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Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) Alternate name(s): "Crimson Parrot", "Pennant's Parakeet", "Red Lory", "Mountain Lory", "Red Lowry", "Blue-cheeked Rosella" Aboriginal name(s): "yukap"/"yukip" [tjapwurrung, eastern djadjawurrung]; "warren" Size: 30-37 cm; wing span: 44-54 cm Body mass: 130-170 g (male), 120-150 g (female) Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.32-0.47 (overall)

Australia: Family Group 12 Family Group 12 Table Palm Cockatoo Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Glossy Black-Cockatoo Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Short-billed Black-Cockatoo Long-billed Black-Cockatoo Gang-gang Cockatoo Long-billed Corella Western Corella Little Corella Cockatiel Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Pink Cockatoo Galah Rainbow Lorikeet Red-collared Lorikeet Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Purple-crowned Lorikeet Varied Lorikeet Musk Lorikeet Little Lorikeet Eclectus Parrot Red-cheeked Parrot Double-eyed Fig-Parrot Australian King-Parrot Red-winged Parrot Princess Parrot Superb Parrot Regent Parrot Green Rosella Crimson Rosella Western Rosella Eastern Rosella Pale-headed Rosella Northern Rosella Red-capped Parrot Australian Ringneck Red-rumped Parrot Mulga Parrot Golden-shouldered Parrot Hooded Parrot Blue Bonnet Bourke's Parrot Budgerigar Swift Parrot Eastern Ground Parrot Night Parrot Blue-winged Parrot Scarlet-chested Parrot Rock Parrot Turquoise Parrot Elegant Parrot Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Thumbnails page Birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description There are several races of Crimson Rosellas which have different plumages. Nominate race "elegans" has deep-blue cheeks and otherwise an all crimson-red head and front (throat, chest, belly, vent). The mantle and upperwings are scalloped scarlet-and-black, with a blue leading edge and blue flight feathers. The uppertail is turquoise-blue, the undertail is light-blue. Race "fleurieuensis" is orange-yellow, where race "elegans" is scarlet-red. Race "flaveolus" (the "Yellow Rosella") is all-yellow where race "elegans" is scarlet-red. All races have dark irises, a light-grey bill and grey legs and feet. When perched, males and females are identical, except for the colour of the central uppertail: That of males is blue, while the uppertails of females are green. In flight they can be distinguished by the females' white underwing bar that males lack. Juvenile Crimson Rosellas start off with a partly bottle-green plumage (details depend on race) and gradually moult into the colour pattern of adult plumages. Twitcher's tip Compared to Green Rosellas, Crimson Rosellas, race "flaveolus" (Yellow Rosella) have yellow-and-black backs, rather than green-and-black.

Taxonomy, classification See Crimson Rosella at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Crimson Rosella is available HERE . Crimson Rosellas are endemic to Australia. They populate the South-East of the Australian continent, i.e. most of VIC and coastal NSW, up to the NSW/QLD border, and the Great Dividing Range. In addition, they are found in part of the lower Murray Darling Basin, to about Adelaide, SA. Within that range several races are distinguished (see a field guide for details). They are not found anywhere else (not in Tasmania either). Of the six races, nominate race "elegans" has by far the most wide-spread range, from South-West SA along the South and East coast and throughout the Great Dividing Range, as far North as about the NSW/QLD border. Race "nigrescens" is found in the tropical tablelands of QLD, while all other races exist in an area spanning the lower Murray River catchment up to the eastern base of Eyre peninsula in SA. Of these, race flaveolus, the "Yellow Rosella", has the most wide-spread distribution, from the upper Murray River (to the East of Canberra) to the eastern base of the Adelaide Hills, East of Adelaide, SA. There is also an introduced population on Norfolk Island. Crimson Rosellas prefer to stay in wooded areas (i.e. the hill ranges) of south-east Australia. We have spotted them at altitudes of up to 1400 m. Unlike many other parrots, we have not seen them venture out into the more sparsely vegetated plains, including the Narrabri area, at all yet. They appear prefer forest and woodland over more open country. Even where we live since 2006, in the foothills of the Nandewar Range, just a few kilometers outside the contiguous forest, they never appeared. Usually Crimson Rosellas are not seen by us where Australian King-Parrots are abundant. Where to look? How to find this species? The best approach to finding Crimson Rosellas is to look for them in open sclerophyll eucalypt woodland or forest, often near visitor areas in National Parks.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "elegans" A Crimson Rosella, race "elegans", was first spotted by us in Warrumbungle NP, West of Coonabarabran, NSW, in 2004. Since then they have been found by us in various locations in inland NSW, but basically never outside forest or woodland. A single Crimson Rosella, race "elegans", was observed by us at Eulah Creek, together with a family of Eastern Rosellas, in February 2015. This is the only time we have seen a Crimson Rosella in open farmland with scattered trees. Crimson Rosellas, race "elegans", are also sighted by us, and reported to us by various contributors, regularly in the Great Dividing Range, from VIC via NSW to QLD. Crimson Rosellas, race "elegans", were also seen in the area 25 km North-West of Gloucester, NSW, in September 2011. C. Hayne reports spotting Crimson Rosellas, race "elegans", at Little Llangothlin NR, Guyra, NSW, in March 2012. A. Ross-Taylor reports spotting Crimson Rosellas, race "elegans", at Mt. Dandenong, near Melbourne, VIC, in August 2011. Crimson Rosellas, race "elegans", are spotted regularly by R. Plumtreein East Gippsland, VIC. M. Mearns reports spotting Crimson Rosellas at Bunya Mountains NP, QLD, in December 2015. This location is on the north-western edge of the species' range. Race "flaveolus" A Crimson Rosella, race "flaveolus" (the "Yellow Rosella") was spotted by A. Flynn in November 2013. R. Plumtreereports spotting Crimson Rosellas, race "flaveolus", along Barmah State Park, Murray River, VIC, in September 2018 and at Yeerip Swamp, near Wangaratta, VIC, in October 2018. M. Mearns found a Crimson Rosella, race "flaveolus", in the Gawler Ranges, SA, in October 2018. Race "subadelaidae" R. Plumtreereports spotting Crimson Rosellas, race "subadelaidae", in December 2018. Race "melanoptera" J. Greaves reports spotting Crimson Rosellas, race "melanoptera", at Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, in March 2016. Race "nigrescens"

