Eastern Rosella

On our visit last week to the Wittunga Botanic Gardens in the Adelaide Hills, I observed quite an interesting range of birds in the gardens and near the lake. There were plenty of Pacific Black Ducks and Wood Ducks, all clamoring for a piece of the action if any people came along – whether or not they looked like have a picnic. Ducks are ever hopeful of some food handouts.

I saw Eurasian Coots and Dusky Moorhens on the water and two Little Pied Cormorants perching on dead branches sticking out over the water of the lake. Two – perhaps a pair – of Masked Lapwings patrolled sections of the lawned areas used by picnickers. Welcome Swallows swooped low over the water and nearby bushy area. The trees were abuzz with Rainbow Lorikeets in a feeding frenzy. I also saw several Musk Lorikeets, a smaller parrot than the Rainbows but just as noisy. As for the larger parrot species I noticed several Galahs feeding on the lawns while a single Corella, I presume it was a Little Corella, flew overhead at one stage. I didn’t get a close enough look to be certain.

Eastern Rosella

Eastern Rosella

One species I was delighted to be able to see and photograph was the Eastern Rosella. In South Australia this species is mainly confined to the South East region of the state and to parts of the suburbs of Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills. The above photo shows up its brilliant colours. This is one occasion when I didn’t have to chase the bird in question, as it seemed happy to pose for me on the edge of the path.

Two days after taking the above photo, I was surprised to see a single Eastern Rosella at the Murraylands Homes for the Aged in Murray Bridge. I was there visiting my mother-in-law. This is the first time I have recorded this species anywhere near here. My closest other sightings are at least 60km to the west. By its behaviour it could well have been an escapee from someone’s aviary.

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72 Responses to “Eastern Rosella”

  1. Duncan says:

    The Eastern Rosella has to be one of our most attractive parrots, you did well to get a picture Trevor. Our area is a breeding stronghold for the species, but I haven’t been able to get within a bull’s roar of one!

  2. Trevor says:

    Yes – I was quite pleased the way this bird posed for me long enough to focus. Today I managed another photo of the E. Rosella, this time in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, but it didn’t pose anywhere near what I’d have liked. Some you get, some you don’t. Also managed some stunning photos of Rainbow Lorikeets and a Noisy Miner feeding on red hot poker flowers. Watch out for THAT post in a few days!

  3. James says:

    I agree that Eastern rosellas are one of the most attractive birds you will see in the Adelaide region. I like the transitions from blue to green in the scaloped fethers on their wing coverts. Although they are not resident around my home in the Adelaide Hills (Stirling) they are easy to see in Witunga and Belair national park as well as in the plane trees along Frome road near the university and in the Botanical gardens. I have often wondered if they have been introduced to South Australia given their predeliction for garden settings over natural habitat. They are often seen feeding on lawned areas like grass parrots. I was able to take some close photos from a nesting bird in Belair national park. I will send a photo if you would like.

  4. Trevor says:

    Welcome to my blog James. I did a little research this evening. Your comment made me think – and you are right. They have been introduced in the Adelaide region. It seems that there were thought to be some aviary escapees sometime between 1901 and the 1930s which became established and spread to their current distribution. The facts in these matters can be a little fuzzy; this is no exception.

    They are naturally occurring in the SE of SA. I have often seen them in my daughter’s garden when she lived in Lucindale in the mid 1990s. I have also seen one here in Murray Bridge recently, but this one acted very much as if he had just escaped from someone’s aviary. I mentioned this at a recent meeting of the local Bird Club, but no-one came forward to admit to losing one!

  5. Leanne says:

    Hi
    I just thought that I would share with you, our current experience with our Eastern Rosella. My husband was at our local scout hall in the outer suburbs of Adelaide and he found a baby rosella, sitting on the floor in the hall. Being the Dr Doolittle that he is, he brought the baby home. We have successfully hand fed our newest baby for 2 weeks now and he/she is going very strong. He has tamed down so much, even enjoying a bath in our sink water when we fill it up to do the dishes. He gives kisses for food and is so inquisitive, loves to perch on top of the kids heads whilst they are at the computer or mine for that matter. He is also quite taken with strawberry icecream! We love our new little friend, we believe him to be about 2 months old.

