Brown’s or Northern Rosella
Characteristics
Length: 38 cm (about 15 1/5 inches). Crown and back of head brownish to black. Cheeks white with broad sky-blue markings on throat. Vague red glow on forehead. Back and wings black with broad yellow bands. Yellow rump. Primary wing coverts light blue with black. Flight feathers darker with brownish-green points. Tail blue-brown with dark edges, rimmed in white. Lower parts of belly red; underside tail blue with black point. Eyes black, beak light gray with a blue point, legs black-brown. Some Brown’s rosellas either do not have the red on the forehead or have some yellow there instead. Others may have red on the yellow or black-scalloped belly.
Social Behavior
Prefers to be kept in pairs or colonies.
Diet
All parakeets and parrots, including rosella, need a large variety of fresh, healthy foods, whether on a pellet or a seed diet. Beneficial foods include dark green, leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli, dandelions, and chard, as well as carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash. Healthy table foods like cooked eggs, corn, beans, pasta, and rice can also be offered. Remove perishable foods after a few hours and at bedtime. Grit, gravel, and oyster shells should never be given. A seed-only diet will result in malnutrition. Eventually, a rosella should become acclimated to a diet containing specially formulated pellets. An AVIAN vet can help with more information.
Cleaning
Tray liners should be replaced every day and the cage bottom, fittings and dishes regularly washed with hot water and soap. Once a month, disinfect the cage with diluted bleach and rinse thoroughly. Line the tray with black and white newspaper or paper towels. It is unsafe to use pine/cedar shavings, corn cob or walnut bedding.
Fertility
Breeding and molting times often coincide; the breeding season starts in the winter. Remove any extra nest boxes once the hen has made her choice; otherwise it may happen that she deserts hers (often with eggs in it) to start anew in another box. She lays 2 eggs which hatch after 21 days.
Health
All parakeets and parrots, including rosella, should be examined by a qualified AVIAN vet at least once a year or ASAP if any bleeding, injuries, or other signs are noted. It can be hard to tell when a bird is ill, and by the time you notice a problem, the sickness is usually well-advanced. Delaying a visit with an AVIAN vet or using over-the-counter or human medicines may be fatal.
Warnings
All parrakeets and parrots, including rosella, have very sensitive respiratory systems and should not be exposed to cigarette smoke, aerosols, harsh cleaning products, or other toxic fumes.
