Western rosella
Western rosella | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Psittaciformes |
Family: | Psittaculidae |
Genus: | Platycercus |
Species: | P. icterotis
|
Binomial name | |
Platycercus icterotis |
The western rosella (Platycercus icterotis), or moyadong, is a species of parrot
Individuals form mating pairs and generally remain in one locality, although they will venture out to join small groups at plentiful sources of food. The western rosella is predominantly herbivorous, its diet consisting mostly of seeds of grasses and other plants, although nectar and insect larvae are sometimes eaten. The damage attributed to the species at introduced fruit and grain crops saw them declared as a pest and permitted by the state to be killed or captured. They are more placid and sociable than rosellas of other Australian regions from which they are geographically isolated and have become internationally popular as an aviary bird. Their history in aviculture begins with two 1830 lithographs of live specimens in England by Edward Lear. Successful breeding in captivity began there during the early 20th century.
The population is classified as two subspecies, representing an inland group residing in the agricultural district and another nearer the coast in kwongan, tall forest and a variety of woodlands. The abrupt intersection of these groups' range, delineated by country of lower rainfall between Albany and Geraldton, is a zone of hybridisation between the two subspecies Platycercus icterotis icterotis and P. icterotis xanthogenys. The classification of the species relationship to sister taxa of Platycercus is less complex, due to their ecological and geographic isolation, and they are allied to a subgenus Platycercus (Violania) .
Taxonomy
The first description of the species was published by
Two
A revision in 1955 by- Platycercus (Violania) icterotis icterotis (Temminck & Kuhl, 1820)
- synonyms: Psittacus icterotis Temminck & Kuhl, 1820 [and Temminck 1821]; Platycercus stanleyii Vigors, 1830; Platycercus icterotis salvadori Mathews.
- Platycercus (Violania) icterotis xanthogenys Salvadori, 1891
- synonyms: Platycercus xanthogenys Salvadori, 1891; Platycercus icterotis whitlocki Mathews, 1912.
Revision and cataloguing in the 20th century began to examine the classification of the few known specimens, often supplied without location details, and, excepting
The entry in that 1917 work addresses the type of nominate P. icterotis icterotis, which he had earlier ascribed to the location "
The platycercine parrots have seen various systematic arrangements to circumscribe the contentious sister taxa of northern and eastern Australia, most of which overlap in range and
Common names for moyadong include western rosella, rosehill, rosella and roselle,
Another early name was The Earl of Derby's Parrakeet, an appellation applied by Gould in 1848 to conserve the honour given to a titled Englishman
The pre-existing names, derived from the
Description
The smallest species of its genus, the adult western rosella weighs 60 to 70 g (2.1 to 2.5 oz) and is 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in) long. It has broad wings with a 35 to 41 cm (14 to 16 in)[32] wingspan and a long tail that is on average 13 cm (5.1 in), equally half the measurement of its total length.[20] It is the only species of the genus that exhibits marked differences in the coloration of the genders[33] —the red of the plumage is more scarlet in male P. icterotis.[27] Females are less striking in their colouring, the more subdued red plumage being flecked with green and a smaller dull yellow patch at the cheek.[27]
The adult male has a predominantly red head and neck, with a yellow cheek patch—bright yellow in the nominate subspecies and pale cream in subspecies xanthogenys.