  6. Trevor says:

    Welcome to my blog, Leanne. What a charming pet to have. It looks like he has adopted you as his family. It also sounds like you have been doing all the right things in looking after him – but Strawberry Icecream??? I’m jealous! Can you adopt me too?

    It begs the question though: what WAS he doing IN the scout hall, apart from the obvious one of wanting to become a cub…er…can a chick become a cub scout??

  7. lizz says:

    i just found a rosella at my home, it has been attacked by a cat but i got to it early enough to stop the cat doing any damage how ever it has no tail feathers left and looks very young as it is about 10cm tall. i took it inside and put it in a box covered with a towel. my problem is that i have no idea what to feed it or even if its old enough to eat on its own. ive been searching the net but cant seem to find any info on handeling/rearing young ones.

  8. Trevor says:

    Hi Lizz, well done for rescuing a parrot. They are such beautiful birds. I have replied to your questions by email.

  9. Elizabeth says:

    I too have picked up an eastern rosella that was injured and was struggling at a busy round about.
    I have only had her a few days and she is recovering very quickly, i have named her Rosi Lee and she is the most incredible bird i have ever seen!!! There are no tags on her feet but is sooo very friendly, she easily hops onto my hand and shoulders and stays with me for a long time, quite happy to be patted etc.
    What i am trying to find out is weather she is very young or very old?? how can i tell the difference??
    Your assisstance in this would be greatly appreciated.
    Many thanx 🙂

  10. Trevor says:

    Hi there Elizabeth. The tame behaviour of this bird seems to indicate that it has escaped from a cage or aviary. A wild bird would probably attempt to get away from you.

    It could also be an immature bird. The male is the brightest in colour and the female has duller patchy green on the head and crown. The immature birds are duller than the adults.

    Can I suggest you consult a good field guide -either from someone you know or in your local library.

  11. Margaret says:

    Hi there,
    I am looking for some help please. I rescued a baby rosella this morning from a cat. Its nest is very near by. I am looking for assistance in what to feed it at this early age and anyother information and assistance you ight be able to give me. I have raised other native birds before but never one of these. I have given it a dose of rescue remedy to help with any shock. Cheers Marg

  12. sam says:

    The eastern rosella is one of the first birds that I kept and bred. It was recognisable to virtually everyone who entered our backyard as the Tomato Soup Parrot My pair of birds have probably given me the most fascinating sights and some of my favourite` bird` memories. The following aviary notes are based on this particular pair which bred for me over a period of some years, rearing two broods each year. Being colourful and quite resilient, the eastern rosella is a most appropriate bird for anyone considering the larger Australian broad-tailed parakeets.

  13. Pedram says:

    Well i have an Eastern Rosella as a pet well i dont know how to tame it but he eats from my hand but i wanna hold him anyone has a good idea?

  14. Trevor says:

    Hi there Pedram. I don’t have any experience in training tame birds like you have requested. One method I have seen on a television pet show involves plenty of patience. It may take many days to train your bird to sit on your finger or hand.

    Continue to feed it from your hand like you have been doing, gently talking to it and not making any sudden moves. Be very patient – you may need to do this over a week or more.

    Once it is used to having you close, try get it sitting on a perch. Slowly move your hand up towards the perch and then up above the perch towards its stomach. If the bird is tame enough it may step up on to your hand or outstretched finger – or it may just fly off. Persist. Try this again and again until it is comfortable sitting on your hand or finger. Never let the bird get distressed. If it starts a panicky fluttering, stop and try again the next day.

  15. Sophia Czechowicz says:

    Hi there, this morning on my way to breakfast I’ve come across an Eastern Rosella in the Adelaide Parklands. To the best that I can see the bird has ?broken wing, I took the bird to the Local vet and the nurse at the desk was only prepared to observe the animal for 24hr and then put it down if it couldn’t fly. I’ve taken the bird and decided to try and find out what is the best action on the internet and I have found your website, can this animal be potentially rehabed? And how do I go about it?

