Rosella

Description: A rosella is one of five to eight species  of colorful Australian parrots. Platycercus means "broad-tailed" or "flat-tailed", reflecting a feature common to the rosellas.Ranging in size from 26–37 cm  rosellas are medium-sized parrots with long tails.The feathers on their backs show an obvious scalloping appearance with colouring that differs between the species.All species have distinctive cheek patches.Sexual dimorphism is absent or slight - males and females generally have similar plumage, apart from the Western Rosella

Origin:
Rosella parakeets originate from all areas of Australia.

Diet:In the wild Rosellas will consume a range of foods found at various levels within their habitat.  They will feed at ground level on seeds of grasses and herbs.  In trees, especially the eucalypts, and shrubs they will eat fruits , berries,  leaf and flower buds, nectars and chew on fresh branches .   Insects and the insect larvae will be consumed and this food source provides a good source of easily digested protein.

Life Span:

Rosellas can live for almost 20 years.

Cage Requirements :
Due to their active nature Rosellas need a lot of cage space for their size.

Breeding and nesting:It is best to breed Rosella parakeets when they are of 18 to 24 months.
They are best kept  single pairs since they can show aggressive
behavior with other species. Large aviaries with sufficient flight space can
be successful with proper daily observation for any quarreling. Breeding
season is late summer i.e August  through winter i.e  January.

Once the environment is established, females will generally lay between six
to eight eggs.  The incubation period is on average 20 days. They  ll
wean from their parents at 8 to 10 weeks old.

Subtypes:

1: Western Rosella:26 cm long, and the smallest rosella. The male is mainly red with yellow cheek patches, green rump, and a dark green tail. The female is duller  , with a mainly green head,reddish forehead and yellow cheeks

2: Crimson Rosella:

36 cm long, five subspecies, three of them are actually crimson.. Flaveolus and a mixture of red, orange and yellow in the Adelaide Rosella.

3: Green Rosella : 7 cm long, and the largest rosella. It has a yellow headand underparts with blue cheeks and red frontal band above the bill.

4: Pale-headed Rosella :

30 cm long, mostly covered in blue except for the upperbreast and head which are cream-yellow.

5: Eastern Rosella:

30 cm long. Red head and white cheeks.The upper breast is redand the lower breast is yellow fading to pale green over the abdomen.

6: Northern Rosella:

28 cm long, forehead, crown and nape are black in colourwith white-on-blue cheek-patches.