Voice
Loud, harsh, staccato 'chut-chit, chut-chit....chut-chit' in contact in flight and alarm. Perched birds give tri-syllabic whistle or metallic, piping whistle, possibly to signal location. Constant musical chattering while feeding in trees and socializing. All calls resemble that of the Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), but are higher in pitch.
Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius) [XC198305]
by Duncan Watson from Campbell Park, Majura, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (song)
Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius) [XC233849]
by Marc Anderson from Warrumbungle National Park, New South Wales, Australia (song)
Breeding Season (Guide)
Mostly September - December.
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Nest
In a hole in a tree, stump, or fence-post. Rarely in a rabbit-burrow or termite-mound.
Eggs (Guide)
3 - 9, usually 4 - 6; white; round; 26 - 29 x 21 - 23 mm. Incubation: 19 - 20 days; by female.
Young
Fledge in 5 - 6 weeks.
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Northern Rosella (Platycercus venustus) and Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus) and sometimes considered conspecific with both.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
elecica Schodde & Short, 1989 - Eastern Australia (south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales).
eximius (Shaw, 1792) - South-eastern New South Wales, Victoria and south-eastern South Australia.
diemenensis North, 1911 - Tasmania.
cecilae (Shaw, 1792) - South-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet