ADELAIDE ROSELLA

The Adelaide Rosella is endemic to South Australia. This was thought to be a separate species, but is presently believed to have originated through interbreeding of the Crimson and Yellow Rosellas. Both of these still interbreed with the Adelaide Rosella where its range crosses theirs, and it exhibits variation in its plumage from dark orange-red in the south of its distribution to a pale orange-yellow in the north. Variants that are very close to the Yellow race are designated subadelaidae.
Although the ranges of the Crimson and Yellow forms overlap along the entirety of the Murray River, in this area they seem to prefer different habitats and do not interbreed.
The Adelaide Rosella averages 13.5 - 14.4 inches or 35 - 36 cm in length.
The plumage is generally pale to strong orange-red. The forehead, lores (the region between the eye and bill on the side of a bird's head) and crown are orange-red. The sides of head and nape (lower back of the neck) are orange-yellow. The cheeks are violet-blue. The abdomen and breast are yellow more or less strongly tinged orange-red. The bend of wing and outer median wing-coverts are bright blue. The upperside of the middle tail-feathers are dark violet-blue and with dark green base. The outer tail feathers are dark blue with bright blue edging and paler tips. The tail underside is pale bluish.
The bill is horn-colored-grey. They have narrow grey eye rings and the irises are dark brown. The feet are grey.
Females are on average smaller and often suffused more with orange. The pale wing-stripe is occasionally present. They have smaller and narrower bills.
The orange-red plumage of adults are olive-green in immatures except for the forehead, crown, upper cheek area, throat, parts of upper breast, thighs and under tail-coverts. The inner median wing-coverts and outer secondary-coverts are dull olive-green. The under wing-coverts are dull blue. The upperside of middle tail-feathers are dark olive-green with blue-black tips. The tail underside is pale grey-blue. The pale wing-stripe is present.
Young birds attain the adult coloration after their second molt - when they are about 12 to 16 months old. At that time they also become sexually mature.