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General Information
Description:
The Little Corella has a white body with a blue featherless area around
eyes. They have pink and yellow around nostrils at the top of the beak and a
grey to white beak. They have a white crest on top of their head that raises
in a single curve. When they are flying, a bright sulphur-yellow
colour can be seen under their wings and under the tail. Both male and
female are similar in colouring, and young birds look like the adults but
are slightly smaller. When adult, the Little Corella will grow to 35-39cm.
 In
Australia, there are two other species of Corella - the Long-billed Corella,
which measures 38cm - 41cm and has an orange-scarlet band across the throat,
and the upper part of the bill longer than the lower part, and
the Western Corella, which measures 38cm - 42cm fully grown which also has a
longer upper bill (slightly smaller than that of the Long-billed Corella),
and a larger white crest.
Voice:
The
Little Corellas call varies in length and they make a "aierek-aier-rr-r"
sound.
Habitat:
Little Corellas are found throughout Australia, although large gaps separate
some populations. They are found now in more areas because of land clearing
and more sources of water. Birds who have escaped as pets or have been
deliberately released have also increased numbers in the east of Australia.
Little Corellas often form large flocks, especially along watercourses and
where seeding grasses are found.
The Little Corella is the most widely distributed of the three corella
species found in Australia. The Western Corella is confined the extreme
south-west of Western Australia, and the Long-billed Corella is found in the
south-east.
Food:
Little Corellas eat seeds, berries, some bulbs and fruits, and
insects. We often see them feeding on our school oval in large noisy flocks.
They fight with the Rainbow Lorikeets. They feed mainly on the ground, and
have to drink on a daily basis. The most common foods are grains and grass
seeds, and they are considered a pest in some parts by grain farmers,
similar to the Galahs.
Breeding:
Little Corellas mate for life and will start breeding at the start of a long
period of rain. This may be at any time of the year when conditions are
suitable. They nest site in a tree hollow, lined with shavings
of wood. and they will use this for several years in row. Both male
and female hatch the two to four eggs and both care for the young chicks.
The eggs hatch after about 25 days, and the chicks are born naked and
totally dependent on their parents. Breeding pairs nest in large
colonies, and several nests may be found in the same tree. Different corella
types living in the same area may nest together, but they are not thought to
breed
with each other.
Reference:
Information - Australian Museum Online - Australian Fact Sheet
Photo
- Michael Seyfort - Nature Focus
Some information and pictures were taken from children's charts and
where credited to that child does not claim to be original information.
Where possible, permission to reproduce has been sought and ownership
credited. Any infringement of copyright is purely unintentional and
ownership of pictures and information used is freely acknowledged.
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