In the adult female, most of the red plumage of the head, neck and underparts is replaced by green, bar a solid red band across the forehead. The yellow cheek patch is smaller, and there are no red feathers on the back and scapulars. The female has a broad white or cream bar on the underwing.[32]
Immature birds resemble the adult female though with even more green plumage, red only on the crown, and lacking a yellow cheek patch entirely. The bill and cere are light pink, changing to adult coloration by six months of age.[32]
The population has a
Vocalisations
The regular vocalisation is a rapid series of melodious notes delivered at a low volume.[20][38] The vocalisation of sister species of other regions is notably louder and more frequently heard in raucous exchanges with other individuals or species.[27][20] The transliterations of the soft and musical sounds include ching-ching-ching (Morcombe, et al), chink-chink (Serventy, Simpson) and pink-pink (Johnstone, et al), although they more often remain quiet and unheard.[37][39] Gould (1848) reported the whistling of the notes as a feeble, piping sound and the rich variation in the series might be regarded "as almost to assume the character of a song".[21] Other sources identify two vocalisations, a resonant and high frequency quink, quink, quink, quink and the softer voiced call of whip-a-whee.[40]
The contact call is similar to, although louder than the mulga parrot (
Distribution and habitat
The western rosella is endemic to the southwest of Australia, isolated from sister species of the north and east of the country.[35] Moderately common, it is usually sedentary, frequenting forest and many other types of wooded country or kwongan.[20][39] It also occurs in farmland or at other feeding opportunities, and is most often observed at sites cleared of vegetation.[39] The captive occurrence in Australia and several other continents began before 1830 in England.[41]
The two subspecies are geographically adjacent—P. icterotis xanthogenys at the
The historical records of the species indicate it relatively uncommon, although it has been noted more often in southern regions.
The distribution of P. icterotis icterotis is restricted to humid and subhumid regions, an area south of
A significant change in abundance was noted at
They favour woodland habitat with sheoak (
Behaviour
The western rosella usually socialises in pairs, but congregates in groups of twenty or so to forage when the season or opportunity permits; numbers in a flock are occasionally recorded up to twenty-six.[40][38] The birds are discreet in their behaviours—more so than other rosellas—and will remain unobserved when feeding on the ground beneath the understory of a woodland or sheltering during the day in the dense foliage of trees. The usual tendency of individuals is to remain sedentary, although birds may venture out to abundant sources of seed.[20] Individuals feeding in the open are not usually disturbed by human presence and can be approached quite closely.[20] They appear to move with ease as they walk, and in their undulating flight, when the wing is drawn to their side.[8] Their flight is more 'buoyant' than the laden efforts of the other larger species of the genus.[20]
Breeding
The breeding habits of the western rosella have not been well-studied; females enter nesting hollows from July, with males doing so from mid-August. Eggs are laid from late August to late September and hatch late September to late October. Young birds fledge (leave the nest) late October to mid-November.
The western rosella nests in hollows and spout-shaped holes of living and dead trees, generally eucalypts and most commonly karri and wandoo. The trees are generally large and old, with one study establishing an average age of 290 years for the host tree.[34][30] Eucalypts are a preferred tree species in which to lay their eggs, the dominant Eucalyptus marginata of jarrah forest, or in the tall forest tree karri,[35] but they especially favour wandoo.[39] Holes in tree stumps and fence posts are also used.[40] Other trees selected include eucalypts such as marri, wurak, yandee E. loxophleba (york gum) and moitch (flooded gum).[37]
The hollows are usually a meter or so deep, and those that have dust created by boring insects in the bottom are preferred.[40] The brood is laid directly onto the wood dust or debris in the cavity selected;[8] the site is otherwise unadorned.[20] The dimensional description of the nest site, relating height, depth and entrance size used by the species, was included in a study of animals occupying tree cavities in jarrah forest, and intended to assist in determining the amount of suitable habitat removed and remaining after logging.[46] The nest site is typically a spout shaped entrance, between 45–105 millimetres (1.8–4.1 inches) in width, at a hollow between 0.35–1.5 metres (14–59 inches) in depth leading to a green limb.[38]
One brood is usually reared per breeding season, though often two are in captivity. The clutch size is between two and seven (rarely nine) eggs,[34] with the average being around six.[37] The shell has a slight gloss, and the shape is elliptical.[38] The average size of eggs is 22 by 26 millimetres (0.87 by 1.02 inches).[20] Measurements from a sample of 29 eggs gave a size range of 23.5–27.7 millimetres (0.93–1.09 inches) × 19.9–22.5 millimetres (0.78–0.89 inches).[38] Only the female incubates the eggs, leaving the nest in the morning and afternoon to eat food found by the male.[40] The male remains close to the site, feeding at ground level and moving to an upper branch to call when catering to the brooding female.[39]
