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Western Rosella (Platycercus icterotis)

The Western Rosella is a small parrot found only in the south-west of Western Australia. It uses woodland, forest, heath and modified open areas, so clearing and construction sites may contain feeding habitat or hollow-bearing trees. The species is least concern nationally, but the inland subspecies, Platycercus icterotis xanthogenys, is listed as Priority 4 in Western Australia and all fauna is protected under Western Australian law.

Conservation status

Western Australia, WA Threatened and Priority Fauna List: Near threatened. Priority 4 (rare, near threatened) on the Western Australian priority fauna list. Priority species are not listed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 but should be considered in assessments. This listing covers only Platycercus icterotis xanthogenys.

Breeding season

Western Rosellas are cavity nesting parrots. In south-western Western Australia, birds enter nest hollows from July, lay mainly from August to November, and young leave the nest from October to December. Timing may vary between the wetter south-west and the drier inland range, and between years.

Breeding mode: Pairs nest in tree hollows. Nest sites include hollows in limbs or trunks, hollow stumps and hollow posts.

Nest site depth: Nest hollows may be one or more metres deep.

Clutch size: Two to seven eggs, with an average clutch of six eggs recorded in one study.

Incubation: 23 to 25 days. The female incubates while the male feeds her.

Fledging: Young leave the nest about five weeks after hatching. Young have been recorded leaving the nest from October to December.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Breeding timing can shift with rainfall, food availability and local conditions, particularly between the wetter south-west and the drier inland range.

  • Nest hollow occupation and preparation: Birds first enter nest hollows in July and spend more time in the hollow during the week before laying.
  • Egg laying and incubation: Egg laying is recorded from August to November, with incubation lasting 23 to 25 days.
  • Nestlings and dependent young: Nestlings remain in hollows after hatching, and young leave the nest from October to December.
  • Winter flocking and non-breeding activity: Small flocks are reported during winter, while pairs and family groups are more usual at other times.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing near mature hollow-bearing trees has the highest risk from July to December, when nest preparation, eggs, nestlings and recently fledged young may be present.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Western Rosella is the smallest rosella and is usually seen in pairs, family groups or small parties. Its yellow or cream cheek patches are useful for separating it from other rosellas.

Adults have a red head and underbody, with pale yellow to cream cheek patches. The back is patterned with black and green or black and red, depending on the subspecies.

Females and young birds are duller. Young birds are generally greener and may lack a distinct cheek patch.

South-west subspecies: Platycercus icterotis icterotis, with black upper-back feathers edged green.

Inland subspecies: Platycercus icterotis xanthogenys, with black upper-back feathers edged red and generally smaller, creamier cheek patches.

  • Length: 24 to 30 cm.
  • Weight: 54 to 65 g.
  • Flight is light and fluttery, and less undulating than that of many other rosellas.

Identification: Calls and similar species

The call is generally quiet. When calling, the bird may give a melodious pink pink or ching-ching sound.

Other rosellas usually have white or blue cheek patches. The Western Rosella has yellow or cream cheek patches.

The Red-capped Parrot has a yellow rump, while the Western Rosella has a green rump. The Australian Ringneck has a black head and blue cheeks.

  • Check the cheek patch colour before relying on back or body colour.
  • Hybrid birds can occur where the two Western Rosella subspecies meet, so plumage may be variable.

Identification: Field signs

Direct sightings and calls are the most useful field signs. Birds often stay near cover and move short distances between trees, shrubs and the ground.

Look for birds feeding on fallen grain, seeds or fruit, particularly in paddocks, roadsides, orchards and other open areas near woodland.

Droppings, feathers and feeding remains are not usually distinctive enough to confirm the species on their own. Treat a suspected hollow or feeding site as potential habitat until checked by a suitably experienced person.

  • Record the location, number of birds, behaviour, nearby hollow-bearing trees and direction of movement.
  • Photographs or clear descriptions should include the cheek patches, rump and back pattern where possible.

Distribution: Australian range

The Western Rosella is endemic to Western Australia. Its distribution is concentrated in the south-west, with the inland subspecies extending through drier woodland areas of the Wheatbelt and Goldfields region.

The species occurs in the south-western corner of Western Australia, from the wetter south-west to the drier inland woodlands. It has been recorded from areas extending broadly from Moora to Dundas.

The south-west subspecies occurs in wetter areas, including eucalypt forests and woodlands. The inland subspecies occurs in drier parts of the range.

