ID Rosellas
Who would’ve known that there are six species of rosella living in Australia? This guide helps you identify each of them using key visual differences.
Tap on each image to see a larger version.
Crimson Rosella (adult)
Don’t let the ‘crimson’ fool you - this rosella can also be yellow or orange. Look out for the white bill and blue cheeks. Adelaide Rosella and Yellow Rosella are now considered subspecies.
Crimson Rosella (juvenile)
Young red Crimson Rosellas can often look quite different from their parents. Look out for the blue cheek - that’s a giveaway. You might see mottled red and green, and quite a bit of olive-green colouring.
Eastern Rosella
This colourful stunner lives in QLD, NSW, ACT, SA and TAS. Keep an eye out for its red head, white cheek patches and red underwing.
Green Rosella
This Tassie bird is more golden in appearance than green. It has a golden head, red band above its bill, blue cheek patches and a greenish-yellow underbody.
Northern Rosella
This cutie is only found in the NT and north-western WA. It’s got a black head, white cheeks, pale yellow breast and red under its tail.
Pale-headed Rosella
Found in north-eastern and eastern Australia, this amazing looking bird has a white head with yellow tint, white cheeks and red under its tail wings. It has a mainly blue underbelly and breast.
Western Rosella
Tucked away in the south-western corner of WA, this beauty has a red head, a yellow cheek patch and red from its throat to its undertail.
Podcast episodes
There are no Weekend Birder episodes yet about rosellas. We’ll fix that soon! Here are some of our other favourite parrots:
52 Orange-bellied Parrots - with Jenny