  16. Trevor says:

    Hi there Sophia – thanks for your question. I will try to answer your question via email.

  17. bryony hawkes says:

    we have what seems to be a abanden baby rosella in a hollow log.it is only just getting feathers,we have seen no sight of the mother bird any more due to other birds moving around the nesting log,should we just leave it or attemp to hand feed it.

  18. Trevor says:

    Hi there Bryony,

    I think it would be best to leave the bird alone and let the parents feed it. Try to keep well away so the parents are not scared off by your presence.

  19. Yvette says:

    Hi there
    I’m in Auckland, New Zealand and we have heaps of rosellas here on the North Shore. You would be jealous because we get them in our trees outside the house and see them nearly every day! My husband and I often go out walking to try and find them, as we are both totally in love with the birds!

    I’m very sad though because today I found a baby one on the beach, totally abandoned. I carefully picked it up but it died in my hands. I have been doing a bit of research on the net about them, and the parents can be quite slack and let their babies starve to death. This page was quite helpful: http://www.geocities.com/khanbirdfarm/parrots/rosella.htm

    We have a pet Indian Ringneck. He is mad as a hatter but incredibly tame and loves being tickled and patted. I don’t know how he would have coped with a new addition to the family. We are lucky to have a bird rescue lady living 10mins away from here and tend to take rescued birds to her.

  20. Trevor says:

    Hi there Yvette,

    Welcome to my birding blog.

    The rosellas are certainly beautiful birds and would would love to have some in our garden. We have to make do with Galahs and Australian Ringnecks.

    Were you aware that Eastern Rosellas have been introduced into New Zealand?

  21. Jason says:

    I found a rosella (different one to this^) run over by a car, he or she was pretty smashed up but is ok now. Still missing it’s main feathers and seems partly or totally blind in one eye but it’s only beed a few weeks so far

  22. Trevor says:

    Welcome to my blog about birds Jason.

    Sadly many birds – not just rosellas – get injured or killed by cars and other forms of transport.

    I hope the bird you are caring for recovers fully.

  23. Barb Hall says:

    Just found your web site and was thrilled. I have an eastern rosella pattot that my grandaughter bought a year and half ago but got tired of. She gave him to me and I just adore him. It has taken me almost all of that time to get close to him. No one else can. However, I would love to just touch him but he wont let me. I try but he gets upset. I can stick my finger near him but he bites it, soemtimes easy but if I keep it up, he bites very hard. Is there anyway for me to get closer to him. I dont know how old he is and have read that unless you getr them when they are young, it is almost impossible to tame them much. He sits on top of his cage most of the time but his flying is awful. He loves to tear up paper. Also, I noticed the last week that he is getting darker around the eyes and where the white is on his face. Would you happen to know why? Thank you very much for any help you can give me.
    Barb

  24. Trevor says:

    Hi there Barb – welcome to my blog about wild Australian birds.

    It sounds like you have a lovely pet. I have no experience in training pet birds – perhaps you need to contact your local bird club (see the phone book). I think you might be right – they need to be trained from a very early age.

    The change in colour is probably due to the maturing process. He is probably taking on his breeding plumage which generally is much deeper and more clearly defined than when they are young.

  25. Barb Hall says:

    Thank you very much. I found that most all of your questions were from people in Australia and forgot to tell you that I live in Indiana in the U. S. A. Anyway, thank you again and I think that the Australian Rosellas are the most beautiful birds that I have ever seen.
    Barb

  26. Laura says:

    I just found a rosella next to my car on a busy road in melbourne, i think he has a broken wing.

    The wildlife vets have closed for the day and i was just wondering how to best look after him?

    Thank you for any suggestions.

  27. Sarah says:

    Hi, my name is Sarah. I am a great bird lover. Six months ago i rescued a musk lorikeet from a boy who through a rock at him. The lorikeet survived, but could never fly again. I kept him, and his name is Buddy.
    I am soo glad that you take such an interest in birds.
    Sia!

