Written by the Birdsville team. Last updated November 2026.

Rosellas are some of the most beautiful parrots in the world, and they’re true Australian natives, found in every state including Tasmania. With their brilliant reds, blues, yellows and greens, rosellas make stunning aviary birds, and hand-raised rosellas can become wonderful companions. This guide from the bird specialists at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, trading since 1985, covers how to care for all kinds of rosellas, from Eastern and Crimson Rosellas to Pale-headed, Western and Adelaide Rosellas, including diet, housing, breeding and health.

To care for a rosella, you need a long aviary or a large flight cage, a diet of quality parrot seed, pellets, fresh vegetables, fruit and some live food, plenty of native branches and toys to chew, and regular worming. Rosellas are active, flighty birds that need room to fly, and most are best kept as a single pair.

Rosella Key Takeaways

  • There are six rosella species, with many colour forms and subspecies, all native to Australia.
  • Rosellas are active flyers and do best in a long aviary, at least 3 metres long and ideally 4 metres or more.
  • Keep one pair of rosellas per aviary, as they can be aggressive to other birds, especially when breeding.
  • Rosellas forage on the ground, so regular worming is essential.
  • Feed quality parrot seed, pellets, fresh vegetables, fruit and some live food such as mealworms.
  • Hand-raised rosellas are usually available around December, after the August to September nesting season.

Rosella Quick Facts

  • Scientific name: Platycercus species
  • Native range: all Australian states and Tasmania
  • Adult size: around 25 to 37cm long, depending on the species
  • Adult weight: around 80 to 170g, depending on the species
  • Lifespan: commonly 15 to 20 years, and sometimes longer
  • Diet type: seed, pellets, vegetables, fruit, native flowers and insects
  • Housing: an aviary at least 3m long, or a large flight cage for a hand-raised bird
  • Noise level: moderate, with pleasant whistles and piping calls
  • Talking ability: low, but many learn to whistle tunes
  • Experience level: beginner to intermediate

On This Page

  • Types of Rosellas
  • Do Rosellas Need a Licence in NSW?
  • Do Rosellas Make Good Pets?
  • Essential Supplies
  • Housing Your Rosella
  • Toys and Enrichment
  • What Do Rosellas Eat?
  • Providing Water
  • Calcium and Vitamins
  • Handling and Taming
  • Common Health Problems
  • Parasite Control
  • Toxic and Dangerous Hazards
  • Breeding Rosellas
  • How Can You Tell if a Rosella Is Male or Female?
  • Compatibility with Other Birds
  • Holiday Care and Boarding
  • Transportation
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Recommended Avian Vets

Types of Rosellas

There are six rosella species, and several of them come in different colour forms, or subspecies, found in different parts of Australia:

  • Eastern Rosella: red head, white cheeks and a yellow and green body. Forms include the Golden-mantled Rosella and the Tasmanian Eastern Rosella.
  • Crimson Rosella: deep crimson with blue cheeks and wings. The Adelaide Rosella and the Yellow Rosella are colour forms of the Crimson Rosella.
  • Pale-headed Rosella: a pale yellow or cream head with blue cheeks, including the form often called the Blue-cheeked Rosella.
  • Western Rosella: the smallest rosella, from south-western Western Australia, including the Red-backed Western Rosella.
  • Green Rosella: the largest rosella, found only in Tasmania.
  • Northern Rosella: a dark-headed rosella from northern Australia.

Do Rosellas Need a Licence in NSW?

Some do and some don’t. In NSW, you can keep the Adelaide Rosella, Eastern Rosella, Pale-headed Rosella, Western Rosella and Yellow Rosella without a licence. Other rosellas, including the Crimson Rosella, need a bird keeper licence from the NSW Government. Licences help make sure birds have been bred legally in captivity, not trapped from the wild. You can check the current list of birds you don’t need a licence to keep on the NSW Environment and Heritage website (https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-permits/wildlife-licences/native-animals-as-pets/bird-keeper-licences/birds-you-dont-need-a-licence-to-keep).

Do Rosellas Make Good Pets?

