Eastern Rosella
Platycercus eximius
Also called Red rosella, Common rosella, White-cheeked rosella, Golden-mantled rosella (subspecies elecica)
From South-eastern Australia and Tasmania, in open lowland country including woodland edges, farmland and gardens. Introduced populations also live on New Zealand's North Island and around Dunedin.12
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Feathered; broad-tailed parakeet with scalloped back
A vividly coloured parrot with a red head and chest, crisp white cheeks, a yellow lower breast and a pale green belly. The back feathers are black edged in yellow-green, giving a scalloped look that is unusual among parrots. Hens are a little duller than males.12
Personality what they are like
An active, alert parrot that usually moves about in pairs or small groups. It forages both in trees and on the ground. It is busiest in the early morning and evening.1
Daily activity how busy a day looks
A strong flyer that needs a walk-in aviary at least 3 m long. Fresh branches and chew toys keep it occupied.1
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Provide bathing bowls and a regular supply of fresh, unsprayed branches, pine cones, wooden toys and vegetable-tanned leather toys to chew.1
Home where they are happiest
A walk-in aviary with a minimum length of about 3 m.1
Food basics what goes in the bowl
A small-seed mix (canary seed, oats, safflower) with spray millet and limited sunflower, sprouted legumes, cooked grains, leafy greens, vegetables, fruit such as apple and pear, some nuts and a complete pellet. Wild birds eat seeds, buds, flowers, nectar, fruit and insects.12
Company who they like around
Lives in pairs or small groups in the wild and is usually kept as a pair.1
The story where it all began
George Shaw described the eastern rosella in 1792. Around 1910 a shipment refused entry to New Zealand was released near Otago Heads, and more birds escaped in Dunedin, founding the population that now thrives there. It remains a well-known aviary parrot.21
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The black scalloping on its back feathers is described as unique in the parrot world.1
- 2
New Zealand's wild rosellas trace back to birds released from a ship around 1910.2
- 3
Wild birds have been recorded eating about 50 plant species and 15 kinds of small animals.2
- 4
A pair can raise two broods in one season, producing up to twelve young.2
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern; overall population increasing.1
- CITES
- Appendix II.1
- Taxonomy
- Described by Shaw in 1792. Three subspecies: eximius, elecica and diemenensis.2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Eastern Rosella. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Fresh food and waterevery day
- Cage linerevery 2 days
- Full cleanevery week
- Bath offerevery 3 days
- Nails checkevery month
- Beak checkevery month
- Toy rotationevery week
- Out-of-cage timeAbout 2 hours a dayevery day
- Vet check-upevery year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Eastern Rosella - World Parrot Trust Parrot Encyclopedia parrots.orgused for size, weight, lifespan, range, status, captive care, diet, fun facts
- Eastern rosella - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for history, taxonomy, subspecies, New Zealand population, diet, fun facts
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.