Crimson Rosella

The Crimson Rosella is now considered to include the Yellow Rosella and Adelaide Rosella. Within these three groups there are several races.

Crimson Rosella

1. Race elegans: 32-37 cm. Showy common parrot: crimson with blue cheeks, shoulders, tail; back mottled black. Juvenile: usually outnumber adults: golden-olive with patchy crimson forehead, throat, undertail-coverts; blue cheek patch, shoulder, blue-white tail edges; in flight, pale wingbar. Pairs, small flocks: feeds in foliage, cracking seed-capsules: tree ferns, etc., and on ground. Flight swooping, with flashing two-toned blue wings/tail; wingbeats often deep, exaggerated. Tame in parks, gardens, resorts.

2. Race nigrescens: Like race elegans, but smaller and darker. Juvenile: like adults, with greenish feathers to feathers of mantle. Range and Status:: mountains of ne. Q, from Atherton Tableland to Eungella NP.

3. Race melanopterus: Like race elegans. Range and Status: Kangaroo Is.

Yellow Rosella

4. Race flaveolus: 30-34 cm. Pale yellow: forehead red; cheeks and shoulder blue; mantle mottled black; tail blue with whitish margins; some have reddish wash on breast. Juvenile: washed olive-green; pale wingstripe in flight. Pairs, small flocks: feeds on ground; in foliage, blossoms of eucalypts, acacias; peppercorns; orchards, gardens. In flight, yellow plumage contrasts with pale/dark blue wingpatches.

Adelaide Rosella

5. Race fleurieuensis: 34-36 cm. Natural hybrid of Crimson/Yellow Rosellas: some are yellow with reddish forehead/breast; blue cheeks, shoulders and tail edges; others washed red on mantle, merging into yellow neck and rump. Juvenile: olive-green; forehead, throat, undertail-coverts dull red; pale wingstripe in flight. Habits like Crimson Rosella.

6. Race subadelaidea: Like race fleurieuensis, but paler, variable. Range and Status: Flinders Ranges region (SA).