Eastern Rosella Diet
The eastern rosella, or Platycercus eximius, is a small parrot found in Australia and Tasmania. Because of its small size, usually quiet nature, and bright coloring, it is commonly kept as a pet. It eats a variety of seeds, nuts, berries, and fruits. In captivity, it is often fed birdseed as well as fruits, vegetables, and grains.
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Natural Plant Diet
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Eastern rosellas commonly feed on eucalyptus seeds. In their natural habitat, eastern rosellas eat a variety of seeds, buds, fruits, berries, blossoms, and nuts. They commonly eat eucalyptus and acacia seeds as well as grasses and shrubs native to Australia and Tasmania. Eastern rosellas are known to feed in trees and to scavenge for food on the ground as well.
Natural Insect Diet
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Eastern rosellas eat insects such as caterpillars and coccids. Eastern rosellas also eat some insects, including caterpillars, lerp, coccids, and galls. Many of these insects are eaten from the leaves of trees and shrubs.
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Fruits
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In captivity, eastern rosellas enjoy a variety of fruits including oranges, apples, and mangos. When kept as a pet, the eastern rosella enjoys fruits such as mangos, apples, blackberries, and oranges.
Bird Seed
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When kept as a pet, the eastern rosella can be fed birdseed. In captivity, eastern rosellas are commonly fed a mixture of cockatiel and canary seed. Eastern rosellas also enjoy sunflower and safflower seeds.
Vegetables
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Eastern rosellas, when kept in captivity, enjoy vegetables such as cucumbers and sweet potatoes. Eastern rosellas that are kept as pets will eat chopped vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cucumbers.
Eastern Rosellas as Pests
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In parts of Australia and New Zealand, eastern rosellas commonly eat from planted fruit trees such as apple trees. Eastern rosellas are often considered pests in parts of Australia and New Zealand as they commonly feed on planted fruits such as apples, grapes, plums, cherries, and pears. They also commonly feed on garden flowers such as sunflowers. Eastern rosellas leave behind distinctive triangular marks in fruits and nuts that they eat due to their beak shape.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit rosella feast image by RFCat from Fotolia.com eucalyptus image by lye from Fotolia.com caterpillar image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com orange and red orange fruit image by Tomo Jesenicnik from Fotolia.com Hands with seeds image by Dmitriy Lesnyak from Fotolia.com cucumber image by Zbigniew Nowak from Fotolia.com Apple-tree image by Beausoir from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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Bird in photo is a Rainbow Lorikeet, Not a Eastern Rosella!