  • South-western forests and woodlands.
  • Wheatbelt woodlands and shrublands.
  • Goldfields and Great Western Woodlands.
  • Areas near Kalgoorlie, Norseman and Esperance may be near the edge of the inland subspecies' range.

Distribution: Subspecies and local context

Platycercus icterotis xanthogenys is associated with the Wheatbelt, Goldfields and other drier inland areas. The Great Western Woodlands is an important stronghold because much woodland habitat has been lost in the Wheatbelt.

Local records can be sparse near the edge of the range. A lack of records during a basic fauna survey does not rule out occasional use of suitable habitat.

Western Australian status: The inland subspecies is Priority 4, a DBCA priority category for rare, near threatened and other species needing monitoring.

  • Check the relevant DBCA records and recent local survey reports before clearing.
  • Give particular attention to mature eucalypt and sheoak woodland in the inland range.

Distribution: Overseas range

The Western Rosella is restricted to Western Australia. It has no overseas range.

Habitat: Woodland and forest

On a work site, assess both the vegetation being cleared and the adjacent habitat that may be used after disturbance. Mature woodland with hollows is especially important in inland areas.

The species uses open eucalypt forests, eucalypt woodlands, sheoak woodlands, mallee and shrublands. The south-west subspecies is associated with wetter forest and woodland, while the inland subspecies favours drier woodland with a heath or shrub understorey.

Useful habitat trees include marri, wandoo, flooded gum, salmon gum, York gum and other mature eucalypts. Rock sheoak and other sheoak species may also provide food and cover.

  • Mature eucalypt woodland.
  • Eucalypt and sheoak woodland and scrub.
  • Mallee with an intact shrub layer.
  • Open woodland beside roads, paddocks and other cleared areas.

Habitat: Modified and edge habitat

Western Rosellas can use cultivated land, orchards, recently harvested paddocks, roadsides, pasture, golf courses and stubble. These areas are more likely to be used when they are close to woodland or other cover.

Linear clearing beside an existing road may still contain feeding or refuge habitat, particularly where it retains mature trees, shrubs or links between woodland patches.

  • Inspect retained vegetation on both sides of a proposed clearing footprint.
  • Map mature trees, hollow-bearing trees, sheoak stands, flowering trees and nearby water or feeding areas.
  • Avoid assuming that disturbed ground has no value without checking how it connects to surrounding habitat.

Habitat: Site assessment

Before works, map the vegetation communities, hollow-bearing trees and habitat links across the work area and nearby retained vegetation. Record whether habitat is continuous, fragmented or connected to larger woodland.

For Priority 4 inland Western Rosellas, assess hollow availability where mature trees may be removed. Where a permit or approval specifies a buffer around suitable trees, that condition must be followed.

  • Use a qualified ecologist or experienced fauna spotter catcher for habitat assessment where the inland subspecies may occur.
  • Keep habitat records with the clearing plans and pre-start documentation.

Foraging habitat: Food resources

Western Rosellas feed on the ground and in trees and shrubs. They may use both native vegetation and open areas, especially where food is available close to cover.

The diet includes grass and other plant seeds, eucalypt and sheoak seeds, fruit, flowers, nectar, insects and insect larvae. Insects are particularly important in winter and spring and are fed to nestlings.

The species may feed on fallen grain in recently harvested paddocks and on weed seeds such as subterranean clover, capeweed, thistles and flatweed.

  • Sheoak and eucalypt seed.
  • Native plant seed and introduced pasture or weed seed.
  • Fruit, flowers and nectar.
  • Insects and larvae, especially where breeding birds are present.

Foraging habitat: Foraging locations

Look for feeding birds on the ground, in foliage and along woodland edges. Roadsides, paddocks, stubble, orchards and open areas can be used when trees or shrubs provide nearby refuge.

Birds usually forage in pairs or small parties. Larger groups may gather at drinking or feeding sites.

  • Search open ground beneath woodland trees.
  • Check flowering or fruiting trees and shrubs.
  • Inspect stubble and fallen grain near retained woodland.
  • Watch woodland edges during quiet periods of the day.

Foraging habitat: Construction considerations

Clearance can remove food plants and increase the distance between feeding areas and cover. Retain connected woodland, mature food trees and native shrubs where practicable.

Use one-directional clearing towards retained native vegetation so mobile fauna can move away from machinery. Stop and report fauna sightings, injuries or fatalities in line with the project's environmental procedures.

