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Rosella

Some Advantages

Independent
Good aviary bird
Relatively quiet when housed alone

Some Challenges

Speaking ability slim to none
Doesn’t enjoy being handled
Requires large cage or aviary

Size
10 to 15 inches, depending on species

Weight
About 150 grams in the larger species, less in the smaller species

Colors
Every color of the rainbow, with especially brilliant reds, yellows and blues

Life Expectancy
Genetics and diet play a strong role in the longevity of a bird. The rosella can live 15 years or more.

There’s no denying a rosella’s beauty, but the average rosella personality leaves some people wanting something more. They can be territorial and aggressive, so they are best kept as aviary birds. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, and some owners have kept hand-fed rosellas as pets, keeping them tame with ongoing handling and training.

History and Origin:
The eight rosella species are native to Australia, but they are now bred in captivity and are available as pets and aviary birds.

General Information:
The eight major rosella species are best known for their amazing array of colors. The Platycercus species, named for its flat (platy) tail (cercus) can be divided into three groups based on cheek color: blue, white or yellow.

The blue-cheeked rosellas are the larger of this species that, as a group, ranges in size from 10 to 14.5 inches. The adelaide rosella (Platycercus adelaidae) measures about 13.5 inches in length and can be identified by its red forehead, scalloped wing feathers and blue tail. The crimson rosella (Platycercus elegans) measures about 14 inches and is characterized by a predominantly red body. The green rosella (Platycercus caledonicus) is sometimes called the Tasmanian rosella because of its limited range in nature (Tasmania). It is 14.5 inches in length with a bright yellow body, a stripe of red over the beak and grayish-green back and wing feathers. The last of the blue cheeks is the 13-inch yellow rosella. It too has a yellow body and a red stripe over the beak, but the back and wing feathers are yellow and black and more distinctly scalloped.

The white-cheeked rosellas include three species. The eastern rosella (Platycercus eximius) is not as available in aviculture as the golden-mantled rosella subspecies (P. e. cecilae). The golden-mantled rosella is about 13 inches and similar in coloration to the nominate species, but a bit darker on the red head and upper breast. In both, the body is yellow, the back and wings are scalloped and multicolored and the tail is blue and green. The mealy rosella (Platycercus adscitus) measures 12.5 inches and can be identified by its predominantly blue body, yellow crown and nape, and, of course, the white cheeks. The most unusual characteristic of the northern rosella (Platycercus venustus) is its black head. This 11-inch bird, also called the Brown’s rosella, has yellow body feathers with finely scalloped gray-to-black edges.

The final species of rosella is the yellow-cheeked Stanley rosella (Platycercus icterotis), also called the western rosella. Measuring about 10 inches, the Stanley rosella is primarily red with multicolored wing and back feathers, and features a bright yellow cheek patch in males and a duller yellow cheek patch in females.

The rosella species are best kept in an aviary where they have room to fly. The recommended length for the aviary is 12 feet, with height and depth varying from 3 to 7 feet. It is best to keep only one pair per aviary, because multiple pairs kept together can be aggressive. Rosellas should not be housed with other species for the same reason.

A single rosella can be kept indoors, and the cage should measure at least 3 by 3 by 3 feet, keeping in mind that length is more important than height. They don’t like to be in the center of activity, so consider placing the cage in a low-traffic room. Or, depending on climate, consider housing the cage outdoors.

Inside the cage or aviary, you may want to include a bell or mirror, but toys are not needed. Instead, a rosella will enjoy fresh water for frequent baths and fruit branches to chew. Of course, fruit branches should be free of pesticides. In the wild, rosellas feed on the ground, so in captivity they enjoy digging around on the bottom of a cage or aviary lined with sand.

Health:
In the wild, rosellas eat the seeds, fruits, berries, blossoms, nectar, insects and insect larvae naturally found in their geographic ranges. In captivity, rosellas can be fed seed mixes for small to medium parrots, and can learn to eat a pelleted diet. Rosellas will enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables (especially carrots and apples), along with hard-boiled eggs, oats and nuts.

Change the water at least once a day, and clean the cage or aviary frequently to avoid introducing bacteria into the bird’s environment. They will also enjoy a water dish for bathing.

The Ideal Owner:
The rosella is a good choice for a more experienced bird owner, perhaps one who is interested in breeding or in having a colorful aviary. The ideal owner will have room for an aviary, preferably outdoors in a temperate to warm climate, and whose neighbors don’t mind the noise. Compared to the average pet parrot, the rosella falls in the middle of the noisy range, but can be much louder when housed with or near other birds. Each rosella has its own call, from the “kweek kweek” of the crimson rosella to the “pink, pink” of the eastern rosella. And each rosella has its own personality, ready to be discovered by the right kind of owner. The ideal rosella owner is someone who will admire their beauty and respect their space.