Platycercus venustus
| Northern rosella | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Superfamily: | Psittacoidea |
| Family: | Psittaculidae |
| Subfamily: | Platycercinae |
| Tribe: | Platycercini |
| Genus: | Platycercus |
| Species: | P. venustus |
| Binomial name | |
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Platycercus venustus (Kuhl, 1820) |
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The northern rosella (Platycercus venustus), also known as Brown's parakeet or smutty rosella, is found in Australia's Top End. It is found in open savannah country throughout the Gulf of Carpentaria and Arnhem Land to the Kimberley. This species is unusually coloured for a rosella, with a dark crown and white cheeks similar to its pale-headed rosella and the eastern rosella relatives.
It was first described by German naturalist Heinrich Kuhl. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin venustus "charming, lovely or graceful".
At 28 cm long it is smaller than all rosella species except the western rosella. It has a black forehead, crown and nape with white-on-blue cheek-patches. The back and wing feathers are blackish with yellow borders, while the feathers of the belly, chest and rump are pale yellow with black borders giving rise to a scalloped appearance. The long tail is bluish green, with the beak being pale grey and the iris dark. Immature plumage is similar to adult but duller.
It is not a gregarious bird, found solitarily or in pairs. Nesting occurs in tree hollows in winter, with two to four eggs laid.
The Northern Rosella exhibits a sharp and short chit-chut chit-chut contact call in flight; however while perched they make a three note whistle on ascending scale or metallic piping sounds. Soft chattering can be heard while feeding, whilst Aa shrill screech provides an alarm call.
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Wikipedia