The young emerge from the egg after an incubation period of 23 to 25 days, and leave the nest approximately five weeks after that.[38] The nestlings have yellowish bills and display down at the rear that is pale grey,[16] after they emerge from their egg.[30] The success rate of egg numbers surviving to become independent individuals, while assumed to be seasonally variable, was measured in one survey to be 72%.[37]
Feeding
The diet consists primarily of seeds, often those of introduced weeds and crops, although typically from eucalypt, sheoak and other native plants of the wooded environment. This is supplemented with nectar and insects especially during the breeding and feeding of young. The harvesting of introduced species includes the capeweed (Arctotheca calendula), thistles (Carduus spp.), flatweed (Hypochaeris spp.) and the subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum).[47][37] Nectar, insects and their larvae, and fruit are also eaten, especially during the breeding season.[48][20]
They exhibit little caution in rural areas, gleaning seeds at paddocks after harvests or inside buildings and
Conservation status
For the perceived impact on agriculture, the species had been declared
P. icterotis was used in a comparative study of tolerance in some Australian birds to sodium fluoroacetate, a highly toxic substance that occurs in plants of the southwest and commercially branded as "1080", to evaluate their sensitivity against the exposure and mobility of other species. This species and the red-capped parrot—both endemic—express a high tolerance of the potentially lethal salt.[51]
Captivity
Western rosellas are a popular bird in aviaries and for
The species is able to breed in the first year, and females may lay up to two broods. Along with a reputation as being placid in nature, the success of their reproduction has increased the population in captivity. An individual cock, aged twelve and onward, was reported by one enthusiast (Whelan, 1977)[52] to have sired twenty-seven progeny over four seasons. Popular interest in the captive form, red-backed Western rosella, which purports or adopts the subspecific description, P. icterotis xanthogenys (Salvadori), was supported by research published in Western Australia. The author (Philpott, 1986) sought to identify and discriminate plumage between the red-backed (inland) and nominate form, nominally the subspecies of coastal regions P. icterotis icterotis. Several characteristics were identified, and later tabulated and summarised by workers in aviculture. Apart from the more subdued green and yellow of the inland form, the chin is white—rather than yellow—extending out to lighten the cheek patch. The same red-backed individuals were observed to have a second stripe at the underwing of fledglings, less distinct and closer to the base of the secondary feathers. This disappears from view after two months and altogether in the males of the form.[53]
Sexing individuals by comparison of the colouring does not present the difficulties found in other captive rosellas, being markedly gender
P. icterotis had been successfully maintained in 19th century aviaries and
In a sampling of captive birds in Poland for detection of the bacteria
References
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- ^ a b Collar, N. & Boesman, P. (2018). Western Rosella (Platycercus icterotis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved on 23 October 2018).
- ^ a b c d "Subspecies Platycercus (Violania) icterotis icterotis (Temminck & Kuhl, 1820)". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of the Environment and Energy. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-9870701-0-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-643-10471-6.
- ^ a b c d e f g Mathews, Gregory M. (1917). "Platycercidæ". In Mathews, Gregory M. (ed.). No. 355. Platycercus icterotis. Yellow-Cheeked Parrot. (Plate 303.). The birds of Australia. Vol. 6. Witherby & Co. pp. 329–37.
- ^ a b c d e f "Species: Platycercus (Violania) icterotis [complete]". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of Energy and Environment. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
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- ^ Salvadori, T. (1891). "Descriptions of two new species of parrots of the genus Platycercus". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1891: 129–130.
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- ^ Salvadori, T. (1891). "Catalogue of the Psittaci, or Parrots". Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. 20: 555–56, pl. xvi.
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- ^ Hartert, Ernst (1905). Walter Rothschild (ed.). List of birds collected in North-western Australia and Arnhem-land by Mr. J. T. Tunney. Novitates zoologicae: a journal of zoology in connection with the Tring Museum. Vol. 12. Tring: Zoological museum. pp. 212–13.
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- ^ a b c d "Subgenus Platycercus (Violania) [complete]". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of Energy and Environment. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
Taxonomic Decision for synonymy: Schodde, R., 1997.
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- ^ Newton, Alfred; Lydekker, Richard; Roy, Charles S; Shufeldt, Robert W. (1894). A dictionary of birds. Vol. 3. London: A. and C. Black.
