Crimson Rosella

Platycercus elegans

Predict Sightings

Habitat

Mid-canopy

Diet

PlantSeed

Active Time

Diurnal

Size

124 g

About This Species

A brightly coloured parrot of eastern Australian forests and gardens, it favours the mid-storey of eucalypt woodland where it feeds on seeds, fruit, blossom and occasional insects, often in noisy pairs or small flocks. Look for flashes of crimson and blue as it moves through the canopy at dawn and dusk, and listen for a metallic, ringing contact call. It is a year-round resident, so any season works, though breeding activity around tree hollows in spring brings birds lower and closer to observers.

Ethical Viewing Guidelines

Stay several metres back and let it continue feeding or preening undisturbed rather than approaching directly; it is common and carries no special conservation status, but general wildlife protection laws in Australian states still prohibit harassment, capture or nest disturbance.
Avoid feeding it by hand, since habituation to people can lead to aggressive behaviour and dependency.
If you find a nest hollow, view from a distance and avoid repeated visits during the breeding season.

LCAvesPsittaciformesPsittacidae

Seasonal Activity

766,495 sightings · 2000–2026

Citizen science records via GBIF

All monthsThis month

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae

Traits

Diet: PlantSeed
Foraging: Mid-canopy
Activity: Diurnal
Body mass: 124 g

Photo

Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons

CC-BY-SA-4.0

Occurrence data from GBIF.