  • Brief crews during induction and pre-start meetings.
  • Do not feed, chase, catch or intentionally harm birds.
  • Keep pets, traps and firearms out of the work area.
  • Encourage birds to leave without causing harm to the animal or personnel.

Breeding habitat: Nest sites

The Western Rosella nests in tree hollows. Hollow-bearing trees are therefore a higher priority for inspection than low vegetation, particularly within inland Priority 4 habitat.

Nests are placed in hollows in limbs or trunks. The hollow may be one or more metres deep and may contain wood dust at the base.

Hollow stumps and hollow posts can also be used. Main nest trees include marri, wandoo, York gum, flooded gum and salmon gum.

  • Mature eucalypts with trunk or limb hollows.
  • Large dead or partly dead trees where hollows remain sound.
  • Hollow stumps and suitable hollow posts.
  • Woodland with several mature trees, rather than isolated young regrowth only.

Breeding habitat: Breeding period

At Wickepin and Dudinin, birds first entered hollows in July. Egg laying occurred from August to November, and young left the nest from October to December.

The female incubates the eggs and is fed by the male when she leaves the hollow. A clutch may contain two to seven eggs, with six eggs reported as the average in one study.

Incubation: 23 to 25 days.

Young leave the nest: Usually five weeks after hatching, with fledging recorded from October to December.

  • Treat active or potentially active hollows as occupied during July to December.
  • Do not block, fill, cut or burn a hollow-bearing tree without checking the applicable approval and fauna procedures.
  • If a bird is seen entering a hollow, record the tree and suspend nearby work until the site is assessed.

Breeding habitat: Pre-clearing checks

Inspect all trees proposed for removal for hollows, nesting activity and signs of use. A hollow inspection should be completed by an appropriately experienced person where the tree may support the inland subspecies.

Where suitable trees are retained, mark them clearly and protect the required buffer under the approval or clearing permit. A Western Australian clearing decision for the inland subspecies required a 10 m buffer around identified suitable trees.

  • Use a spotter catcher or ecologist to assess trees with potential breeding hollows.
  • Check for birds entering or leaving hollows, fresh nesting material, feathers, eggs or young.
  • Retain suitable hollows wherever practicable.
  • Document tree locations, photographs, condition and the management decision.

Sheltering habitat: Refuge features

Specific roost sites are not well documented, but birds generally remain close to trees, shrubs and other cover. Retained woodland beside open feeding areas can provide refuge and movement habitat.

Potential refuge habitat includes eucalypt and sheoak woodland, mallee, dense shrubs, heath understorey and trees beside paddocks or roadsides. Birds often forage near cover and move between nearby trees.

Hollow-bearing trees may provide shelter as well as breeding sites. Do not treat a tree as unused simply because no nest is visible.

  • Dense woodland edges and shrub understorey.
  • Mature trees with hollows, limbs and foliage.
  • Vegetated corridors linking woodland patches.
  • Trees and shrubs beside open feeding areas.

Sheltering habitat: Roosting and local movement

The species is usually seen in pairs or family groups, with small flocks reported during winter. Individuals may move around the landscape outside the breeding season and may concentrate where food or water is available.

During the breeding season, birds can be tied to a breeding territory. Disturbance around a hollow may therefore affect a local pair even when the broader population is mobile.

  • Check nearby retained trees before removing vegetation.
  • Avoid unnecessary night lighting, noise and vehicle movement near retained woodland.
  • Maintain escape routes to adjacent native vegetation during clearing.

Sheltering habitat: Fauna handling response

The Western Rosella is mobile and will usually move away from an active work area. Give birds time and a clear route to adjacent vegetation before considering any intervention.

If an injured, trapped or dependent bird is found, stop work in the immediate area and contact the nominated fauna spotter catcher or wildlife carer under the project procedure.

  • Do not handle birds unless authorised and trained.
  • Record and report injuries, fatalities and repeated fauna interactions as environmental incidents.
  • Do not use pets, traps or firearms to manage birds.

Threats: Clearing and habitat loss

The main development risk is loss or degradation of woodland habitat, especially mature trees with hollows. Risk is higher in the Wheatbelt and other inland areas where woodland has already been extensively cleared.

Removal of eucalypt, sheoak and mallee woodland reduces feeding, refuge and breeding habitat. Loss of feeding and breeding habitat has been associated with declines and local disappearances in parts of the Wheatbelt.

A narrow clearing can still remove important trees, shrubs or habitat links if it cuts through otherwise continuous woodland.

