Pale-headed Rosella

The Pale-headed Rosella replaces the closely related Eastern Rosella through much of Queensland and into northern New South Wales, and is easily told apart by its soft, pale yellow-white head rather than red. Blue cheek patches, sometimes edged with a fine white border, stand out against the pale crown and nape, while the underparts are a pale to deep blue rather than yellow.

The back carries the same black-feathers-scalloped-with-color pattern typical of rosellas, here edged in pale yellow, and the tail is long and blue-green. Two recognized forms exist: a paler, whiter-headed northern form and a more richly colored southern form with deeper blue underparts, sometimes called the "blue rosella."

Key field marks

• Pale creamy-yellow to whitish head and nape
• Blue cheek patches, often finely bordered white
• Blue (not yellow) underparts, especially in southern birds
• Black back feathers edged pale yellow, giving a scalloped pattern
• Long blue-green tail

Similar species

• Eastern Rosella: red head and breast rather than pale head, white (not blue-bordered) cheeks. The two species hybridize in a contact zone in northern New South Wales/southern Queensland.
• Northern Rosella: smaller, black-headed species found further north and west, unlikely to be confused given the very different head color.

Habitat

Pale-headed Rosellas inhabit open eucalypt woodland, timbered farmland, roadside trees, and riverine vegetation, as well as parks and gardens within towns.

Range

The species is endemic to northeastern Australia, occurring through most of Queensland (excluding the far north and interior deserts) and into northeastern New South Wales.

Migration

Generally sedentary, though birds may move locally in response to seasonal food availability, particularly flowering and seeding events.

Behavior

Usually found in pairs or small parties, Pale-headed Rosellas forage on the ground and in trees, and can be locally common in rural towns and farmland with scattered timber.

Voice

Calls include a metallic "kwink kwink" contact call similar to other rosellas, along with soft chattering while feeding.

Feeding

They feed on native and introduced grass and tree seeds, fruits, blossoms, nectar, and insects, often foraging quietly on the ground beneath trees.

Nesting and breeding

Nests are built in tree hollows, lined with decayed wood dust. Clutches typically contain four to seven white eggs, incubated by the female for around three weeks, with fledging around five weeks after hatching.