Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

With its bright plumage in the primary colors, and scale-like black markings on the back, this parrot is a well known inhabitant of the farmland and gardens within its range. Pairs or small groups search for a variety of food, including fruit, blossoms, nectar from trees, berries from shrubs, and seeds from the ground. Since it takes fruit from orchards it is considered to be an agricultural pest. It also feeds on spilled grain in harvested fields. The Eastern Rosella's calls include loud metallic notes, screeches, and chattering. Its flight is undulating, usually close to the ground, with a final upward sweep to a perch. The male performs a swaggering display in which he walks on the ground, wagging his tail from side to side.

Nest: An unlined hollow in a living or dead tree.

Distribution: S.E. Australia.

Reference:

Greensmith, Alan., Harrison, Colin. Birds of the World (Eyewitness Handbooks); The Visual Guide to over 800 Species, Covering the Complete Range of Bird Families.: London, 1993.