Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius)
Eastern Rosella

Eastern Rosella

Platycercus eximius

The Eastern Rosella, scientifically known as Platycercus eximius, is a vibrant and colorful rosella native to southeastern Australia, including Tasmania. This striking bird measures approximately 30 cm (12 inches) in length and is adorned with a red head and white cheeks. Its beak is white, and the irises are a deep brown. The upper breast is a vivid red, transitioning to a yellow on the lower breast and fading to a pale green across the abdomen. The back and shoulders feature black feathers with yellowish or greenish margins, creating a scalloped appearance that varies slightly between subspecies and sexes. The wings and lateral tail feathers are bluish, while the tail itself is dark green. The legs are a muted grey. Females are similar to males but are slightly duller and possess an underwing stripe, which is absent in adult males. Juveniles are even duller than females and also have an underwing stripe.

Identification Tips

To identify the Eastern Rosella, look for its red head, white cheeks, and the distinctive scalloped pattern on its back and shoulders. The male's bright colors and lack of an underwing stripe distinguish it from the female. Juveniles can be recognized by their overall duller coloration and the presence of an underwing stripe.

Habitat

The Eastern Rosella favors lightly wooded country, open forests, woodlands, gardens, bushlands, and parks. It thrives in areas where trees and open spaces intermingle.

Distribution

This species is indigenous to eastern Australia and Tasmania. It has also been introduced to New Zealand, where feral populations have established themselves, particularly in the North Island and the hills around Dunedin in the South Island.

Behaviour

Eastern Rosellas are known for their ability to adapt to various environments, including urban areas. They are often observed feeding on the ground or perched in trees.

Breeding

Breeding typically occurs in spring, but it can extend into summer if necessary. Eastern Rosellas can lay between two to nine eggs. They nest in tree hollows that can be quite high off the ground, up to 30 meters (98 feet), and around 1 meter (3 feet) deep. A sign of breeding readiness is the exchange of food between potential mates.

Similar Species

The Eastern Rosella can be confused with the Pale-headed Rosella (P. adscitus), especially where their ranges overlap and hybridization occurs. However, the Eastern Rosella can be distinguished by its red head and white cheeks.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Eastern Rosella primarily consists of fruit, seeds, flowers, and insects.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List classifies the Eastern Rosella as Least Concern, indicating that the species does not currently face a significant risk of extinction in the wild.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Eastern Rosellas on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Old World Parrots

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
Robred 2
Fun way to add to your birdwatching experience
I enjoy watching birds in my backyard, but this app helped me really pay attention while on vacation this summer. It was fun to add new birds to my bird watching app.
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.