YELLOW ROSELLA

The yellow rosella is a very close relative of the crimson rosella. It is similar in size, makes similar sounds but has a much more restricted range in Australia. It occupies riparian habitats (particularly the Murray-Murrumbidgee river systems in southwestern New South Wales) in the interior of southeaster Australia. It is believed that the Adelaide rosella is a natural hybrid between the yellow rosella and the crimson rosella. This belief is based on the fact that the contact areas between yellow rosella and crimson rosella distributions are populated with Adelaide rosellas. In fact, many Adelaides sold in the US are produced by breeding a yellow rosella to a Crimson.
Yellow rosellas are one of the largest of the rosellas and can be fed a seed mixture that would normally be fed to something like a conure or Pionus. They are very aggressive and breeding pairs must be kept separate from other birds, especially other rosellas. Adult birds do not usually nest until they're second year. In southern California this species normally nests in May and June. They usually lay 4-6 eggs; one every other day until laying is complete. Eggs are incubated for about 20 days before hatching. I've never had a yellow rosella pair fledge more than one group of babies. However, if the first clutch of eggs is infertile (or you pull them to foster under another pair), the pair will often lay a second clutch. Yellow rosellas are one of the most difficult rosellas to breed, but once you put together a compatible pair they reliably produce year after year. Yellow rosellas are not as flighty as other rosella species, but they do not make good pets.