Yes. Rosellas are one of the most popular aviary birds in Australia, loved for their colours, their cheerful whistles and their lively nature. In an aviary, a pair of rosellas is a joy to watch.

Hand-raised rosellas make wonderful companions too. They’re usually more independent than a cockatoo or a cockatiel and don’t need constant attention, but a hand-raised bird still needs daily time with you to stay tame. Rosellas aren’t strong talkers, though many learn to whistle tunes.

Essential Supplies for Rosellas

Housing and Enclosure

Water and Feeding

Supplements

Enrichment and Toys

Health and Cleaning

Breeding

Transport

Every product on this page, and plenty more, is available in-store at Birdsville, and many can be ordered online from Petsville (https://petsville.com.au/), with delivery Australia-wide.

Housing Your Rosella

Aviaries

Rosellas are strong, active flyers, so the more space the better. An aviary for a pair of rosellas should be at least 3 metres long, and 4 metres or more is even better. Length matters more than height, as it lets your birds fly properly from one end to the other.

  • Cover at least a third of the aviary, including the back and part of the roof, to give shelter from rain, wind and hot sun.
  • Place perches at each end so your rosellas fly the full length.
  • Use double wire between neighbouring aviaries, as rosellas will fight through the wire.
  • Fit a safety door so your birds can’t escape when you go in.
  • Keep the floor clean and dry, as rosellas spend time foraging on the ground.

Cages for Hand-Raised Rosellas

A hand-raised rosella kept in the house needs the largest cage you can fit, ideally a long flight cage so it can fly. Add hanging toys, a swing to exercise its legs and fresh native branches to chew. Give it time out of the cage every day on a play stand or in a bird-safe room.

Toys and Enrichment

Rosellas are busy birds that love to chew. Fresh native branches, such as eucalyptus, bottlebrush, grevillea and callistemon, give them something to chew and strip, and bottlebrush flowers also give them a natural source of nectar. Add wooden chew toys, foraging toys, swings and a shallow bath, and rotate the toys regularly so they don’t get bored.

What Do Rosellas Eat?

Rosellas eat a mix of quality parrot seed, pellets, fresh vegetables and fruit, plus native flowers and some live food for protein. For adult rosellas, aim for about 50% seed, 40% pellets and 10% fresh food.

Two Ways to Feed Your Rosella

  1. Seed, Blend and pellets: mix Basic Parrot Mix with Birdsville Blends Parrot, and give pellets in a separate bowl, plus fresh food daily. Many customers buy both seeds and combine them, which also makes the Blend go further.
  2. Pellets and Seed Enhancer: feed pellets as the main food, with a smaller serve of seed sprinkled with Birdsville Blends Seed Enhancer (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blend-mixed-veg-seed-enhancer), plus fresh food daily.

Why Birdsville Blends?

Birdsville Blends Parrot is bagged fresh on site and packed with chillies, pumpkin, legumes, dried fruits, dried vegetables and herbs. Pumpkin and chilli are rich in vitamin A, legumes add protein, and the dried fruit and herbs bring extra vitamins and antioxidants. Our seed sells so quickly it never sits on the shelf. Be wary of many chain store mixes, which can be stale or bulked out with cheap filler seed that does nothing for your bird’s health. See the full range on our Birdsville Blends page (https://birdsville.net.au/birdsville-blends/).

Live Food and Protein

In the wild, rosellas eat insects and grubs as well as seeds, so live food is a great source of protein, especially when they’re breeding. Mealworms are a favourite. We sell live mealworms in-store, and Vetafarm Insecta-Pro (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-insecta-pro-450g) is a good insect-based alternative.

Feeding Baby Rosellas

Never rush a young rosella onto pellets. A baby given only pellets can stop eating and die. Keep seed in front of it at all times, with pellets available beside it, and put an extra bowl of seed on the cage floor so it can always find food.

Sprouted Seed

Sprouted seed is a nutritious fresh food that rosellas love, especially when raising chicks. Rinse it with Vetafarm Aviclens (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-aviclens-water-cleanser-100ml) before feeding to kill bacteria. Our Best Bird Treats page (https://birdsville.net.au/bird-treats-tips-and-sprouted-mix/) explains how to sprout seed.