  • Avoid clearing mature woodland where alternatives exist.
  • Retain hollow-bearing trees, food trees and connected native vegetation.
  • Keep clearing footprints to the approved area and clearly mark limits before work starts.

Threats: Loss of tree hollows

Tree hollows are limiting breeding features for the inland subspecies. Their loss can have a longer-term effect because replacement hollows take many years to form.

Dead trees and large limbs can still provide useful hollows. Assess them before removal rather than excluding them automatically.

  • Complete a hollow-bearing tree survey before clearing.
  • Apply the required buffer around suitable trees.
  • Retain hollow-bearing trees and avoid damaging their trunks, roots and major limbs.
  • Recheck retained trees after storms, fire or nearby construction.

Threats: Construction disturbance and direct harm

Machinery, vehicles and vegetation removal can injure birds, destroy active nests or block access to habitat. Birds may also become trapped in open trenches, pipes, buildings or other artificial structures.

General fauna controls are appropriate because the species is mobile but may still be using a local breeding territory.

  • Clear in one direction towards retained native vegetation.
  • Inspect work areas, trenches and pipes regularly.
  • Cover or barricade pits and trenches when unattended.
  • Use visual monitoring and report sightings, injuries and fatalities.

Threats: Agriculture and land management

Agricultural expansion, urban development, mining and infrastructure can permanently remove or fragment woodland. Inappropriate fire or vegetation management may also reduce mature trees, shrubs and food resources.

Fruit damage is sometimes attributed to Western Rosellas, although much orchard damage is caused by other parrots. Avoid unnecessary persecution and manage crop interactions through lawful, non-lethal measures.

  • Protect remaining woodland patches and habitat corridors.
  • Retain native food plants and understorey where practicable.
  • Do not harm or destroy birds without the required authorisation.
  • For inland populations, monitor retained habitat and hollow availability over time.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Western Rosellas are small, mobile parrots that can be missed during a basic fauna survey. Focus searches on suitable woodland, mature hollow-bearing trees, feeding areas and nearby water, and survey when birds are most active.

Map records, habitat and proposed clearing before fieldwork.

Check for eucalypt, sheoak and mallee woodland, heath understorey, mature trees and tree hollows.

For the inland subspecies, Platycercus icterotis xanthogenys, check Wheatbelt and Goldfields records and the current Western Australian Priority Fauna list.

Review nearby records, recent clearing, retained vegetation and connections to larger woodland areas.

  • Identify potential breeding, foraging, refuge and movement habitat.
  • Flag mature trees and hollow-bearing trees within and beside the disturbance footprint.
  • Treat woodland in areas of known habitat loss as higher sensitivity.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Use walked transects, vehicle-based searches where suitable, and stationary observations at hollow-bearing trees, feeding areas and water points.

Search on calm days with good visibility. Avoid relying on surveys during strong wind, heavy rain or extreme heat.

Survey during the breeding period from July to November where practicable. Early morning and late afternoon observations can help detect adults moving to and from nest hollows.

Repeat visits are preferable where habitat is suitable but the species is not detected. The species may occur in pairs, family groups or small flocks, including flocks of up to 30 birds at feeding or drinking sites.

  • Search tree canopies, ground feeding areas, roadsides, pasture, stubble and orchard edges.
  • Listen for the species call and watch for its distinctive yellow or cream cheek patches.
  • Do not treat a single negative visit as proof of absence where suitable habitat remains.

Survey methodology: 3. Hollow and habitat inspection

Inspect mature eucalypts, including marri, wandoo, York gum, flooded gum and salmon gum, as well as suitable sheoak woodland.

Record hollows that could support nesting. Western Rosellas nest in hollows in limbs, trunks, stumps and posts.

Assess whether hollows are accessible, sheltered and connected to nearby foraging habitat.

  • Record tree location, species, status, hollow entrance and approximate hollow characteristics.
  • Photograph trees and habitat from a safe distance.
  • Do not climb, block or probe hollows during a fauna survey unless authorised and qualified to do so.

Survey methodology: 4. Survey records

Record every sighting, call, feather, nest, hollow use observation and other reliable sign. Record absences as well as detections.

Document the survey area, dates, start and finish times, observers, weather, visibility, wind, methods and the habitat searched.

