Crimson rosella

Crimson rosella – bundaluk, gurilla

What is a crimson rosella?

Deep red and blue in colour, crimson rosellas are medium sized parrots seen in bushland and gardens in south-eastern Australia and north-east along coastal Queensland. Bundaluk and gurilla are names used by Dharug Peoples for rosellas. The scientific name is Platycercus elegans. 

The pale blue cheeks of the crimson rosella distinguishes it from male king parrots. They are also smaller than king parrots and a deeper red.

What do crimson rosellas look like?

In the Sydney region and eastern and south-eastern Australia crimson rosellas have a deep red head and chest. ‘Crimson’ is another word for red. Crimson rosellas from other areas can range from a deep red, to orange to light yellow, such as the yellow rosella from the Murray Basin.

Crimson rosellas have blue cheek patches, wings and tail feathers. The males and females look the same. Juvenile crimson rosellas have an olive coloured body, often mottled with red as their adult red feathers start to replace their juvenile feathers. ‘Juvenile’ means young.

As with all parrots, crimson rosellas have a short curved beak and two pairs of opposable toes with curved claws. Their beak and feet are grey. A human’s thumb and fingers are opposable, enabling holding and gripping.

What do crimson rosellas sound like?

Crimson rosellas make several calls. One is a double short bell-like high whistle which can carry long distances. It sounds like a high pitched ‘he he’, ‘he he’. Another call is a high pitched screech. They also make gentle musical or metallic chattering sounds usually when they’re with other crimson rosellas.

Where do crimson rosellas live?

Crimson rosellas are found in the temperate eastern and south-eastern corner of Australia covering south-eastern NSW, all of Victoria and parts of Queensland and South Australia. They usually live within or close to tall eucalypt forests, tall timbered woodlands and wet sclerophyll forests. Crimson rosellas use suburban bushland and visit leafy parks and gardens when food is available. They don’t usually visit large cleared areas.

Adult crimson rosellas often move around in pairs or small flocks of five or six birds. They use a variety of habitats including ground cover, shrubs and trees. Natural ponds and artificial bird baths provide drinking water for crimson rosellas.

What do crimson rosellas eat?

Crimson rosellas mainly feed on seeds but will also eat blossoms such as bottle brush and gum blossoms, fruits  and some insects such as lerps. They prefer the seeds of eucalyptus trees but also eat the seeds of grasses, weeds and shrubs. 

Crimson rosellas prefer to drink and feed in the early morning and late afternoon. In the morning they have been known to drink dew from leaves. Crimson rosellas climb around the foliage of shrubs and trees or walk along shady ground looking for seeds. ‘Foliage’ means leaves.

Whilst  attracted to artificial seed trays, a varied natural diet provides better nutrition for crimson rosellas. Artificial seed trays can also spread disease amongst parrots.

How are crimson rosellas adapted to their environment?

Crimson rosellas have flight feathers for flying from place to place in order to find food, mates, roosting and nesting sites and to escape predators. 

They have a short curved beak for biting off and biting into soft seed pods and blossoms, cracking seeds and preparing their nesting hollow. 

A feature of parrots, crimson rosellas have two opposable toes on each foot enabling them to hold small food items, perch, climb and cling onto small branches. The opposable toes work like two thumbs and two fingers enabling a tight grip.

When a crimson rosella bites off a seed pod with their beak, they will hold it in their left foot as they bite into it. The long curved claws of crimson rosellas also provide grip.

How do crimson rosellas reproduce and what is their life-cycle?

Crimson rosellas breed from September to January. They lay four to eight small creamy white eggs in a hollow in the trunk of a tall eucalyptus tree. The hollow is usually five to 20 metres above the ground. In preparation for the eggs, the parents chip the sides of the hollow with their beaks to make a soft base of wood chips or wood dust. 

The female rosella incubates her eggs for 19 to 21 days. ‘Incubate’ means to keep warm. The male feeds her whilst she is sitting on the eggs and caring for the young in the nest. 

At about five weeks old the young rosellas fledge. ‘Fledge’ means the young birds have grown large enough flight feathers to leave the nest and fly. The fledglings stay with their parents for about a month before they fly off independently. 

Olive green in appearance, the juvenile crimson rosellas tend to stay in small groups until they get their red adult plumage. ‘Plumage’ means feathered covering.

What is the role of crimson rosellas in the environment?

Crimson rosellas help disperse seeds and are pollinators. 'Disperse' means spread around.

What threats do crimson rosellas face and how can we help them?

The loss of old and mature eucalyptus trees with nesting hollows reduces the availability of nesting sites to crimson rosellas and other parrots. Land clearing for development and agriculture also reduces native foods and habitat for the rosellas.

Seed trays put out by humans is a potential threat as it can result in birds contracting Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) which is spread through contact with faeces from infected birds.

Planting native food plants in parks, schools and gardens at home can help provide habitat for crimson rosellas. Providing raised sources of water such as ponds or bird baths also helps care for crimson rosellas and other native birds. 

Populations of crimson rosellas and other native bird species can be maintained and increased through protecting native forests and planting vegetation corridors.

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