Fruit and Veggie Guide

Vegetables

Corn on the cob, which is a favourite, plus broccoli, carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin, silverbeet, peas, capsicum, chilli and seeding grasses.

Fruits

Apple, pear, orange, grapes and berries, in small amounts.

Native Foods

Bottlebrush and grevillea flowers, gum nuts and seeding native grasses.

Treats

Millet sprays (https://petsville.com.au/products/millet-sprays-mixed-100g) and small pieces of nut.

Avoid Entirely

Avocado, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, onion and salty or sugary human food.

Providing Water to Your Rosella

Give fresh water every day in a heavy dish, and scrub the dish daily. Rosellas love to bathe, so a shallow bath in the aviary is a nice extra, especially in summer. In hot weather, check the water twice a day.

Calcium and Vitamins

Give your rosella a cuttlebone and shell grit at all times, and add Vetafarm Calcivet to the water for extra calcium and vitamin D3, especially for laying hens and birds kept indoors. A regular boost of Vetafarm Multivet in the water helps every rosella stay in top condition. Our How to Make Sure Your Bird Gets Enough Calcium page ([Calcium page link]) explains more.

Handling and Taming

Aviary rosellas are usually happiest left to be birds and aren’t handled much. A hand-raised rosella, though, can become very tame with gentle daily handling. Keep sessions short, reward it with a favourite treat, and let it come to you. Rosellas can be a little nippy, especially as they mature, so stay calm and don’t react if one bites. Our How to Train Your Parrot page (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-bird-advice-and-training/bird-training-clicker-training-parrot-body-language/) has more tips.

 

Common Health Problems in Rosellas

Worms

Rosellas spend a lot of time foraging on the ground, which makes them prone to worms, especially in outdoor aviaries. Signs include weight loss, fluffed feathers and worms in the droppings. Regular worming is the best prevention.

Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD)

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease is a contagious virus that damages the feathers, beak and immune system. Our Common Bird Illnesses page (https://birdsville.net.au/common-bird-illnesses/) explains the signs.

Psittacosis

This bacterial infection can cause eye and nasal discharge, breathing problems and green droppings, and it can spread to people. See an avian vet if your bird shows these signs.

Signs Your Rosella Is Unwell

Fluffed up feathers, sleeping during the day, sitting on the floor, weight loss, a dirty vent or changes in the droppings all mean your bird needs an avian vet. Birds hide illness well, so act early.

Parasite Control

Worm aviary rosellas every 3 months, as ground-foraging birds pick up worms easily. Treat for mites and lice regularly too. Quarantine any new bird in a separate area for 4 to 6 weeks before it joins your other birds.

Toxic and Dangerous Hazards

As well as the foods under Avoid Entirely, watch out for:

  • Treated pine, lead paint and galvanised wire that hasn’t been washed and weathered
  • Insect sprays and garden chemicals near the aviary
  • Rats, mice, snakes and cats around aviaries, which can spread disease or attack birds
  • Fumes from non-stick pans and aerosols for birds kept indoors

 

Breeding Rosellas

Rosellas need to be at least 18 months old before they’re ready to breed. In NSW, they usually prepare to nest in August and September.

In the wild, rosellas nest in hollow logs, so give your pair a suitable nest box or hollow log, placed as high as possible in the sheltered part of the aviary. A high nest helps them feel safe and encourages them to breed. Put a layer of wood shavings in the base for nesting material. Avoid nesting mixes containing cedar, as the oils can irritate the lungs.

While breeding, give extra soft food, sprouted seed, live food and calcium to help the hen and growing chicks. If you’d like to hand raise the chicks, our Hand Raising Baby Birds page (https://birdsville.net.au/hand-raising-baby-birds/) explains how.

When Are Hand-Raised Rosellas Available?

Because rosellas nest in late winter and spring, hand-raised rosellas are generally only available around December. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, or call the store, to find out when the next babies are due.

How Can You Tell if a Rosella Is Male or Female?

