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Western Rosella (Platycercus icterotis) Alternate name(s): "Yellow-cheeked Rosella", "Yellow-cheeked Parrot", "Yellow-cheeked Parakeet", "Stanley Rosella", "Earl of Derby's Parakeet" Aboriginal name(s): "moyadong", "kootonkooton" Size: 25-30 cm; wing span: ca. 35 cm Body mass: 28-86 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.25-0.45 (for 60 g)

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 Western Rosellas are medium-sized parrots. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Apart from bright-yellow cheeks, male Western Rosellas have an all-red head and front (throat, chest, belly and vent). The nape of the neck is scalloped red-and-black, the upperwings are scalloped green-and-black, while the flight feathers are dark-blue. The flanks are scalloped red-and-green; the uppertail is green. Female Western Rosellas have yellowish-green cheeks, a scalloped red-and-green front and a red forehead. Otherwise they are similar to males. The irises are dark, the bill, legs and feet are grey. Juveniles resemble females with duller colours and more green hues on front, forehead and neck. Twitcher's tip Compared to Eastern Rosellas, Western Rosellas have yellow cheeks and an all-red front, rather than white cheeks and a yellow belly.

Taxonomy, classification See Western 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 Western Rosella is available HERE . Western Rosellas are endemic to the south-western tip of WA on the Australian continent. Their breeding range is right on that tip. Outside their breeding season they disperse somewhat further inland. Two races are distinguished, "icterotis" (coastal) and "xanthogenys" (inland). Western Rosellas are usually found in open forest, often with grassy undergrowth. They adapt well to the presence of humans and are also found on farms or in urban parks and gardens.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "icterotis" J. Greaves reports spotting Western Rosellas, race "icterotis", occasionally in various locations around south-western WA, e.g. at Albany, WA, in January 2015, in both Margaret River and Manjimup, WA, in March 2015, and in Bunker Bay, WA, in May 2015. M. Eaton reports finding Western Rosellas, race "icterotis", at Margaret River, WA, in April 2019. C. Pears finds Western Rosellas, race "icterotis", only occasionally at Quindalup, WA. Another was found at Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, in June 2026.

Photos

Race "icterotis"

ADULT

MALE

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Western Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Western Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Western Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Lateral view of a male Western Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Lateral view of a male Western Rosella (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, August 2013]

Dorsal view of a male Western Rosella (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Albany, WA, January 2015]

Lateral view of a male Western Rosella in captivity

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Western Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Lateral view of a female Western Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Lateral view of a female Western Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Lateral view of a female Western Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a female Western Rosella (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

Ventral view of a female Western Rosella (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Margaret River, WA, March 2015]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Pair

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

Like many parrots, Western Rosellas are seed-eaters; primarily they feed on grass seeds.

Food, Diet

Ventral view of a female Western Rosella feeding on seeds (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margaret River, WA, April 2019]

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.

westros_cp_20260710.m4a	icterotis (SW WA)	Calling mate?	© CP
westros_cp_20260606.m4a	icterotis (SW WA)	? (+ siren)	© CP

More Western 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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