bird of the day: pale-headed rosella

the pale-headed rosella is a medium – sized parrot native to northeastern australia. this rosella feeds mainly on native seeds and fruits, and like other rosellas, usually nests in large tree hollows. there are two subspecies of pale-headed rosella, distinguished by slight coloration differences, like a lighter yellow base color or more blue on the cheeks. this rosella likes to live in open forests, but have adapted fairly well to human development, even being considered a pest of orchard crops by some. in drier parts of their range, rosellas benefit from watering troughs provided by humans.

the pale-headed rosella is sometimes considered to be the same species as the eastern rosella, though in reality they are closer related to the northern rosella. however, the eastern rosella does sometimes hybridize with the pale-headed rosella.

the pale-headed rosella is common in aviculture, being relatively easy to keep as a pet and breed. they are currently rated ‘least concern’ by the iucn. let’s hope these beautiful birds keep doing well!

image sources: (x), (x)