Crimson Rosella

The Crimson Rosella has mostly crimson (red) plumage and bright blue cheeks. The feathers of the back and wing coverts are black broadly edged with red. The flight feathers of the wings have broad blue edges, and the tail is blue above and pale blue below and on the outer feathers. Young Crimson Rosellas have the characteristic blue cheeks, but the remainder of the body plumage is green-olive to yellowish olive (occasionally red in some areas). The young bird gradually attains the adult plumage over a period of 15 months. They are normally encountered in small flocks and are easily attracted to garden seed trays. Once familiar with humans, they will accept hand-held food. Natural foods include seeds of eucalypts, grasses and shrubs, as well as insects and some tree blossoms.