Northern Rosella
A species of Rosellas Scientific name : Platycercus venustus Genus : Rosellas
Northern Rosella, A species of Rosellas
Botanical name: Platycercus venustus
Genus: Rosellas
Content
Description General Info
Description
Smaller than all rosella species except the western rosella, the adult northern rosella weighs 90 to 110 g (3.2 to 3.9 oz) and is 29 to 32 cm (11 to 13 in) long. It has broad wings with a wingspan of around 44 cm (17 in), and a long tail with twelve feathers. The sexes are almost indistinguishable, though some adult females have duller plumage and are more likely to have some red feathers on the head and breast. The adult bird has a black forehead, crown, lores, ear coverts, upper neck and nape, a whitish throat and large cheek-patches, which are mainly white with violet lower borders in the nominate subspecies, and more blue with a narrow white upper segment in subspecies hillii. The feathers of the lower neck, mantle and scapulars are black narrowly fringed with yellow, giving a scalloped appearance, while the feathers of the back, rump, upper tail coverts and underparts are pale yellow with black borders and concealed grey bases. Those of the breast have very dark grey bases, occasionally tinged with red. The undertail covert feathers are red with black fringes. The feathers on the upper leg are pale yellow tinged with blue. The central rectrices of the long tail are dark green changing to dark blue at the tips, while the other feathers are dark blue with two bands of pale blue and white tips. The undertail is pale blue with a white tip. The wings have a wide purplish blue shoulder patch at rest, with the secondary feathers edged darker blue and the primaries black edged with blue. The beak is off-white with a grey cere, the legs and feet are grey, and the iris is dark brown. Immature birds resemble adults but are duller overall, with less-well defined cheek patches. The black plumage in particular is more greyish and there are more likely to be scattered red feathers on the head, neck and underparts. 
Size
28 cm
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Northern Rosella forages on the ground and in canopies, consuming seeds of eucalypts and wattles, nectar, flowers, fruit, and insects; exhibiting a preference for certain eucalypts and wattles.
Habitat
The northern Rosella typically inhabits Eucalyptus and Melaleuca woodlands situated in hilly regions with ample water access. These birds are also found in plateau woodlands, often those with Callitris intratropica dominance, and may occasionally be seen in mangrove areas. Furthermore, northern Rosella can visit parks and gardens, indicating some adaptability to human-altered landscapes.
Dite type
Herbivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Behavior
Not a gregarious bird, the northern rosella is generally found alone or in pairs, although several birds perch together in the same tree. Sometimes they are encountered in larger troops—usually 6 to 8 birds but rarely up to 15 individuals. It is shyer than other rosellas, and flees to the upper tree canopy if disturbed. It is a quieter and less vocal species than other rosellas, and its call repertoire has been little studied. It exhibits a sharp and short chit-chut chit-chut contact call in flight; while perched it makes a three-note whistle on ascending scale or metallic piping sounds. Soft chattering can be heard while feeding, and sometimes when squabbling at the beginning of breeding season.
Distribution Area
The northern rosella is found across northern Australia. In Western Australia, it is found across the Kimberley south to the 18th parallel, around Derby, Windjana Gorge National Park, the northern Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges, Springvale Station and Warmun, with vagrants reported at Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing. In the Northern Territory it is found from Victoria River north to the Tiwi Islands and east into western Arnhem Land, and across northern Arnhem Land through Milingimbi Island and the Wessel Islands to the Gove Peninsula. It is absent from central Arnhem Land, but is found further east around the western and southern coastline of the Gulf of Carpentaria, south to Borroloola and across the border into western Queensland as far as the Nicholson River. The northern rosella lives in grassy open forests and woodlands, including deciduous eucalypt savannah woodlands. Typical trees include species of Eucalyptus, such as Darwin stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta), Melaleuca, Callitris and Acacia. More specific habitats include vegetation along small creeks and gorges, sandstone outcrops and escarpments, as well as some forested offshore islands. The northern rosella is occasionally found in mangroves or public green spaces in suburban Darwin. It avoids dense forest.
Species Status
The northern rosella is listed as being a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), on account of its large range and stable population, with no evidence of any significant decline. Despite this, the northern rosella is an uncommon bird. Grazing by livestock and frequent burning of grassy woodland may have a negative impact on northern rosella numbers. Like most species of parrots, the northern rosella is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) with its placement on the Appendix II list of vulnerable species, which makes the import, export and trade of listed wild-caught animals illegal.