  28. Trevor says:

    Hi there Laura – sorry I didn’t reply to your question. I was unable to access the internet at the time due to computer problems – and since then I’ve been very busy. Hope it turned out alright with that injured bird.

  29. Trevor says:

    Welcome to my blog Sarah. Thanks for your kind words. It is always good to welcome another bird lover to my blog about Australian birds. I invite you to come back often.

  30. Sarah says:

    Haha. Thanks Trevor. By the way,i think you must have sent me Laura’s message to me, lol. I recieved it in my inbox today.

  31. Trevor says:

    Hi again Sarah.

    There was no mistake – the way this blog is set up is that every comment on this article in future you will automatically get a copy of – that way we can continue the conversation and discussion on this topic. You will only get new comments on THIS article – not all the comments on the hundreds of other articles on this blog.

    If, however, you don’t wish to receive these new comments, just unsubscribe from comments – you can do that under the comments box below.

  32. Lisa says:

    Well I can top your story! I live in California. I came home tonight and one of your Eastern Rosellas was in my kitchen! He must have been brought here illegally – no ankle band and his wings weren’t clipped obviously – and he flew into my apartment! He’s in a cage right now, but tomorrow, I have to make some phone calls to find out what to do with this beautiful fellow!

  33. Trevor says:

    Hi there Lisa – what an amazing experience. You must have been quite surprised and delighted to have such a colourful visitor.

    I doubt that it is an illegal immigrant because I believe they are a common aviary bird in America. I am guessing that someone has lost a beautiful pet. It might be worth contacting your local bird club (would they be listed in your phone directory – or even on the internet?)

    Thanks for visiting my blog about Australian birds.

  34. Sarah says:

    Hi Lisa. i bet that you finding a rosella in your kichen must have been a wonderful experience. We get alot of rosellas here in south australia, but mainly the Adelaide and the Crimson Rosella.

  35. Emily says:

    Hi, my name is Emily. Two days ago i found a rosella at my friends place and it was being stalked by their cat. I caught it and took it home. I am pretty sure he’s ok but he can’t fly and he has only 1 tail feather. He’s eating and drinking but he’s not very tame. i can pat him a but if i do it for to long he bites me quite hard. I would really like to hold him and get him to sit on my finger but i can’t tell how old he is and i’ve heard that if not young it’s hard to teach them. i was wondering if you could help.

  36. Trevor says:

    Hi there Emily – welcome to my blog about wild Australian birds. I think you are right about training birds – they need to be quite young. I am not experienced at keeping parrots and training them so I cannot be of much help.

    Can I suggest that you contact your nearest bird club. The members will be able to help you with your questions. Look in the phone directory or on the internet for details of bird clubs.

  37. KATRINA says:

    Hi there, we just found a rosella (mainly red so not sure what type) it appears to me to be quiet young as doesnt look fully grown and we have put it in our avery as its unable to fly, i got some info on what to feed it and we will make sure we put a bird bath in for the bird to bathe daily etc, does anyone have any tips to help us care for this bird? Thankyou

  38. Trevor says:

    HI there Katrina.

    Can I suggest that you contact your nearest bird club. The members will be able to help you with your questions. Look in the phone directory or on the internet for details of bird clubs.

  39. Sherman says:

    Hi there,
    I have a pair of eastern rosella.
    I found from the net that they are wild and hard to tame, is that true.
    I got them from a pet shop and i think they are quite adult though. I have a bad encounter twice which is that they have laid an egg but the egg was broken.
    Do i need to get a house for them so that they can live in it?

  40. Trevor says:

    Welcome to my birding blog, Sherman. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment too.

