Pale-headed Rosella

1. Pale yellow to white head with large white or blue-tinged cheek patches

2. Strongly scalloped yellow and black back

3. Blue underparts and red vent/undertail coverts

These rosellas primarily eat seeds from grasses, shrubs, and trees, but their diet also includes fruits, flowers, and occasionally insects and their larvae. They forage both on the ground and in trees, often feeding in the shade among foliage, which makes them surprisingly well-camouflaged despite their bright colours. Breeding typically occurs from September to January, though timing can vary with rainfall, especially in the north. Nests are placed in hollows of living or dead trees, usually eucalypts, and are often located near water. The female incubates the eggs alone, but the male helps feed the chicks after hatching. Clutch size is usually 3–5 eggs, and chicks fledge after about five weeks.

Pale-headed Rosellas are found across most of Queensland (except the dry far west) and into northeastern New South Wales, occupying savanna woodlands, lightly timbered forests, grassy river corridors, farmlands, and parks. They are most often seen in pairs or small groups, favouring areas near water, especially along creeks lined with river red gums or casuarinas. They are generally resident, with only limited local movements in response to drought or food availability.