Male Solomon Eclectus Parrot

Description

The Solomon Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) The Eclectus parrot is a colorful bird originating from the Solomon Islands, Sumba, New Guinea, northeastern Australia, and the Maluku Islands (Moluccas). The male and female have strikingly different appearances, with the male showcasing a bright emerald, green plumage and the female boasting a bright red and purple/blue plumage. Native tribes in New Guinea often use their colorful feathers for decoration. This bird is valued for its impressive appearance and suitability as a pet, although it is somewhat rarer than other parrots of similar size. Adult male Eclectus parrots weigh around 430 grams, with a range from 388 to 524 grams. The females feature a red head, blue breast, and black beak. DIET: In the wild, the eclectus parrot's diet primarily includes fruits, wild figs, unripe nuts, flower and leaf buds, and some seeds. In captivity, they readily consume a variety of fruits such as mangos, figs, guavas, bananas, melons, stone fruits, grapes, citrus fruits, pears, apples, pomegranate, and papaya. The eclectus parrot's long digestive tract necessitates a high-fiber diet. A captive eclectus benefits from a diverse diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, leafy greens like endive and dandelion, a selection of seeds including spray millet, and a limited number of nuts, such as shelled almonds and walnuts. They generally require a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, particularly those high in Vitamin A, along with pelleted food. It is advisable to choose pellets without artificial colors or dyes. BEHAVIOR: Eclectus parrots are known for their intelligence and gentle demeanour, making them a beloved addition to any family. They generally interact well with children, provided the environment is not overly chaotic or noisy. It's crucial to educate children on the proper way to interact with these birds. Female Eclectus parrots, even when kept alone, exhibit strong nesting behaviors and may look for nesting spots in dark, enclosed spaces like cupboards or under furniture. They can become territorial, particularly during the breeding season. In a pair, the female typically assumes a more dominant role. Male Eclectus parrots are fond of mimicking sounds, as well as words and phrases they learn from their human counterparts.   In its natural habitat, the eclectus nests within hollows in large, emergent rainforest trees. Suitable hollows are at a premium and the hen vigorously defends her chosen nesting site from other females (perhaps even fighting to the death), remaining resident at 'her tree' for up to 11 months of the year, rarely straying from the entrance to her hollow and relying on multiple males to feed her via regurgitation. Males may travel up to 20 km to forage and up to five males will regularly provide food for each female, each competing with the others for her affections and the right to father her young. Unlike other parrot species, eclectus parrots are polygynandrous—females may mate with multiple male suitors and males may travel from nesting site to nesting site to mate with multiple females. This unique breeding strategy may explain the pronounced sexual dimorphism of the eclectus, as the female must remain conspicuous at the entry to the nest hole (to advertise her presence at her hollow to males and rival females), but well hidden when in the depths of the nest, because the red color hides her well in the darkness. The male is primarily a brilliant green color, which offers camouflage amongst the trees whilst foraging. However, the plumage of both sexes appears spectacular when viewed in the ultraviolet spectrum, an ability which predators such as hawks and owls lack. Two white 40.0 mm × 31.0 mm (1.57 in × 1.22 in) eggs are laid, which are incubated for 28–30 days. Young fledge at about 11 weeks. Although eclectus parrots may reach sexual maturity earlier or later, they usually reach it between 2–3 years. Eclectus hens have a strong maternal instinct, which is displayed in captivity, where they constantly seek possible nesting places, climbing into cupboards, drawers, and spaces beneath furniture, and becoming very possessive and defensive of these locations. An unpaired hen may go on to lay infertile eggs with little encouragement in the spring. It is often possible to place abandoned eggs from other parrot species beneath a broody eclectus hen, which she will readily accept and then incubate to the point of hatching, even rearing the hatched chick up to the point it is removed from the nest. Adult females with poor nest hollows often commit infanticide on the male, if they produce both a male and a female chick. Inadequate nest hollows have a habit of flooding in heavy rain, drowning the chicks or eggs inside. This reported infanticide in wild pairs may be the result of other causes, since this behavior where the hen selectively kills male chicks is not observed in captive birds.

