Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
The Crimson Rosella lives in southeast and east Australia; the nominate subspecies in the southeast and two darker subspecies
(nigrescens and melanoptera) on the east coast and Kangaroo Island.
The beautiful, brightly-coloured Rosellas are related to the grass parakeets and often spend time on the ground.
The long blue tail
Above is a juvenile still moulting out its green feathers (the young start green).
The red front.
Yellow Rosella Platycercus elegans flaveolus
The Yellow Rosella from southeast Australia, also called the Murray Rosella,
was thought to be a separate species of Rosella, but is now considered a subspecies of the Crimson. It resembles the Green Rosella from Tasmania but is
slightly smaller, has a yellower front and rump, and the feathers on its back are black with light yellow edging.
Adelaide Rosella Platycercus elegans adelaidae/subadelaidae
The Adelaide Rosella was thought to be a separate species of Rosella, then a subspecies of the Crimson Rosella and, with further DNA testing,
is now considered a race of hybrids of the Crimson Rosella and the Yellow Rosella, itself also previously considered a separate species but
now considered a subspecies of the Crimson.
Many Adelaides show more red on their front than those shown here.
Hybrid Rosellas
This rosella looks similar to the Crimson but is clearly not a blue-cheeked species.
A possible hybrid between Crimson and the white-cheeked Eastern.
Said to be "Golden-mantled" subspecies "ceciliae," with comment it was not pure-bred.
Clearly not a white-cheeked Eastern; would seem to have Crimson ancestry.
Another Adelaide Rosella.
Links
Eastern
Western
Pale-headed
Green/Tasmanian
Northern