Photos

Race "elegans"

ADULT

PAIR

Lateral view of a pair of Crimson Rosellas on the ground, male at far left;
Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Although the bird at front right does not visibly show the typical greenish uppertail, its green-suffused fringes of the wing coverts and some green on the chest indicate that it is a female.
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Mary Falls, QLD, July 2019]

Lateral/near-dorsal view of a pair of Crimson Rosellas, male at lower right
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, January 2009]

Near-dorsal view of a male Crimson Rosella, left, feeding its partner; such behaviour is part of a bonding ritual
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, November 2011]

MALE

Spectacular close-up near-lateral portrait of a male Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, November 2020]

Near-lateral view of a male Crimson Rosella - note the blue central uppertail
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, November 2020]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Rosella; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 26 April 2020
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, April 2020]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, November 2018]

Near-doral view of a male Crimson Rosella; note the blue uppertail feathers (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, January 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a male Crimson Rosella, with a clear view of its mantle, rump and uppertail
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, November 2008]

Dorsal view of a male Crimson Rosella looking sideways
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, August 2015]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a moulting Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Girraween NP, QLD, February 2021]

Frontal view of a moulting Crimson Rosella looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Girraween NP, QLD, February 2021]

Frontal/ventral view of a Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Mary Falls, QLD, June 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Near-lateral/ventral view of a Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Mary Falls, QLD, July 2019]

Close-up lateral portrait of a Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Queen Mary Falls, near Killarney, QLD, October 2015]

Different lateral view of a Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Near Armidale, NSW, September 2013]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Crimson Rosella, back, with a male in front (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Queen Mary Falls, QLD, July 2019]

Frontal view of a juvenile Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Tambo River, Doctors Flat Road, Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, March 2014]

Lateral view of a juvenile Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, June 2018]

Race "flaveolus"

Because of its characteristic yellow cap, race "flaveolus" of the Crimson Rosella is also called "Yellow Rosella". This race is found in the lower Murray-Darling Basin, mostly along the major rivers, in western NSW (as far north as about Menindee), south-western NSW (along the border with VIC) and eastern SA (east of the hill ranges to the East of Adelaide).

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Crimson Rosella, race "flaveolus", also called "Yellow Rosella"
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Yeerip Swamp, near Wangaratta, VIC, October 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Crimson Rosella, race "flaveolus" (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Barmah SP, Murray River, VIC, September 2018]

Lateral view of a Crimson Rosella, race "flaveolus" (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Barmah SP, Murray River, VIC, September 2018]

Lateral view of a Crimson Rosella, race "flaveolus" (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Yeerip Swamp, near Wangaratta, VIC, October 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of a preening Crimson Rosella, race "flaveolus" (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Gawler Ranges, SA, October 2018]

Race "subadelaidae"

Together with race "fleurieuensis", this race of the Crimson Rosella is also called the "Adelaide Rosella". It is found from the coastline of SA from Port Broughton to Port Wakefield and northward from there, into the Flinders and Gammon Ranges.

