Rosellas: Colorful & Delightful Parrots (1993)

The genus Platycercus, commonly known as Rosellas, comprise a group of eight species and are indigenous to Australia. They are very colorful, neither noisy or destructive, and reproduce quite readily in captivity. They are very active both in the air and on the ground. All Rosellas possess cheek patches and have the characteristic Australian broadtail , which is used to display their varied moods. The median wing coverts generally are the color of the breast and are edged in black. The colors range from red , orange and yellow, to green, blue, black and white, which doesn't miss much. Individual species descriptions can best be found in the many books available. Sexes are colored alike making it difficult to pair them correctly. In the dark ages of aviculture, the Rudkin method was the rule. If a pair laid an egg, you had a hen. If it hatched, you had a '' pair. '' In spite of all of our advances in the field of aviculture, that method has remained valid . Many books describe the theory that the wing stripe found on the underside of the primary flight feathers is a guide as to sex, however, I have not found that theory to be dependable. Now that surgical sexing is available, obtaining true pairs is not difficult. There is a good supply of well bred, strong stock available today. And thus, there is absolutely no excuse for breeding brother-sister pairs. There is also no shortage of good, reliable aviculturists available, enabling trading of stock to ensure continued strong specimens for future generations. As long as I am on my soapbox, I can find no reason or excuse for the breeding of hybrids. For those among us that must, try raising chickens! The Green Rosella is found on the island of Tasmania; the Brown's or Northern in found not surprisingly in Northern Australia; the Stanley or Western in Western areas; and the Red or Eastern, Mealy or Blue, Yellow, Adelaide and Crimson are all found in the South-central and Southeastern regions. As in the case of many species, sub-species occur, and again are described in the many books available. Rosellas are quite hardy and in most areas of the United States can be kept in outside flights. In the colder regions , it would be well to provide inside-outside areas for their comfort. In their native surroundings, Rosellas fly great distances in their quest for food and water. Thus they have developed the ability of strong, rapid flight. For this reason , I feel that they are best kept in as long a flight as possible. It need not be wide and, as they are not prone to chewing the flights to the ground, 19 gauge wire will do nicely. Only two problems are common in their care. since they to feed on the ground, Rosellas are susceptible to worms. With the help of your veterinarian, a good preventative program in this area is very necessary for their good health. The second problem has to do with their rapid flight. Broken necks and head injuries are common, but this can be corrected by building the open end of the flight solid. If it is wire, the birds will often attempt to fly straight through it, thus a broken neck is the result. Otherwise, conventional aviary construction design will work nicely. Perches should be placed at the extreme ends of the flight to allow the maximum distance for exercise. Tree limbs, securely mounted, are best as they vary in diameter which is beneficial for fertility. A good rule to follow is to never place pairs of Rosellas next to each other. If you must, double wire is needed as they will fight and cause great harm to each other through the wire . They also are apt to '' fall in love with the girl-next-door and thus doom the breeding season.