Adult males of most rosella species are a little brighter and larger, with a bigger head and beak. In Eastern Rosellas and some other species, females and young birds usually have a pale stripe under the wing, which most adult males lose. These signs aren’t always reliable, especially in young birds, so a DNA test is the best way to know. DNA Solutions (https://dnasolutions.com.au/animal-dna-testing/) offers bird DNA sexing from a feather or blood sample.

Compatibility with Other Birds

Rosellas can be aggressive to other birds, especially in the breeding season. Keep one pair per aviary, and don’t house them with other parrots or smaller birds. Use double wire between neighbouring aviaries so they can’t injure birds next door. Our guide to introducing new birds (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-bird-advice-and-training/new-avian-introductions-mixing-species/) explains more.

Holiday Care and Boarding

If you’re away, have someone visit daily to give fresh food and water and check your birds. For hand-raised rosellas, see our Bird Boarding in Sydney page (https://birdsville.net.au/parrot-bird-boarding-sydney/).

Transportation

Move your rosella in a secure, well-ventilated carrier, keep the car cool and never leave your bird in a parked car. After a move, add Vetafarm Spark Liquid to the water for a few days to help it settle.

Eastern rosella

Rosella Frequently Asked Questions

How many types of rosella are there?

There are six rosella species: the Eastern, Crimson, Pale-headed, Western, Green and Northern Rosellas. Several have colour forms or subspecies, such as the Adelaide and Yellow Rosellas, which are forms of the Crimson Rosella, and the Golden-mantled Rosella, a form of the Eastern. All are native to Australia, and each region has its own distinctive colours.

Do you need a licence to keep a rosella in NSW?

It depends on the rosella. In NSW, the Adelaide, Eastern, Pale-headed, Western and Yellow Rosellas can be kept without a licence. Others, including the Crimson Rosella, need a bird keeper licence from the NSW Government. Check the current list on the NSW Environment and Heritage website before buying, as the rules can change.

How big should a rosella aviary be?

A pair of rosellas needs an aviary at least 3 metres long, and 4 metres or more is better. Length matters more than height, as rosellas are strong flyers that need room to fly from end to end. Cover part of the aviary for shelter, and use double wire between aviaries so neighbouring birds can’t fight.

What do rosellas eat?

Rosellas eat a quality parrot seed mix, pellets, fresh vegetables and fruit, plus native flowers and some live food. Aim for about 50% seed, 40% pellets and 10% fresh food for adults. Birdsville Blends Parrot mixed with Basic Parrot Mix is a great base, and corn on the cob and mealworms are favourites.

Can rosellas live with other birds?

Usually not. Rosellas can be aggressive to other birds, especially during the breeding season, and may injure or kill smaller birds or other parrots. Keep one pair of rosellas per aviary, and use double wire between neighbouring aviaries. A hand-raised rosella kept as a pet is best as a single bird or with its own mate.

When can I buy a hand-raised rosella?

Rosellas nest in late winter and spring, usually from August to September, so hand-raised rosellas are generally only available around December. Follow Birdsville on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, or call the store on (02) 9669 1766, to find out when the next hand-raised babies are expected.

Recommended Avian Vets in Sydney

  • SASH (Small Animal Specialist Hospital), 24/7 emergency, 5/476 Gardeners Rd, Alexandria NSW 2015, 02 8913 4000, sashvets.com
  • The Wild Vet, 22A Bridge Road, Glebe, 1300 945 383, thewildvet.com.au
  • SERV, 57-63 Herbert St, Artarmon, 02 9436 4884, exoticsvet.com.au
  • Southern Cross Veterinary Clinic, 60 Princes Hwy, St Peters, 02 9516 0234, southerncrossvet.com.au
  • Carlingford Animal Hospital, 772 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford, 02 9871 6036, birdhealth.com.au
  • The Unusual Pet Vets, 995 Bourke Street, Waterloo NSW 2017, 02 9319 6111, unusualpetvets.com.au
  • Vetafarm (avian health products), vetafarm.com.au

Visit Us

Come and see us at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, on the corner of Gardeners Road, or call (02) 9669 1766. We’re a small business that does things in a big way, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney, and our bird specialists are always happy to help with your rosellas. Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@birdsvillepets) for live updates.

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