ADULT

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Crimson Rosella, race "subadelaidae", also called "Adelaide Rosella" (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[December 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Crimson Rosella, race "subadelaidae", also called "Adelaide Rosella" (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[December 2018]

Race "melanoptera"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Lateral view of a Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Crimson Rosella (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Lateral view of a juvenile Crimson Rosella on the ground (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Crimson Rosella on the ground (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Crimson Rosella feeding on the ground (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Hybrids

Lateral view of an Eastern Rosella x Crimson Rosella hybrid (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Near Barraba, NSW, April 2014]

Although not 100% sure, because unable to obtain a photo for identification at the time, we think that we have also spotted a hybrid between a Crimson Rosella and an Eastern Rosella at Girraween NP (southern QLD) in July 2009.

P. & M. Juers report spotting a hybrid between a Crimson Rosella and an Eastern Rosella at Drouin, VIC (see photo below).

Male hybrid Crimson Rosella/Eastern Rosella with a female Eastern Rosella (photo courtesy of P. & M. Juers)

Breeding information

Breeding season: Oct - Dec

Eggs: 4 - 8

Incubation period: 20 days

Fledging age: 35 days

Since many Crimson Rosellas live at relatively high altitudes, their breeding season can start later than those of other species.

Nest building: Female?

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Male & female

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Tree hollow

Material: Wood dust

Height above ground: 2 - 15 m

There is a web page describing a community project developed by Bill Leane, Lake Eucumbene Community Association (LECA), describing how to provide and keep a Crimson Rosella Nest Box and Nesting Diary .

Crimson Rosella feeding one of its chicks at the entrance to the nest hollow (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Metung, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]

Entrance to the nest hollow selected by a pair of Crimson Rosellas; it is not clear whether they finally got to nest there, because ownership was also contested by a pair of Australian King-Parrots
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, November 2011]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 29 x 25 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Rounded

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Pair/family clan

Since, as is the case for many other parrot species, female Crimson Rosellas take on the incubation duties, they rely on the males to feed them. Therefore, they perform bonding ritualwith their mates and test their abilities to provide them with food before allowing them to mate.

Near-dorsal view of a male Crimson Rosella, left, feeding its partner; such behaviour is part of a bonding ritual
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, November 2011]

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds, flowers

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

Crimson Rosella feeding on the seeds of a eucalypt
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, October 2022]

Frontal/ventral view of a Crimson Rosella feeding on the seeds of a native shrub
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2021]

Lateral view of a Crimson Rosella feeding on the flowers of ivy
[Near Gloucester, NSW, September 2011]

Frontal view of a male Crimson Rosella feeding on a lawn in a rural garden
[Near Dorrigo NP, NSW, August 2009]

Near-frontal view of a male Crimson Rosella feeding on a lawn in a rural garden
[Near Dorrigo NP, NSW, August 2009]

Close-up lateral/ventral view of a Crimson Rosella feeding on seeds (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Lateral view of a Crimson Rosella feeding on fruit (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, October 2015]

Lateral view of a male Crimson Rosella drinking from a mountain creek at 1100 m altitude
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, November 2011]

Crimson Rosella, race "flaveolus", displaying two techniques of feeding on psyllids/lerps: 1. nibble them off a leaf (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Yeerip Swamp, near Wangaratta, VIC, October 2018]

Crimson Rosella, race "flaveolus", displaying two techniques of feeding on psyllids/lerps: 2. use the "stencil technique" (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Yeerip Swamp, near Wangaratta, VIC, October 2018]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

crimros_20140212.mp3	elegans (NW NSW)	Contact calls	© MD
crimros_20260409_2.m4a	elegans (NW NSW)	Pair Q&A(?)	© MD
crimros_20150821.m4a	elegans (NW NSW)	Arrival (pair)	© MD
crimros_20260409.m4a	elegans (NW NSW)	Warning/alarm calls (family clan)	© MD
crimros_20231224.m4a	elegans (NW NSW)	Various (while feeding)	© MD
crimros_20200426.m4a	elegans (N NSW)	? (male)	© ME
crimros_me_20191205_1.m4a	elegans (N NSW)	?	© ME
crimros_me_20191205_2.m4a	elegans (N NSW)	?	© ME
crimros_20180131.m4a	elegans (NW NSW)	?	© MD
crimros_20180131_2.m4a	elegans (NW NSW)	?	© MD
crimros_20210209.m4a	elegans (NW NSW)	?	© MD

We have also recorded the wing beat of Crimson Rosellas.

crimros_20240907.m4a	elegans (NW NSW)	Pair; level low flight	© MD
crimros_20160505_2.mp3	elegans (NW NSW)	Arriving to feed on ground	© MD

More Crimson Rosella sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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