    I’m sorry but I do not have any experience at looking after rosellas in an aviary. Can I suggest that you ask at you local pet shop for advice? Or go to your local library and borrow some books on pet care. There may even be a bird club in your area who would help – check in the phone directory. Searching the internet may also locate some helpful sites dedicated to pet care, for example:
    http://www.birdcare.com.au/rosellas.htm

  41. Dee says:

    Hi ,
    I am totally devastated as i have been away for 12 days & was so excited to come home to see my 6 baby Eastern Rosellas that were born in my Staghorn .when i looked in they were all dead .I have not seen the mother since coming home so she must have died . Nature can be so cruel at times . I also feel really sad for the Male as he comes & sits on the rose near the Staghorn & looks . I know they mate for life so i wonder what will happen to him now ?Do the males ever feed their young ?I feel so SAD as they are my favourite bird Cheers Dee

  42. Trevor says:

    Hi there Dee – welcome to my bird blog. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your sad story. You are right – nature can be cruel. The female may have died of natural causes, it could have been taken by a predator (such as a hawk), it could have been taken by a cat or it could have been a victim of road kill. Sadly, vehicles account for many bird deaths.

    You are right when you say that parrots tend to mate for life. I am not sure if the male will find another mate; in his grieving he may also become a victim. For example, if a Galah is killed by a vehicle on a country road, the grieving mate will often be hit as well because it will remain with the body.

  43. Ruth says:

    I’m on the North Shore of Auckland where there are rosellas, and I’m trying to identify a bird call that may or not be a rosella. It’s like a loud resonant whistle, a perfect fifth on the tonal scale ie ‘soh-doh’ or ‘soh-soh-soh-doh’. It’s got to be a larger bird with a song that loud, so it’s either a tui or a rosella. It could be feeding on the rata trees. I can’t match the sound with a bird yet. Any ideas?

  44. Trevor says:

    Thanks for stopping by Ruth. For my readers who may be unaware, the Eastern Rosella is an introduced species in New Zealand.

    Your description certainly does not sound like the call of the rosella. The E. Rosella’s call can best be described as ‘a brisk pink-pink or a slow ringing peee-peeee.’ (Pizzey’s field guide). Not having been to NZ I am not familiar with the call of a tui.

    You can hear the rosella call on this web page (new the bottom)
    http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=98

  45. Sharna says:

    Hi i was wondering if any one could help me. my grandfather picked a young eastern rosella this morning not knowing what to do with i took it having some background having young wild animals. but i have never had a grain feeding bird and i don’t know how to feed him. i think he may be old enough to eat by himself but on the other hand he is still making a baby noise and is kind of covered in down. thanks sharna.

  46. Trevor says:

    Hi there Sharna,

    You may find the information on this web page useful:

    http://www.birdcare.com.au/rosellas.htm

  47. Ruth says:

    I live in north-central Victoria, where eastern rosellas are plentiful. A friend several weeks ago installed a nestbox in her quiet front garden, in view of her lounge room. And her son installed a webcam in its ceiling! A rosella soon took up residence; I was watching it via the tv set in the lounge when it laid its first egg last Thursday morning. Magical! So far it has two eggs, both clearly visible via webcam. The bird is completely undisturbed by the technology and we are enthralled. Views of hatching rosellas for Christmas, maybe?

  48. Trevor says:

    Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment Ruth.

    I’m envious – that must be very special. If only I had the technical know how to set up something like that.

    Happy birding – and happy viewing.

  49. Mick says:

    Hi Trevor,

    I live in central west NSW, and have recently been given two baby rosellas. One is just able to fly, but the other isn’t. The birds were running around on the ground and could not fly when caught. My neighbour brought to me as he knew I had an interest in birds, yet still very green. I would like to know if the older one that is able to fly was let go where they were found, what would be it’s chances of survival?

    The younger one, is not able to fly, and I am willing to take care of it. I have reserached the net and found some resources telling me what they should be fed, but I would prefer them to be in the wild if possible.

    Michael

  50. Mick says:

    This is the mix that was suggested to feed the young:

    It consists of equal parts of High Protein Baby Cereal, Bread Crumbs, Chicken Starter Crumbs and a mixture we get from the health food shop which is a Linseed, Almond and Sunflower meal.

    This is all mixed and run through the blender and then stored in the fridge until ready for use.

