Eastern Rosella

Platycercus eximius

Red head, white cheeks, yellow belly, green back. Named after Rose Hill, Sydney. A living postcard from the colony.

Population: Not quantified globally; described as extremely common throughout its range with an increasing population trend
Habitat: Open woodlands, grassy forests, farmland, orchards, parks, gardens, golf courses, and other cultivated/urban areas; low forest dependency, occurring from sea level up to about 1,540 m elevation
Fun fact: Despite its vivid red, yellow, and blue plumage, the Eastern Rosella spends much of its time feeding quietly on the ground, making it easy to overlook until it flushes into the trees.
Range: Native and resident in southeastern Australia (southeastern Queensland through New South Wales, Victoria, southeastern South Australia) and Tasmania; introduced (c. 1910) and established in New Zealand's North Island and around Dunedin in the South Island
Diet: Omnivorous ground-and-tree forager: grass and other plant seeds, buds, flowers, nectar, and fruit, plus insects and their larvae (diet spans roughly 50 plant species and 15 animal taxa); feeds mainly on the ground in grasses, lawns, and pastures
Size: 0.3 m
Lifespan: 27 years

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