Feeding Adelaide Rosellas
Adelaide Rosella feeding on Eremophila youngii
Last weekend we were having breakfast in our sun-room when four Adelaide Rosellas flew into one of the bushes in our garden, an Eremophila youngii (see photo above). I had the camera ready for many minutes but they would not come out into full sunlight and the above photo is the best I captured on this occasion. Just one bird is seen peeking out to see what was happening around it. The others were hidden in the foliage, busy feeding on the nectar in the flowers.
The Adelaide Rosella is now a frequent visitor to our garden. It is a race of the widespread Crimson Rosella and confined to the Adelaide region, Mt Lofty Ranges and mid-north of South Australia. Its occurrence here in Murray Bridge is a relatively recent extension of that range.
Parrots occurring in our garden in Murray Bridge include:
- Adelaide Rosella (regular visitor, possibly breeding)
- Crimson Rosella (occasional)
- Eastern Rosella (regular)
- Mallee Ringneck (resident breeding)
- Galah (resident breeding)
- Rainbow Lorikeet (regular)
- Purple-crowned Lorikeet (regular)
- Musk Lorikeet (occasional)
- Budgerigar (rare)
- Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (rare)
- Little Corella (occasional)
- Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo (once only)
- Cockatiel (occasional)
- Red-rumped Parrot (occasional)
Over the years we have lived here we have planted many native Australian plants, not only for their attractiveness when they flower, but also to attract our native wildlife, especially the birds. We have quite a few eremophilas, grevilleas and correas as well as many others. The particular bush shown in the photo has flowers on it for much of the year so the rosellas and honeyeaters head for it on a daily basis. Below is another photo of the same bush, this time with a New Holland Honeyeater having a feed.
Further reading:
- Get out of my patch
- Red wattlebird in Eremophila bush
- Mallee Native Plants Nursery – my wife’s site about Australian plants
New Holland Honeyeater feeding on Eremophila youngii
Adelaide Rosellas in a flying visit
Adelaide Rosella
The Adelaide Rosella is a race of the widespread Crimson Rosella. It is confined to the Adelaide region, the Mt Lofty Ranges and through to the mid north of South Australia. It is relatively common in that range and shows considerable colour variations, ranging from a washed out orange through to almost red.
I live in Murray Bridge which is about 80km SE of the Adelaide CBD and about 40km from the ranges. When we first moved here 30 years ago I had to travel 30 – 40km west to see this species. Over the years the range appears to have drifted further east and sightings in and around Murray Bridge are becoming far more common. I can’t claim this as a resident species in our garden, but sightings are becoming quite regular every few months so it might happen in the future.
On the weekend just gone we had two land in the Eremophila youngii bush in our front garden. This bush has been in flower for some time and the local honeyeaters love feeding on the nectar. The resident Mallee Ringnecks also feed on the flowers. These visiting rosellas came early in the morning and sat there briefly in full sunlight. I was just emerging from showering and shaving, and my camera was at the other end of the house. Naturally they flew off before I could take a photo.
One day.
One day they’ll pose nicely for me and I’ll be able to improve on the photo above. Meanwhile, I’ve included a close up photo of the flower (see below) as well as one showing a New Holland Honeyeater in the bush.
Eremophila youngii in our garden
New Holland Honeyeater feeding in Eremophila youngii