sexing:
Sexing young birds can prove difficult and DNA sexing may be the only way to know for sure at a young age. However birds at least 9 months old can be visualy sexed. There is a noticable difference in the Crimsons as the mature male has a much broader head and bigger beak.
General Care:
These birds love to bathe and should be provided fresh water to do so.
Compatibility:
Males are very much aggressive towards other males exspecialy in the presence of a hen. Young birds should be seperated from the parents as soon weaned to prevent parental aggression. If you house pairs seperatly in side-by-side flights you may want to place solid dividers between the flights as this will help a great deal with aggression. It is not wise to house this spieces with others.
Housing:
Rosellas do best in an aviary setting or long flight cages as they are avid flyers. Single pets can be housed in med. size parrot cages as long as they are allocted time each day out of the cage.
Song:
Though they do not have a true song they do have several melodious calls. Similar to a louder Red Rump it is much more pleasent then the shrill & harsh sound of Conures, Cockatoos or Macaws. Rosellas are not known for much talking ability but they can mimic whistles and songs.
Species:
Scientific: Platycercus elegans elegans ... English: Crimson Rosella, Pennant's Parakeet ... Dutch: Pennant Rosella ... German: Pennantsittich, Büschwaldsittich ... French: Rosella de Pennant
Sub-Species / Races Including Nominate: nigrescens, elegans, melanoptera, fleurieuensis
Sub-species:
Kangaroo Island Crimson Rosellas: Please scroll up for additional information.
Species: Scientific: Platycercus elegans melanoptera ... English: Kangaroo Island Crimson Rosella ... Dutch: Kangaroo Island Pennant Rosella ... German: Kangaroo Island Pennantsittich ... French: Rosella d'ile Kangoeroe
Description: As elegans (photos above), but red edging to back narrower. Female with same distinguishing features as nominate type. Immatures as elegans. ... Length: 36 cm (14 ins), wing length 168 - 182 mm (6.5 - 7 ins)
Distribution: Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Scroll down to no. 3 - click on link to view photo)
Northern Crimson Rosellas: Please scroll up for additional information.
Species: Scientific: Platycercus elegans nigrescens ... English: Campbell Parakeet, Northern Crimson Rosella ... Dutch: Noordelijke Pennant Rosella ... German: Nördlicher Pennantsittich, Campbelsittich ... French: Rosella de Queensland - Note: the two sub-species, the elegans and nigrescens, are regularly hybridised in aviculture so that there are now very few pure specimens.
Description: As elegans, but red much darker; red edging to back more narrow; smaller. Female with same distinguishing features as nominate type. Immatures virtually same as adults, red plumage being slightly darker; occasionally with some green to shoulder feathers and secondary-coverts; immature seen once with brownish-red feathers. ... Length: 34 cm (13.5 ins), wing length 146 - 168 mm (5.5 - 6.5 ins)
Distribution: North-eastern Queensland in Australia
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo)
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