Golden-Mantled Rosella
Description
The golden-mantled rosella (Platycercus eximius) also known as eastern rosella, is a rosella native to southeast of the Australian continent and to Tasmania.
It has been introduced to New Zealand where feral populations are found in the North Island (notably in the northern half of the island and in the Hutt Valley) and in the hills around Dunedin in the South Island.
The eastern rosella is 30 cm (12 in) long. It has a red head and white cheeks. The beak is white and the irises are brown. The upper breast is red and the lower breast is yellow fading to pale green over the abdomen. The feathers of the back and shoulders are black, and have yellowish or greenish margins giving rise to a scalloped appearance that varies slightly between the subspecies and the sexes. The wings and lateral tail feathers are bluish while the tail is dark green. The legs are grey. The female is similar to the male though duller in colouration and has an underwing stripe, which is not present in the adult male. Juveniles are duller than females and have an underwing stripe. The diet of eastern rosellas mainly consists of fruit, seeds, flowers and insects
The eastern rosella was named by George Shaw in 1792. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the pale-headed rosella (P. adscitus). The term 'white-cheeked rosella' has been used for a species or superspecies combining the pale-headed and eastern forms. Hybrids of the two taxa have been recorded where their ranges meet in northeastern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland. However, a mitochondrial study published in 2017 found that the eastern rosella was the earlier offshoot of the lineage that split into the pale-headed and northern rosellas, and that nonsister taxa were hence able to hybridise.
Three subspecies of eastern rosella are recognised:
- P. e. eximius, Victoria and southern New South Wales. Black feathers on the back have green margins. Rump is pale green.
- P. e. elecica, northeast New South Wales and southeast Queensland. In the male the black feathers on the back have golden-yellow margins, and greenish-yellow in the female. The rump is bluish-green. This subspecies is also called the golden-mantled rosella, often abbreviated to GMR.
- P. e. diemenensis, eastern Tasmania. White cheek patches are larger and the red on the head is darker.
Scientific Name
Platycercus Eximius
Country Of Origin
Australia
Size
Life Expectancy
Noise Level
Talk / Trick Ability
Low
Characteristics
One of the most popular species of rosella, the golden-mantled rosella is gentle and affectionate. They are traditionally aviary birds, but with the proper training and interaction, they make great pets. If these birds are housed in an aviary, it is recommended to place perches on either side to encourage flying for exercise.
Behavior / Health Concerns
Golden-mantled rosellas love to chew, so provide plenty of destroy toys. Some golden-mantled rosellas are prone to obesity and being nippy. They are also susceptible to bacterial infections and psittacosis. Golden-mantled rosellas are usually housed one pair per cage because they do not make good neighbors with other birds, even of their own species. If breeding golden-mantled rosellas, provide several choices of nesting boxes because they prefer to select their own nest. Once they have chosen a nesting location, the additional boxes may be removed.