  • Map birds, active or potentially active hollows, feeding sites, water points and escape habitat.
  • Record the number of birds, behaviour, sex or age where identifiable, and whether birds are paired or in a group.
  • Link records to photographs, coordinates and any follow-up action.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Plan clearing around habitat retention and breeding-place protection. The inland Western Rosella is listed as Priority 4 in Western Australia, while the species is not listed as threatened under Australian threatened-species categories described here.

Confirm the listing that applies at the site and to the relevant subspecies. The Western Rosella occurs in Western Australia, and the inland subspecies is the Priority 4 form identified in Wheatbelt and Goldfields assessments.

Check state and local approval conditions before clearing. All fauna in Western Australia is protected under Part 10 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

Complete an EPBC Act referral assessment where the action could affect a listed matter or other matter of national environmental significance. Do not assume a referral is unnecessary solely because this species is not nationally listed.

For work in Queensland, check the applicable protected wildlife requirements and whether a species management program is required for disturbance to a breeding place. Obtain any required state permits before work starts.

  • Keep approvals, fauna licences and management plans available at the site office.
  • Use a licensed or otherwise authorised fauna spotter catcher where required by the approval.
  • Escalate any uncertainty about a breeding place, threatened species or approval condition before clearing.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and buffers

Retain mature trees, hollow-bearing trees, woodland patches and connected native vegetation wherever practicable.

For inland Western Rosella habitat, identify suitable trees before clearing and maintain a 10 m buffer around each identified suitable tree where required by the clearing approval.

Avoid removing feeding habitat around retained breeding trees. Retain nearby eucalypt and sheoak woodland, shrubs and ground feeding areas.

  • Fence and sign buffers before machinery arrives.
  • Keep stockpiles, access tracks, laydown areas and vehicle parking outside retained habitat.
  • Do not trim or fell a suitable tree until the fauna ecologist has confirmed that the approval conditions are met.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before works begin. Recheck all hollow-bearing trees and habitat identified during the initial assessment.

Look for birds entering or leaving hollows, adults carrying food, begging young, fresh nesting material and repeated defensive behaviour.

Treat a hollow as potentially active when evidence is inconclusive. Escalate the decision to the project ecologist or relevant regulator.

  • Mark trees requiring retention, inspection or staged removal.
  • Inspect adjacent vegetation for birds that may move into the work area during clearing.
  • Use extra care from July to November, when egg laying and nesting occur. Young may remain dependent after leaving the nest between October and December.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Timing, exclusion and induction

There is no established migration period for this species. Plan around local breeding evidence rather than assuming seasonal absence.

Where an active nest is identified, defer disturbance until the authorised ecologist and regulator have agreed on the approach.

Induct all workers on the species, habitat markers, stop-work authority, fauna reporting and no-harm requirements.

  • Explain that only authorised personnel may handle fauna.
  • Prohibit feeding, trapping, firearms and pets in the work area.
  • Ensure the spotter catcher has authority to stop work when an animal, nest, hollow or unexpected habitat risk is found.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Use a controlled, observable clearing sequence. Keep escape routes open and stop immediately when a Western Rosella, active breeding place or other fauna risk is identified.

Clear in one direction towards retained native vegetation so birds and other fauna can move away from machinery.

Remove non-habitat vegetation first, then reassess retained trees and hollows before any tree removal.

Use a slow, staged approach around hollow-bearing trees. Keep machinery, workers and noise away from retained buffers.

  • Maintain a visible fauna spotter catcher at the active clearing edge.
  • Check the next work area immediately before machinery enters it.
  • Do not chase birds into unsafe areas or force them towards roads, open water or active machinery.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop-work and handling

The fauna spotter catcher must stop work if a Western Rosella enters the clearing area, becomes trapped, shows injury or is associated with a suspected active hollow.

Allow an uninjured bird to leave naturally where this can occur without harm. Handle birds only when necessary and only by authorised, trained personnel.

  • Keep people and machinery clear while the bird moves away.
  • Do not catch, relocate or release a healthy bird merely because it is nearby.
  • Follow the project fauna handling procedure and approval conditions for any capture.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Active breeding places and groups

If an active nest or breeding hollow is found, stop work and establish a temporary exclusion area based on the ecologist's advice and approval conditions.

Do not block the hollow, remove the tree, disturb the nest or separate dependent young from adults.

If several birds are gathered at a feeding or drinking site, pause nearby work if noise or movement is causing repeated displacement.

  • Contact the project ecologist and superintendent immediately.
  • Record the tree, hollow, bird behaviour, number of birds and location.
  • Resume only after the exclusion, timing and monitoring requirements have been confirmed.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or dead fauna

Keep machinery and workers away from an injured bird. Prevent further disturbance and contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian or fauna authority through the project response pathway.