Aviculture:

Eclectus parrots are among the more favored birds for captivity, either as parent-reared or hand-reared. They are relatively easy to breed compared to many other parrot species, yet they present challenges in hand-feeding. In captivity, Eclectus parrots are generally tranquil, exhibiting a contemplative demeanor when encountering new items or situations. This can lead to the false perception of the species being 'dull-witted'. Additionally, Eclectus parrots may show greater neophobia than other companion bird species and are susceptible to feather destruction behaviors such as picking, pulling, cutting, and barbing. The subspecies E. r. vosmaeri is the most prevalent in aviculture overall. However, many Eclectus parrots in Australian captivity appear to be hybrids between the subspecies E. r. polychloros and E. r. solomonensis, stemming from a mixed flock kept at Taronga Zoo Sydney in a large aviary years ago. The Australian subspecies E. r. macgillivrayi has only recently become available in the Australian aviculture market and commands a higher price. The average lifespan of Eclectus parrots in captivity remains uncertain, as they were not widely kept until the 1980s. While some sources estimate a 30-year lifespan, the longest reliably documented age for this species is 28.5 years, though there are claims of them living up to 40.8 years. Eclectus parrots in captivity may develop a condition known as "toe tapping," marked by involuntary muscle extensions and contractions in the feet, causing incessant toenail tapping against perches. This condition is thought to be diet-related, possibly due to feeding the birds vitamin-fortified foods, processed human foods containing synthetic vitamins or preservatives, or foods with spirulina.   Live Arrival Guarantee: We take great pride in shipping extremely healthy and active birds to our customers. If a bird has perished upon arrival, a Fertile Macaw Parrot Eggs For Sale Credit for the amount of the perished bird will be provided to you as a coupon code that can be used toward a future purchase. To honour our guarantee, we require notification, in writing, within 24 hours of receipt, along with a picture of the perished bird. Please communicate with us by clicking our grey Contact Us button. While antibiotics may occasionally need to be used to treat birds, we recommend that usage is coordinated with your Veterinarian If any of the birds are ‘tucking’ their head, sleeping all day, fluffed up and/or lethargic. During such times using antibiotics with their only water source might be considered, however, we recommend good Veterinarian guidance. If you have issues or concerns about your birds, please notify us within three hours of receipt of your order. Once your bird(s) are in your care, we trust that you will care for your bird(s) in a loving and healthy manner. Be sure to review our Bird Care Instructions to assist in your bird’s wellness. We wish you the very best in Avian adventures and thank you for choosing ‘Fertile Macaw Parrot Eggs for Sale ‘. Live Animals are not returnable. Please note our pet bird offerings are ready to be domesticated by you, and have been previously weaned but not necessarily hand fed. The time it takes to tame your bird is dependent upon the amount of time you spend to create a strong bond of trust with your new bird. Every bird is different. We trust you will research your bird(s) regarding how best to bond with them, and their ability to be trained, as this will vary depending upon the bird species. Claims will be honoured within your 24-hour window of live guarantee. Thank you, Fertile Macaw Parrot Eggs For Sale ———————————————————————————————————————————– Our company goal is to provide excellent birds, products and customer service to help enhance your avian experience. Live animals are often challenging to source. Finding the best avian pet is our focus and includes our internal farming efforts, as well as our external partner network. As such, our team would be grateful that once you have placed your live bird order, you please work with us until your order is received. Please review our cancellation policy in the Terms of Service. You can count on us for the very best in selection and service. We appreciate being a part of your avian experience as well as assisting you to breed these wonderful creatures. Let us work together to meet their needs, as well as yours, and the company who serves you. We sincerely appreciate your patronage and incredible support!