Yellow Rosellas

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The Yellow Rosella (Platycercus flaveolus) is a recently discovered subspecies of the Crimson Rosella, (Platycercus elegans). The main difference between the two is that those parts of the Crimson Rosella which are red are bright yellow on the Yellow Rosella.

Distribution / Range

Yellow Rosellas are endemic to, and are fairly common in, southern New South Wales, northern Victoria, and southeastern Australia. They are occasionally nomadic and movements are likely dictated by the availability of food and nesting opportunities.

They are found in galley forest areas with Eucalyptus camaldulensis groves along banks of Darling, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers as well as tributaries. They may also be seen in adjoining farmland and in Mallee vegetation. They are usually observed in pairs or small flocks when foraging in the outer branches of eucalyptus trees or on the ground.

Their flight is powerful and not as undulating as that of other Platycercus species.

Description

Length:

Yellow Rosellas average 33 - 34 cm or 13 - 13.6 inches in length (including the long tail).

Male:

The male is generally pale yellow. The forehead is orange-red. He has a deep blue patch on the cheek. Nape (lower part of the neck), back and wing feathers black have a broad pale yellow edging. In many birds, the upper breast and throat are tinged with red. The median wing-coverts black; under wing-coverts and outer webs of flight feathers blue. The upper tail-coverts and lower back are dull yellow. The upperside of the middle tail-feathers are blue tinged with green. The outer tail-coverts are pale blue lightly tipped. The tail underside is grey with pale bluish tips. The bill is whitish-grey and the skin to narrow periophthalmic (eye) ring is grey. The irises are dark brown and the feet grey.

Females:

Hens have a more pronounced red tinge to throat and upper breast. They have a smaller and narrower bill.

Immatures:

Young birds are generally duller. Their back is olive-green, and the breast and abdomen are pale yellow-green.

They attain their adult plumage when they are about 15 months to 2 years old.

Calls / Vocalizations:

The call of the Yellow Rosella is similar to that of the Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), except it is slightly more high-pitched. They are said to be less noisy than other Platycercus species, but are considered "medium-noisy" parrots.

Diet:

Their natural diet consists of a variety of sprouted (seeds that dropped to the floor and were exposed to humidity) and unsprouted grass seeds, seeds from bushes and trees (particularly Eucalyptus camaldulensis), as well as a variety of fruits, berries, flowers, nectar, insects and their larvae.

In captivity, 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 usually fairly easy to breed. They are pretty hardy, but do need a dry shelter. In colder climates, a heated area may need to be provided.

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. Regular worming is required as they often forage on the ground..

The Yellow Rosella female typically lays 4 to 5 eggs that she incubates alone for about 22 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.

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.

Alternative Names:

Species: Scientific: Platycercus flaveolus ... English: Yellow Rosella, Yellow-rumped Rosella ... Dutch: Strogele Rosella ... German: Strohsittich ... French: Rosella à couleur de paille

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