ROSELLA SPECIES

EASTERN ROSELLA\ COMMON ROSELLA

DESCRIPTION

12.2 inches (32cm). Bright red head, neck, shoulders and breast; not as brilliant in female. White cheek marks, in female dirty white. Yellow belly, greenish-yellow rump, green back edged in greenish-black. Tail green in centre, then blue, edged in white. Also white cheek and tail marks. Red feathers under the tail. Eyes brown, beak grey, legs dark brown. Im-matures achieve adult colouring 10 to 15 months after fledging.

NATURAL DISTRIBUTION

Eastern Rosella lives is Southeastern Australia and Tasmania; introduced to New Zealand.

HABITAT

Open grassy terrain spotted with trees and bushes, often near rivers. In large groups or pairs, follows civilization. Partial to ground, can damage cornfields and orchards.

DIET

Grass and weed seeds, wheat kernels, grain for large parrots, apples, carrots, green food.

SPECIAL NEEDS

Keep in pairs. Aviary at least 13 feet (4m) long. Provide bathing facilities. Tolerates frost.

CAGE LIFE

The Eastern Rosella has a loud voice, aggressive towards other birds. Excellent breeders and foster parents. Nests in tree hollows and rabbit burrows. Larvae of a moth species live in the nests and eat the faeces of the young. Lays 4 to 8 white eggs, incubation 20 to 22 days by female, male feeds young, fledging 33 to 35 days. Once independent, young should be separated from parents. Breeding possible after pair a year old.

ROSELLAS

Few birds in nature are as beautiful and colorful as the Rosellas. They are very popular with aviculturists because of their colors and their relative quietness.
Because of their strikingly colorful plumage, several species are widely kept as pets. A rosella is one of six species of colorful Australian parrots.

Rosellas are native to Australia and some nearby islands, where they inhabit forests, woodlands, farmlands, and suburban parks and gardens. They are confined to the coastal mountains and plains and are absent from the outback. Introduced populations have also established themselves in New Zealand and Norfolk Island.

Description:
Rosellas range in size from 25-38 cm (9.8-15 in) and adults are generally very colorful. Immature birds are typically duller, and 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.

Diet:
A good Rosella diet should consist of canary seed, a mixture of millets, sunflower and safflower. Most people will use a Cockatiel seed mix with added Canary seed. They also enjoy fresh fruits & veggies such as apples, blackberries, oranges, cucumbers, sweet potato and mango. Kale, boiled egg can also be offered. I find that our Crimson Rosellas tend to appreciate fresh foods while the Golden Mantles will take bits and pieces leaving leftovers.
Sprouted or germinated seeds are usually more easily accepted by "seed addicts" than fresh fruits and vegetables.
Sprouted seeds are healthier as the sprouting changes and enhances the nutritional quality and value of seeds and grains. Sprouted seeds are lower in fat, as the process of sprouting utilizes the fat in the seed to start the growing process - thus reducing the fat stored in the seeds.
Sprouted seeds will help balance your bird’s diet by adding a nutritious supply of high in vegetable proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and chlorophyll.
Soaked and germinated "oil" seeds, like niger and rape seeds, are rich in protein and carbohydrates; while "starch" seeds, such as canary and millets, are rich in carbohydrates, but lower in protein.
It is in invaluable food at all times; however, it is especially important for breeding or molting birds. Sprouted seeds also serve as a great rearing and weaning food as the softened shell is easier to break by chicks and gets them used to the texture of seeds.

Breeding:
Rosellas are easy to breed; they are robust, do not fear cold but need a dry shelter. The breeding season usually starts in March or April (in Australia from September through March). When courting the male will bow forward low on the perch while sounding out the mating calls. If approved the hen will do the same and they can often be seen feeding each other before mating.
The female typically lays 3 to 7 eggs that she incubates alone for about 19 - 21 days. During the incubation period she is fed by her mate. Established pairs can be prolific and may produce two to three clutches per season - especially if their young are pulled for handfeeding and they have plenty of food available. However, typically they raise one to two clutches per year.During the incubation period she is fed by her mate. After hatching chicks will leave the nest at about 6 weeks old.
Some breeders prefer to pull babies at 2-3 weeks old for handfeeding. This will allow parents to get started on another clutch. Handfed Rosellas can still be a bit flighty and care should be taken to ensure the wings stay clipped to avoid injury. The young will need daily attention to remain tame.