- ^ ISBN 978-0909486631.
- ^ Richter, H. C.; Gould, John (1848). The birds of Australia. Vol. 5. London: Gould. pp. pl. 29 et seq.
- E. C. Stirling, F.R.S", (Secretary). [Drawn up by Messrs. A. J. Campbell, C. W. De Vis, Colonel Legge, and Dr. Stirling.]
- ^ a b Pl. 23. Lear, E. 1830. Illustrations of the family of Psittacidae, or Parrots: the greater part of them species hitherto unfigured, containing forty-two lithographic plates, drawn from life, and on stone. London : E. Lear 42 pls pp. [Pt II, published Nov–Dec. 1830, publication dated as 1830–1832]
- Zoological Journal. 5: 273–275.
published June, 1830, as "Stanleyii" [AFD]
- ^ Green, Roland (1917). Mathews, Gregory M. (ed.). Plate 303. Platycercus icterotis (Red-Mantled Parrot) / Platycercus salvadori (Yellow-Cheeked Parrot). The birds of Australia. Vol. 6. Witherby & Co. p. facing 329.
- ^ Greene, W.T. (William Thomas); Dutton, F.G. (Frederick George); Fawcett, Benjamin; Lydon, A.F. (Alexander Francis) (1883). Parrots in captivity. Vol. 2. London: George Bell and Sons. p. 5.
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- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2018). "Parrots & cockatoos". World Bird List Version 8.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
- ^ "Guldănguldăn, s.—Platycercus Icterotis; red-brested parrot. " Moore, G. F. A Descriptive Vocabulary of the Language in Common Use Amongst the Aborigines of Western Australia, 1842. p. 31 [wikisource transcript.].
- ^ a b c d e f Serventy 1951, pp. 229–30.
- ^ Abbott, Ian (2009). "Aboriginal names of bird species in south-west Western Australia, with suggestions for their adoption into common usage" (PDF). Conservation Science Western Australia Journal. 7 (2): 213–78 [255].
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- ^ a b c d Higgins 1999, p. 372.
- ^ a b c d Morcombe 1986, p. 239.
- ^ Johnstone 1998, p. 301.
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- ^ a b c d e f g Morcombe 1986, p. 318.
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- ^ ISBN 978-0-642-27806-7.
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- ^ Whitford, Kim (1 January 2001). "Dimensions of tree hollows used by birds and mammals in the jarrah forest: Improving the dimensional description of potentially usable hollows". CALMScience. 3: 499–511.
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Cited sources
- classification
- "Subgenus Platycercus (Violania) [complete]". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of Energy and Environment. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
Taxonomic Decision for synonymy: Schodde, R., 1997.
- Schodde, R. in Schodde, R. & Mason, I.J. 1997. Aves (Columbidae to Coraciidae). In, Houston, W.W.K. & Wells, A. (eds). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing, Australia Vol. 37.2 xiii 440 pp. [179]
- "Species Platycercus (Violania) icterotis [complete]". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of Energy and Environment. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
Taxonomic Decision for Subspecies Arrangement: Condon, H.T. 1975.
- Condon, H.T. (1975). Checklist of the Birds of Australia. Part 1 Non-Passerines. Melbourne: Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. pp. 196–97.
- texts
- Higgins, P.J. (1999). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbird. Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-553071-1.
- ISBN 978-0730712084.
- Lendon, Alan H. (1980). Australian Parrots in Field and Aviary. Angus & Robertson. ISBN 978-0-207-12424-2.
- ISBN 978-0-7018-1962-0.
- Serventy, D. L.; Whittell, H. M.; Seymour, Olive (ill.) (1951). A handbook of the birds of Western Australia (with the exception of the Kimberley division) (2nd ed.). Perth: Paterson Brokensha. pp. 229–30, fig. 3.
- Shephard, Mark (1989). Aviculture in Australia: Keeping and Breeding Aviary Birds. Prahran, Victoria: Black Cockatoo Press. ISBN 978-0-9588106-0-9.
- Simpson, Ken & Day, Nicolas (1996). Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-86305-1.