Pale Headed Rosella Species:

The pale headed rosella is a bird that hails from the parrot family and is native to the northeastern parts of Australia.



The bird is moderately sized and has a rather broad tail as well as white cheek patches on a blue face. It may also have an all white face. The back is usually yellow with dark flecks while the underbelly is mainly blue.



The coloring of the female coat is noticeably duller than the male’s and some geographical variations occur with differences in the depth of color. The overall length of the adult bird will measure about 33 centimeters, of which about 15 centimeters is the length of the tail alone. The bill is also a pale blue white, while the legs are dark grey.



Even though the birds’ preferred natural habitat is the open forest, the bird has adapted rather well to the rural parts of Australia and experts fear that it may even become a pest to orchards and cereal crops. Some migrants had attempted to introduce the bird to Hawaii around 1887, but the birds were not able to survive in the region. The lightly timbered woodlands such as the savanna woodlands offer the perfect natural habitat for these birds. The breeding patterns of the bird vary significantly depending on the region of residence. The northern birds tend to nest from February to June while the southern ones are known to breed between the months of September to December. The birds will usually nest in a hollow tree trunk, anywhere up to 30 meters above ground. Each clutch will comprise of about five to six eggs that appear round, white and even a little shiny. Most nests will be situated in close proximity to a water body. Though the male will help feed the young a few days after they hatch, it will no assist in the incubation.   

One of the most distinctive features of any bird is its call. The calls of the pale headed rosella are very similar to its close cousin – the Eastern Rosella. During flight its call will sound like kwik – kwik while, when perched it will give out a high pitched and rapid ‘pi – pi – pi – pi’. The pale headed rosella’s primarily feed on the ground. Their diet consists mainly of the fruits from shrubs and trees as well as insects and their larvae. They also prefer to feed in shade rather than in sunlight.