    The very young chicks are fed with a spoon but as they get older we change to disposable plastic syringe with a plastic tube attached the main reason for the change is just speed in feeding the chicks

  51. Rake girl says:

    hey thanks for sharing that site http://www.birdcare.com.au/rosellas.htm

    i was looking for a bird care info and some tricks…
    jan

  52. elenor sapir says:

    Hi I found a young Rosella, and it’s in a cane basket but it is really hot, I think the bird is very frightened and skreetch when ever we approach or take the towel off, I’ve left it some sunflower seeds, and water, and trying to leave it alone, but I’m warried it will get too hot. It is sitting in the water bowl. If you can answer ASAP it will be great help.
    Elenor

  53. lynn says:

    hi trevor, i have a pair of rosella’s that i have had for 5 years and they were always happy with a certain brand of muesli this is now discontinued and they are not happy. any suggestions. cheers lynn

  54. Trevor says:

    Hi there elenor – sorry I didn’t reply to your question – at that time I was travelling with no internet access. Hope things turned out okay.

    Lynn – I’m sorry – I don’t have any experience in caring for rosellas. Can I suggest you contact your local pet shop or vet for advice, or look in your phone books for the nearest bird club.

  55. Roll over Rosella says:

    hi hi…….
    our puppy was PLAYING with a baby rosella. it was squarking and i think our pup thought it was her squeeky toy. she wasnt trying to hurt it. as i said she is a puppy. anyway she broke its wing and now we have it in a cage. a wonderful cage with branches and tree clippings and rocks etc. we are thinking of keeping it. we have named it DK for DONT KNOW if its a boy or girl……..anyway wish us luck in keeping it safe and its wing getting better…….thanks

  56. Carol Amps says:

    We found an Eastern Rosella in our backyard yesterday. It is a female with no tail feathers. We have her in a cage with seed and water but not sure if this is the best option for her. The rest of her feathers look to have had a pretty rough time as she looks ‘hen-pecked’. There have been three other rosellas hanging around her cage. Are we doing the right thing in keeping her in the cage until the tail feathers grow back?

  57. Trevor says:

    Hi carol,

    I am fairly certain that the feathers will eventually grow back – unless the parrot has some disease which is causing it to lose feathers.

    A more likely cause would be that a cat or dog has tried to catch its tail in its mouth, and was left with a mouth full of feathers.

    I would certainly keep it in a cage until the feathers regrow. If in any doubt, check with your local vet, pet shop or wildlife carers – see the phone book for contact details.

  58. Frankie says:

    We have two Rosellas, a boy and a girl.
    They’re gorgeous. I’ve already had the boy stand on my hand, but the girl seems abit more wary, but she’s young.
    The girl is a year and a half and the boy we are unsure.
    They are the most gorgeous birds and I hope that eventually they will be able to trust us so that we can train them.

  59. Hi
    I have just purchased a pair of Red Pennants – Rosellas. The male was all fluffy when I got him, however he has now lost all the fluffy feathers and is bold all over his back and chest, is this normal or does he have a parasite??
    Many thanks
    Caroline

  60. Trevor says:

    Hi there Caroline,

    Many species of parrots are prone to various parasites and viruses, some of which result in feather loss and others are fatal. I have no expertise in this area so all I can suggest is that you contact your local pet shop, vet clinic or wildlife carers.

    Sorry I can’t be of any help.

  61. B`Elanna says:

    i have an eastern rosella and his name is pickles and he is just stunning ! x

  62. sharon says:

    Hi my name is Sharon and l have had my rosella for about 2 weeks now,not sure of age but its flying into things and feeding ok ..l think its about 6 weeks old.For the last two weeks l have had it in a cat cage, yes weird, but thats all l had when stinky came home after some big storms and and head covered in mud,and nearly getting run over by a ride on mower .Now my question..when can l put him in a cage and out of the cat cage?
    He or she is quite tame likes to sit on our head with the nice little present left each time ..(poo shampoo)but it does fly off and crash into the windows ect,hasn’t hurt itself yet..so should l clipp its wings (not sure l like the idea)but also not liking a dazed bird either,if so how?
    As you can see l have many questions.I went to the pet shop and ask and was told by a 16?year old that l need a cock cage to put him in and that not sure if millets is good for these birds (NO HELP)even l know that a big cocky cage is not good for a little bird ..ok my little bird and maybe the cost of $400 bucks might have made me erk up .So any help would be great thank you