Do not provide food or water unless directed by a qualified wildlife professional.

Treat a death, injury or unauthorised disturbance as an environmental incident where required by the approval or management plan.

  • Record the time, location, apparent cause, photographs and people involved.
  • Preserve relevant evidence without handling the animal unnecessarily.
  • Notify the regulator or approval holder within the required timeframe.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Close out each clearing area with a documented inspection. Use the results to improve later stages of the project and to confirm that retained habitat and buffers remain intact.

Inspect the cleared edge, retained trees, buffers and adjacent escape habitat after each clearing stage.

Check for injured, trapped or displaced birds, damaged hollows, fallen branches and machinery encroachment into retained habitat.

Recheck any tree or hollow that was subject to vibration, accidental contact or partial damage.

  • Remove hazards only under the direction of the fauna ecologist.
  • Keep work stopped in any area where an active breeding place may have been damaged.
  • Photograph and map the final retained habitat and cleared boundary.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and relocated animals

Monitor active breeding places and retained habitat when required by the approval or site management plan.

If a bird has been captured or relocated, record the capture site, release site, time, condition, method, handler and outcome.

Use an authorised wildlife carer or veterinarian for animals needing treatment.

  • Check that released birds are alert, able to fly and clear of immediate hazards where this is part of the authorised release procedure.
  • Do not repeatedly disturb a nest or release site to obtain observations.
  • Escalate mortality, repeated displacement or failure to locate a relocated bird.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Reporting and review

Maintain a fauna register for sightings, nest records, hollow inspections, incidents, captures, releases and mortalities.

Compare actual clearing with approved plans and record any buffer breach or unexpected habitat loss.

  • Provide survey and incident records to the project ecologist and approval holder.
  • Submit statutory reports within the timeframes in the approval or permit.
  • Hold a short incident review after any injury, death, nest disturbance or unauthorised clearing.
  • Update the clearing sequence and induction if the review identifies a recurring risk.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Habitat restoration

Rehabilitation should restore connected woodland and feeding habitat, not just ground cover. Give priority to retaining existing mature trees because replacement hollows take many years to develop.

Re-establish locally appropriate eucalypt, sheoak, mallee, shrub and ground-layer vegetation around retained woodland.

Use local native provenance where practicable and restore links between isolated habitat patches.

Retain fallen timber and natural cover where this is safe and consistent with the rehabilitation design.

  • Protect planted areas from grazing, fire and vehicle damage.
  • Stage planting so that shelter and foraging resources develop across the rehabilitation area.
  • Do not clear regrowth that is forming a connection between retained patches without ecological review.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Breeding structures

Retain all suitable hollow-bearing trees. Artificial structures are a supplementary measure and do not replace mature nesting trees.

Consider nest boxes or other artificial nest sites only where a qualified ecologist confirms that their design, placement, maintenance and monitoring suit Western Rosellas.

Do not install bat boxes, roost structures or cave substitutes for this species. These are not appropriate replacements for its tree-hollow nesting habitat.

  • Place any approved nest box near suitable woodland and foraging habitat, away from machinery and high human activity.
  • Use designs that can be inspected safely without blocking or damaging natural hollows.
  • Record installation details and inspect structures under an agreed monitoring plan.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Food, water and weeds

Restore native seed-producing plants, eucalypts, sheoaks and shrubs that provide foraging habitat.

Control weeds that replace native ground cover, while retaining seasonal food resources until replacement vegetation is established.

Provide water only where it is part of the broader site design and can be maintained hygienically without increasing disease, predator or feral animal risks.

  • Avoid planting invasive or non-local species.
  • Keep water points away from roads, cats, dogs and areas of concentrated machinery movement.
  • Do not encourage birds with supplementary feeding.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting and long-term monitoring

Keep lighting away from retained woodland, nest boxes, water points and movement corridors.

Use the lowest practical light intensity, direct lights downwards and avoid unnecessary overnight lighting.

Monitor rehabilitation for plant survival, weed cover, hollow retention, nest-box use and Western Rosella presence.

  • Survey restored areas during suitable morning or late afternoon conditions and during the July to November breeding period where breeding use is a management objective.
  • Record birds, behaviour, breeding activity and habitat condition consistently between monitoring visits.
  • Remove unused or unsafe artificial structures when the monitoring program ends, unless the land manager approves their retention.

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