Rosella

Taxobox
name = Rosellas

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image_width = 200px
image_caption = Adult Crimson Rosella
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Psittaciformes
familia = Psittacidae
subfamilia = Psittacinae
tribus = Platycercini
genus = "Platycercus"
genus_authority = Vigors, 1825
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
*"Platycercus icterotis"
*"Platycercus elegans"
**"P. e. elegans"
**"P. e. adelaidae"
**"P. e. flaveolus"
*"Platycercus caledonicus"
*"Platycercus adscitus"
*"Platycercus eximius"
*"Platycercus venustus""See article text for an alternate arrangement"

A rosella is one of 5-8 species of colorful Australian parrots in the genus "Platycercus". "Platycercus" means "broad-" or "flat-tailed", reflecting a feature common to the rosellas and other members of the broad-tailed parrot tribe. Their diet consists mainly of seeds and fruit.

Habitat

Rosellas are native to Australia and some nearby islands, where they inhabit forests, woodlands, farmlands, and suburban parks and gardens. They are confined to the coastal mountains and plains and are absent from the outback. Introduced populations have also established themselves in New Zealand and Norfolk Island.

Description

Rosellas range in size from 25–30 cm (10–12 in). The feathers on their backs show an obvious scalloping appearance with colouring that differs with the species.

Etymology

A story goes that early European settlers first encountered the Eastern Rosella at Rose Hill, now a Sydney suburb, and so they called it the Rosehill Parakeet, which became, "Rosehiller", which eventually "Rosella". [cite book| title = Australia's beautiful birds and their young |first = Kenneth |last = Stepnell | coauthors = Boles, Walter| pages = p. 88|isbn = 0949892130 |publisher = Australian Consolidated Press |location = Sydney, Australia] However, there is also a second story that the name is derived from 'Rosetta',Fact|date=June 2008 the first name of the wife of George Fife Angas, a settler in Australia, but he forgot to cross his T's (leaving them appearing as lowercase L's), hence "rosella".Fact|date=June 2008

Aviculture

The more colourful Rosella species are popular as pet parrots and also as aviary birds. They can live for longer than 20 years, and they are relatively easy to breed.cite book |first = David| last = Alderton | title = The ultimate encyclopedia of caged and aviary birds | isbn = 184309164X |pages= p. 185| publisher = Hermes House |location = London, England | year = 2003]

pecies

References

* Ovenden, J. R.; Mackinlay, A. G. & Crozie, R. H. (1987): Systematics and Mitochondrial Genome Evolution of Australian Rosellas (Aves: Platycercidae). "Molecular Biology and Evolution" 4(5): 526-543. [http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/4/5/526.pdf PDF fulltext]