Abstract
Introduction
T he rosella group of parrots originates from Australia and they comprise one of the largest of the Australian parrot families' There are eight representatives in the genus Platycercus one or the other of which are found throughout much of Australia including the island of Tasmania.
The rosellas are truly among the most colorful and beautifully marked parrots found throughout the world. It is due to this great beauty that the rosella group has always been popular in aviculture everywhere.
Since Europeans first discovered Australia, the demand for all of Australia's parrots has been great. Australian cockatoos, parrots and parakeets have now been held in aviculture for over 150 years. Obviously, the Budgie or Shell Parakeet was one of the very first to be reproduced in captivity and developed into many color varieties and sizes. The rosellas were not too far behind.
Early History 1920s, '30s, and '40s
The history of rosellas in American aviculture first began in the late 1920s. It was during the decade of the 1930s when most of the rosellas were first reproduced in America. Records are scarce but Aviculture Magazine is the best reference. One must remember that all rosellas in this era were wildcaught and imported directly from Australia or imported via Europe. The wild-caught rosella is a far different bird from the rosella of today. The wild-caught rosella is a very highstrung, nervous bird. Those birds that made it to America in the 1930s were transported by ship and usually these trips were very arduous and difficult for them. Many birds were lost and the survivors often developed health problems. It was not easy to house highstrung rosellas in small cages aboard a ship that did not have adequate bird food and water.
Those that made it to America were tough birds and, when acclimatized, did quite well in captivity. All species of the rosellas arrived in America during these early years but some were in very limited quantities. This is why there are many records of hybrid breedings between different rosella species. The two most colorful rosellas, the Eastern and Pennant's Rosellas were the most popular and obviously the most effort was given to these two species.
In these years the Eastern Rosella, Platycercus eximius, was known as the Rosella Parakeet. Lee Crandall's List 0926-29) gives W. H. Browning as the first breeder of the Eastern Rosella around 1929. (The date was not recorded exactly.) Many other breeders reproduced this rosella but F. H. Rudkin had the most recorded successes.
The Pennant's Rosella, Platycercus elegans, was first reproduced (recorded) in 1930 by Dr. Leon Patrick and San Diego Zoo (handfed from ten days). Dr. Patrick related, "They adapt themselves so thoroughly to Southern California climate that young produced here are larger and more brilliantly colored." I personally do not know if it was the climate that intensified the babies' colors, but southern California certainly has a climate that matches the climate where the Pennant's Rosella originates in Australia.
F. H. Rudkin was probably the most consistent breeder of Pennant's Rosellas in those early years as he successfully reared them almost on an annual basis from 1932 to 1941.
During the 1930s and '40s, several breeders have been recorded as reproducing the Pennant's Rosella including F. A. Vanderlip, A. G. Orean, W. ]. Sheffler, Mrs. Gilbert Lee, and Mrs. Olive Gilmer. Dr. R. Woods in 1943 referred to his "prolific" pair double clutching. He stated, " ... has a second brood of three Pennant's in one season, the hen laid her second clutch of three eggs long before they (the pair) quit feeding the first young."
Dr. and Mrs. Patrick first reproduced the Yell ow Rosella, Platycercus elegans flaieolus, in 1929. At that time the bird was known as the Yellow-rumped Parakeet. At an Avicultural Society meeting he stated, "Yellow-rumped Parakeets have young flying in the aviary and are incubating their second clutch of eggs this season."