  63. bec says:

    Hi Sharon,

    It must be the season cause my partner just rescued a young rosella last week as well. My son has a fascination with parrots and has taught us everything we need to know. I have been keeping ours in a bird cage – it cant fly yet and I have put some newspaper on the bottom of the cage so it doesn’t get its feet caught.

    I have read that they can go in a cage once they can stand on the perch. Ours still has trouble standing up at all.

    One website recommended an aviary 3-5m long! I think though a small cage will be okay until it gets bigger. I have read that they like to chew so maybe the kid was just trying to suggest a stronger cage. They should have some branches to chew on. And they like water bowls on the ground that they can bathe in.

    You may be able to get a secondhand cage cheaper.

    Hope this helps.

    Bec

  64. Trevor says:

    Hello Bec ,thanks for your reply .Stinky (that’s his or shes name) is thriving getting out of the cage flying around ..not well but a little better than before.
    We feed ours on “Neo care” with a shringne for the first 3 weeks now it is eating everything .
    Still a little iffy about wether to clip wings or not, both the dog and the cat still see it as dinner and it likes to land on the floor ,so both the dog and cat are locked in the bedroom together no fights there .There is another question l need to ask ….yes l know lm getting attached and yes l would feel sad but can it be released seeing its friendly .Ok again thank you
    Sharon

  65. robert says:

    my eastern rosella is loosing his feathers on the top of his head and he seams to be loosing a feathers as if he is multing is there a common reason for this and is there a cure

  66. angela says:

    Our eastern Rosella “George” has been losing his tail feathers for about two weeks, and I am glad of all the advice that I have seen offered. I am not particularly concerned, as he looks very healthy otherwise and is eating and drinking and being his normal naughty self. I am sure the tail feather loss is normal and they will grow again soon. In reply about clipping wings, I wouldn’t think its a good idea, especially with a dog and cat eyeing it. They could gang up on the bird. If he can fly around normally, he will probably be too quick for them. from Angela

  67. Helen Moore says:

    I have had a little eastern rosella since about 3.4days old I fet with a dropper with baby food mix.
    We have had it for 7 weeks now. He eats special baby food and now
    its mixed course with water. Millet seed too. and chew on jatz
    biscuits. Loves his bath in the water.
    He has a seed block he tries to chew, not very successfully. When its the time to start sunflower seeds?
    He only flys a short distance, but loves to be out and about.
    Is there anything I should be doing that I’m not.Cheers Helen

  68. Darla says:

    My Eastern Rosella just turned 6 yrs old. I have had him for 4 yrs. Recently he has lost quite a few feathers on the back of his head and around his ears. My aviarian vet looked him over approx 2 months ago and didn’t think he had mites but perhaps just molting heavily. It has become worse since then. The back of his neck is completely bald. He doesnt act any differently than usual, and is eating/drinking/bathing. He is also getting a couple black spots on one cheek. Has anyone ever encountered this before?

    • Trevor says:

      Hi Darla,

      Sorry that I haven’t responded to your question sooner. I was hoping some of my readers might be able to help you, because I have no experience in caring for captive birds, so I can’t help you.

  69. MaryAnne Sciberras says:

    Hello everyone,
    it’s been very interesting reading through some comments because I can learn more about Rosellas. I got one last Saturday and yesterday my curiosity got me and I decided to open it’s cage and let it explore. When it came to take him in, I had to catch him because he obviously doesn’t know yet. He was run down because he was stressed and lost 2 tail feathers during flying and me trying to catch him with a towel. I want to know whether he will grow back those feathers!
    I’ve been playing songs for him to sing with and he seems happy and calm again, I’ll just let him sit there for few weeks until I take him out again.
    Looking forward for any opinions!
    Thanks in advance!

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