Eclectus

NAME:
Eng. Eclectus Parrot, solomon island eclectus parrot, red sided eclectus
Lat. Eclectus Roratus

On the photo up you can see beautiful male eclectus parrot.

ORIGIN: Buru and Ceram, Moluccan Islands, Indonesia; extinct on Ambon, Saparua and Haruku. Northern and central Moluccas, Indonesia, including islands of Halmahera, Morotai, Batjan, Obi, Damar, Mare and Kayao; probably already extinct on Ternate and Tidore.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: The male is dark green; head lightly tinged in yellow; sides of body and under-wing coverts red; under-tail coverts yellowish-green; bend of wing blue; outer webs of primaries are dark blue with narrow green edging; central tail-feathers green with olive-yellow tips; outer tail feathers blackish-green becoming blackish-blue to dark blue towards the tip and with narrow yellowish-white edging at the end; tail-underside blackish and with narrow yellowish-white edging; upper mandible red with yellow tip, lower mandible blackish; iris yellow to orange-yellow; feet dark grey.

Here you can see young male and female eclectus parrots in the hands of the owner.

The female is generally dark red; back and wings brownish-red; abdomen, sides of body, lower breast, broad band across nape and back of neck violet; occasionally upper breast also violet; bend and edge of wing violet-blue; under wing-coverts dark violet-blue; primary coverts and outer webs of secondaries dark-blue; under-tail coverts red; birds from Ceram have yellowish tinge to tips of under-tail coverts; upperside of tail is red with indistinct orange-yellow edging; tail underside is orange-red with dark centre and yellowish edging; bill blackish; iris yellowish; feet dark grey.

KEEPING AND CARE: These quiet and pleasant parrots are very often kept as pets. Eclectus parrots are very popular because of their markedly striking colors. Socialization is not a problem, but it is easier and more successful when the young birds and birds are fed by a hand. Acclimatization of birds from the wilderness is not always successful and often ends in death. The change in dietary intake can also have a stressful impact on these parrots. Birds will feel more comfortable in a larger cage and they like being let free so as to communicate with all people living in a house.

Eclectus parrot as pet.

The cage has to be made of strong wire so it can not be destroyed or end up hurting the birds. They are very friendly with other parrots except in breeding season when they tend to be aggressive. The imitation of human speech is as successful as is the case with other types of parrots. They often learn to pronounce a few words. Before one decides to buy this parrot it would be important to locate a place where the bird is going to be placed. Draught winds, direct sunlight or any noisy place must be avoided so as to provide the bird with peace and quiet. As they love bathing, it should be provided at least twice a week.

DIET: Fruit and vegetables are very important in the nutrition of these parrots. Figs, mango, apples (except the core) and bananas are their favourite fruit sweets. It is recommended to give them carrots, celery, tomato, garlic, cucumbers and peas. A diet of seed-food consists of speckled sunflower seeds, hemp, millet, canary seeds, oily turnip, shelled oats and wheat. It is also recommended to give them nuts and walnuts to provide them with enough vitamin A. Minerals and cuttle-bone should always be available.

BREEDING OF ECLECTUS PARROTS: Breeding is neither difficult nor hard for bred birds. At the beginning of breeding, the female is usually aggressive. She fights with her male partner, not allowing him to reach the food. After breeding the pair begins to feed mutually and spends all their time together. At the beginning of April, the female clutches two (rarely three) eggs in a nest of about 30 cm (12 in) in width and length and about 80 cm (32 in) in height. Incubation lasts from 27 to 30 days.

Female eclectus bird in the nest ready for heatching the eggs.

Two babies of eclectus parrots, hatched in the aviary and fed by hand.

The female sits on the eggs while the male takes care of the nest and feeds the female. After hatching, the young stay in the nest about 75 days. After the female has left the box, she may be aggressive towards the young birds and in this case the young birds must be separated from their mother. During the year they can have two or more breedings; however, more than two breedings should not be allowed. The nest must be removed or the male must be separated from the female.

INTERESTING FACTS: Their average life span is about 45 years.

Eclectus as the part of happy family.

Their sex is easily distinguished, and this makes them unique compared to other parrots. The female has more distinctive colors than the male, which is rare in the animal world. They can learn to imitate about ten words easily, otherwise they are not talkative parrots.