I haven't been able to positively ID these birds; I shot them last Xmas at Wangaratta and I think that maybe they are Green Rosellas. I would very much appreciate it if anyone can confirm that for me please.
At the time I did not have a long enough lens for my DSLR so I used a Canon P&S that I carry with me when on holidays.
Now, I'd say she's looking lonesome, wouldn't you?
When suddenly in answer to a maiden's prayer ...
And they lived happily ever after ...
If only, *sigh* ... :-)
G'day Tark,
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they might be Crimson Rosellas, race flaveolus aka Yellow Rosella.
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Cheers,
.
George
Cheers,
George
Melbourne, VIC
Hi Tark
They look like Greens (from the feild guides) but all of the guides say Tassie and some Bass Str. islands only?
Maybe Crimsons possibly imm. of the race flaveolus?
Well done George, just bet me to it!!
Ed Townsville NQ
Nice shots there Tark.
Thanks George and ed, and yes, referring to the good book, my partner agrees that it's a yellow Rosella.
And Tassie, thanks for looking.
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour
Thanks for sharing photos of these lovely birds - I take it from your avatar that you are from Tasmania, where the green rosellas live?
The responses are correct. Old books would show them as a separate species the "Yellow Rosella". The point is they are endemic to the River Red Gums of the Murray and Murrumbidgee system - and you saw them at Wangaratta, so that is the top end of their range. Habitat perfect.
The "blue cheeked" Rosellas have all been "lumped" into the Crimson Rosella group (even the Green Rosella I believe, but not absolutely sure) by the Taxonomists.
CSIRO has a huge collection of specimens, and they form a perfect "cline" - where specimens show gradual variation from one form into the next - but where the extreme ends of the gradient look completely different from eachother. But at no point in the middle can one determine exactly where the "species" line ought be drawn - so they now say they are all the one species - with variations, or sub-species recognised in some cases.
Your one is interesting because it is clearly habitat specific, with "classic" red form Crimson Rosellas both north and south of there, in the tall forests on NSW and Victoria.
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Yes Birdgirl, I'm a Taswegian, born and bred!
Denis, thanks for your erudite identification and clarification of the Rosella species. I must say that when I looked at the wide variety of sub species in the book, I found it hard to positively ID the Wangaratta birds.
Regards, "Tark" - Olympus 4/3rds colour