Eclectus roratus..........................................................................By Gideon Scheepers

There are 10 sub-species of this parrot

Ceram Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus r. roratus

Description

This is the nominate race. The male is dark green with a yellow tinge in the head. They have red on the sides of the body as well as the under wing coverts. The under tail coverts are a yellow green colour. The upper tail-feathers are green with yellow tips. The beak has a look of a piece of candy, as the upper mandible is yellow with a red tinge on top. The iris is yellow to orange-yellow and the feet are dark grey. The female is generally dark red with the abdomen, sides of the body, lower breast, band across nape and back of neck a beautiful violet. The under tail-coverts are red. The hen has a black beak and yellow iris with the feet a dark grey. They grow to a length of about 35 cm.

Range

Ceram's come from Buru and Ceram, Moluccan Islands and Indonesia.

Cornelia's Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus r. cornelia

Description

They are similar to roratus, but the green plumage of male is slightly lighter. And they also have a marked blue tinge to upperside of the tail. The iris is orange. They are larger than roratus. The female again is red and without blue to breast or abdomen. They grow to a length of about 37-cm.

Range

Cornelia's inhabit Sumba, an Island in Indonesia

Vosmari Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus. r. vosmaeri

Description

They are also similar to roratus, but the green plumage of male is lighter and more yellow. They are much larger than roratus. The female has a slightly lighter shade of red and the violet upper breast is washed with red. The under tail-coverts are yellow and the upperside is red with distinct broad yellow margin up to 4 mm. They grow to about 38 cm.

 

Range

Vosmari's are from Moluccas Island in Indonesia.

Westerman's Eclectus Parroti
Eclectus r. westerman

 

Description

Similar to roratus, but with much less red on the sides, They are also smaller than roratus. The female is generally a darker red and the upper breast is red. There is no yellow on the tail. They grow to 33 cm.

Range

Unknown and very rare.

Riedel's Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus r. riedeli

Description

Again similar to roratus, but the nape and sides of the head has more a blue-green wash to it The upper tail has a broad yellow band about 25 mm wide. The under tail is black with a distinct broad yellow band. The iris is orange and is smaller than roratus. The female is red with the under tail-coverts a pale red with dark tinge to base .They grow to a length of 33 cm .

Range

Riedel's are from Tanimbar Island, in Indonesia

Red-sided Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus r. polychloros

Description

Red-sided Eclectus male is similar to roratus, but the green is more a yellowish colour. The upper tail is green with narrow yellow tips and the underside is black with about a 10 mm broad pale-yellow band. The iris is orange-red and is larger than roratus. The female is generally a lighter red. They have a narrow blue periophthalmic ring. The upper breast is red and the abdomen, sides of body, under wing-coverts and band to nape has a dark blue to violet-blue colouration. The under tail-coverts red and without yellow tinge. The iris is a yellow-white and is larger than roratus growing to a length of 37 cm.

Range

Red-sided's hail from New Guinea, Salawati, Batanta, Trobriand, Kai Islands, Waigeo Islands, and Louisiada Archipelagos

Aru Red-sided Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus r. aruensis

Description

The male is similar to polychloros, but with a slightly lighter plumage and broad edging to his tail.. The female has a slightly lighter plumage. They become 37 cm in length.

Range

The Aru Red-sided Eclectus is from the Aru Islands

Biak Red-sided Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus r. biaki

Description

The male is similar to polychloros, but with broader, more defined pale yellowish band to tail underside. They are on average smaller than polychloros and vosmaeri, The female has the undersides brighter. They are about 35 in length.

Range

From the island of Biak

Australian Red-sided Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus r. macgillivrayi

Description

Australian Red-sided males are similar to polychloros, but much larger and with a longer tail . The female also has a longer tail and the grow to a length of 40 cm

Range

Australian Red-sided's are from Cape York Peninsula, in northern Australia.

Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus r. solomonensis

Description

Solomon males are similar to polychloros, but with lighter, more yellowish green plumage. They are on average smaller at a length of 35 cm.. The is much lighter red. And has a broader blue periophthalmic ring

Range & Habitat

Solomon Island Eclectus are obviously from the Solomon Islands, Bismarck and Admiralty Archipelagos.Eclectus parrots are usually seen in pairs or small family groups outside the breeding season.

Housing in Aviculture

Eclectus can be housed in suspendeds and conventional aviaries, we use suspendeds with great success. For nestboxes we use L-shaped boxes 60cm deep by 50 cm in length and 30 cm wide. These are placed so that access is gained from the outside of the aviary, as the male tends to be territorial during the breeding season.

Breeding in Aviculture

Eclectus usually turn out to be great breeders, and will regularly give 6-10 chicks a year. For nestboxes we use L-shaped boxes 60cm deep by 50 cm in length and 30 cm wide, During this time the hen becomes dominant over the male and may bully him, so a close watch should be kept on them. The hen chases the male and will solicit him for food and then bow down to be treaded, 2 weeks after courtship, she will lay 2 eggs and incubate them for 28 to 30 days, the young will fledge at around 70 to 80 days. Eclectus Parrots are continuos breeders.

Mutations

There are Blue and Opaline Eclectus, we have also heard of a Lutino and Albino, but these are unconfirmed reports