Platycercus icterotis
The Western Rosella, *Platycercus icterotis*, is a strikingly colorful and engaging parrot endemic to the southwestern corner of Western Australia. As the smallest of the rosella species, it typically measures around 26 cm (10 inches) in length and weighs 60-80 grams. Males are particularly vibrant, boasting a brilliant scarlet-red head and underparts, contrasted with distinctive yellow cheek patches-the source of its scientific epithet 'icterotis', meaning 'yellow-eared'. Its back is a mosai...
Found primarily in eucalypt forests, woodlands (especially jarrah and marri), and mallee scrub, often extending into agricultural lands with remnant native vegetation. It typically occupies low to moderate elevations.
Feeds primarily on the seeds of grasses, eucalypts, and other shrubs, supplemented by fruits, berries, nectar from blossoms, and insects with their larvae. It forages extensively on the ground as well as in the tree canopy.
Western Rosellas are diurnal birds, actively foraging during the day and roosting in tree hollows or dense foliage at night. They exhibit a characteristic ground-feeding strategy, meticulously gleaning seeds and fallen fruits, but also forage in the canopy for nectar and insects. Pairs are genera...
The Western Rosella is entirely endemic to the southwestern region of Western Australia. Its distribution extends from north of Perth, south along the coast to the Albany region, and inland through the Wheatbelt. This range encompasses diverse habitats, from the dense Jarrah-Marri forests of the ...
Least Concern
- The Western Rosella is the smallest of all Australian rosella species. - Its scientific name, *icterotis*, is derived from Greek words meaning 'jaundice' or 'yellow' and 'ear', perfectly describing its prominent yellow cheek patches. - Unlike most rosellas that have a multi-colored head, the We...