Housing:
Rosellas do best in an aviary setting or long flight cages as they are avid flyers. It is recommended that couples are kept alone in an aviary, and to even avoid keeping two couples in two contiguous aviaries - as they may be aggressive and get distracted from breeding. If this separation is not possible given the space and resources that you have, it is recommended to have the walls double wired with a separation of about 3 inches (75mm) or even place a solid wall between the neighbors. You also need to have available aviary space for the young birds as they should be separated as soon as they are fully independent of their parents.

Electus Picture Gallery

Female Electus Parrot

Male Electus Parrot

Eclectus Parrots

Strikingly beautiful birds, eclectus parrots live in lowland rainforests of Pacific islands such as New Guinea. These parrots are thought to have been introduced to some islands by forest-dwelling natives who kept them as pets.

HABITATS

Eclectus parrots are noisy, sociable birds that gather in large flocks of up to eighty. They fly very well and can climb trees with ease, using their beaks and feet to grip the branches.
The male is a stocky, medium-size bird with bright, glossy green feathers highlighted with red flashes on its sides and underneath its wings. The female is slightly smaller and has a bright red head, throat, and wings which contrast with her brilliant blue chest and purple under-wings.

Breeding
The eclectus parrot has no regular breeding season. During courtship, the male pursues one female and attempts to get her attention by making excited squawking calls. When the female is ready to mate, she selects a nest site in a hole high up in a tall tree trunk. The entrance is usually about three inches across. She chews up pieces of wood with which to line the nest and makes a soft bed for the eggs.

The female lays two eggs and incubates them without the help of the male. The male visits the nest at regular intervals during incubation and feeds the female with regurgitated food. The eggs hatch after 26 days, and the young fledge (grow feathers) and learn to fly at 12 weeks.
Food & Feeding
Like most other parrots, eclectus parrots are vegetarians. At sunrise, they leave their roosts in pairs or small groups and feed in the tops of tall trees. They eat a wide range of buds, blossoms, seeds, nuts, berries, fruit, and nectar.
When kept in captivity, eclectus parrots will eat large amounts of green vegetables in addition to fruit and nuts.
The birds are strong flyers and will travel far from their roosting sites in search of food. Large numbers will congregate on fruit-bearing trees.

Key Facts
Size
Length: 14 inches
Wingspan: Up to 28 inches
Weight: Up to 16 oz.

Breeding
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Number of broods: 1, possibly more.
Breeding season: Varies according to location and climate; may be almost continuous.
Eggs: White, 2 per clutch
Incubation period: 26 days
Fledging period: About 85 days

Lifestyle
Habit: Sociable, roosting in large groups of up to 80 birds
Diet: Treetop seeds, nuts, fruits, flowers, and leaves
Lifespan: Probably 40-50 years.

The Eclectus as Pet
Eclectus are remarkable birds and ideally suited as a pet. When taught properly, they are capable of cognitive behaviour from a very young age.
The ability of the Eclectus to communicate with humans is a result of their extremely inquisitive nature, a feature strongly linked to their life in the rainforest canopy. This habitat is a rich environment requiring a heightened visual and audible intellect to master.
The Eclectus has developed a complex breeding culture in this crowded vegetative habitat, resulting in communal breeding where uncles and aunties help rear young in a creche-like situation. This sharing and caring feature of the Eclectus makes them naturally the perfect pet.
When treated in a similarly caring and intelligent way they will quickly learn to communicate cognitively. Eclectus also prefer a calm environment and have a strong ability to notice changes within their normal surroundings.
These highly intelligent birds are very animated and love to participate in daily activities and in doing so, will quickly become acquainted with a daily routine. Eclectus can be kept with other parrot species although it is extremely important that any new bird is introduced in the correct fashion. This involves providing one on one attention with the original bird and as much as possible, maintaining its normal daily routine.
Regular and consistant traning form an integral part of the Eclectus development and with the correct love and attention, this highly intelligent bird makes an excellent pet.

Macaw's Photo Gallery