Crimson Rosella: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Parrots and Colourful Birds · day 5 of 7

Five facts

1. In south-eastern Australia, young crimson rosellas are mostly green. As they grow up they turn red, and people say they "ripen".
2. A study found that these parrots can tell which birds belong to their own subspecies just by their smell.
3. Its blue tail feathers are among the favourite decorations of another bird, the satin bowerbird.
4. It nests in tree hollows more than 1 m deep. The pair lines the nest with wood chewed off the hollow's walls, bringing nothing in from outside.
5. Rosellas eat plenty of fruit and seeds, yet they do not help plants spread. They crush the seeds as they eat them.

The quiz

1. What colour are young crimson rosellas in south-eastern Australia?

• Pure white
• Mostly green (correct)
• Black
• Bright blue all over

The young are mostly green and turn red as they grow up.

2. How can crimson rosellas tell birds of their own subspecies?

• By the shape of their eggs
• By their eye colour
• By their smell (correct)
• By the sound of their wingbeats

A study found they can identify their own subspecies by smell.

3. Which bird loves to decorate with the crimson rosella's blue tail feathers?

• The emu
• The kookaburra
• The lyrebird
• The satin bowerbird (correct)

Its blue tail feathers are a favourite decoration of the satin bowerbird.

4. What do crimson rosellas line their nest with?

• Wood chewed from the hollow (correct)
• Grass carried from outside
• Mud from a stream
• Feathers collected from other birds

They gnaw wood from the hollow itself and bring nothing in from outside.

5. Why don't rosellas help plants spread their seeds?

• They only eat insects
• They crush the seeds they eat (correct)
• They never eat fruit
• They only eat leaves

They crush and destroy the seeds while eating them.

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