On
first sight of an Eclectus parrot many people gasp with surprise.
With startling bright colors, and wonderful body stances these
birds have a devoted following. Named more for their personalities
than their coloration, it is interesting to note that they are
different in many ways from other parrots. The name Eclectus
is derived from the word eclectic because of the sexually dimorphic
coloration of the male and female.
Subspecies
There are 10 or more subspecies of Eclectus Parrots, all strikingly
beautiful, from the South Pacific. They are Asian parrot's that
have been around for 10,000 years. Most other parrots have been
in existence for only 3,000 years. Their natural habitat is
low-lying plains, especially tropical rain forests. When food
is abundant, Eclectus parrots gather in large flocks, forage
together, and live in colonies. This accounts for them being
a wonderfully social bird. Only a few of these subspecies are
commonly available in aviculture, which are the Grand, Red Sided,
Vosmaeri, and Solomon Island subspecies.
The two sexes of this species, unlike those of any other parrot,
differ dramatically in color. The females, depending on the
variety, are a spectacular combination of red, purple, maroon,
blue and yellow; the males are almost entirely green, with red
under the wings and on the side of the body, with a touch of
turquoise on top of the "shoulders". Eclectus parrots
have unique looking feathers, which are hair-like in appearance
unlike the flat leaf appearance seen on most parrots. They also
feel like hair too. Due to this different feather structure,
Eclectus parrots enjoy being pet in the direction of the feathers,
rather than against.
Pixie & Paulie Having
a Lovers Spat |
Eclectus as Pets
Eclectus' are very playful and enjoy hanging upside down in
their cages and flapping their wings, and playing with toys.
They are very tidy parrots and do not throw their food out of
their bowls. They can be easily potty trained. If you have allergies,
the Eclectus parrot will most likely not affect you like some
other birds might since they don't produce feather dust. They
have an oil gland rather than a dust gland for preening. Eclectus
are very intelligent parrots and focus their eyes on their owner
to closely observe every movement. They show interest in everyone
and everything around them.
Talking Ability
The Eclectus Parrot is a wonderful pet with excellent talking
abilities. They also love to mimic their favorite sounds, such
as microwaves, laughter, opera, and sneezing. They love to sing,
watch television and listen to the radio. Their speaking ability
will be dependent upon the individual, its bond with its owner
and how much time is spent speaking directly to the bird. Eclectus
parrots are generally classified among the top three parrots
for talking ability. Rivaling the African Grey and the talking
Amazon parrots in clarity of speech and scope of vocabulary.
Some Eclectus chicks learn their first word before they are
weaned if the hand-feeder repeats a word to them often. Some
males have melodious voices while others sound more masculine,
but nearly all Eclectus females have the most charming sweet
and seductive voice - full and throaty like that of a "southern
belle opera singer." As with all parrot species, some birds
may never learn to say more than "hello". Eclectus
are quiet parrots that prefer talking in preference to screaming,
but there are a few exceptions.
Pixie at 1 month old |
Diet
It has been reported that Eclectus have a longer than average
intestinal tract to accommodate the high fiber diet that they
require. They have been observed in the wild eating many types
of fruits, flowers, and vegetable matter. The Eclectus digestive
system seems to be extremely efficient at assimilating nutrients
from foods. This probably is due to the high percentage of fibrous
fruits and vegetables that make up their diet in the wild. These
foods are "nutrient-sparse" foods as opposed to "nutrient-dense"
foods such as pellets. Since they assimilate nutrients so efficiently,
they can exhibit symptoms such as "repetitive foot clenching
and wing flipping" if over supplemented or fed too many
rich foods. Unless a vitamin or mineral deficiency is diagnosed
with blood tests, they should not be supplemented with vitamins
and minerals.
Pellets have a full complement of vitamins and minerals which
can be too rich for the Eclectus system. Natural juicy foods
of deep color including greens, sprouts, fruits and vegetables
should be the mainstay of their diet. Eclectus require Vitamin
A and they will assimilate all they need from colorful orange,
yellow, red, and green foods like pomegranates, mangos, cantaloupe,
carrots, red and green bell peppers, kale, collards, dandelion,
and other greens. All parrots should be given organically grown
produce whenever possible.
Contact me if you own an Eclectus and would like to share your
(good or bad) experiences with me about your parrot. If you
are considering the purchase of an Eclectus and would like more
information about these beautiful parrots, email me at tbostrom7@gmail.com. |
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Eclectus Parrots 
