Eclectus

The eclectus parrot is unusual in the parrot family for its marked sexual dimorphism in the colours of the plumage. A stocky short-tailed parrot, it measures around 35 cm (14 in) in length. The male is mostly bright green with a yellow-tinge on the head. It has blue  primaries, and red flanks and underwing coverts. Its tail is edged with a narrow band of creamy yellow, and is dark grey edged with creamy yellow underneath, and the tail feathers are green centrally and more blue as they get towards the edges. The grand eclectus female is mostly bright red with a darker hue on the back and wings. The mantle and underwing coverts darken to a more purple in colour, and the wing is edged with a mauve-blue. The tail is edged with yellowish-orange above, and is more orange tipped with yellow underneath. The upper mandible of the adult male is orange at the base fading to a yellow towards the tip, and the lower mandible is black. The beak of the adult female is all black. Adults have yellow to orange irises and juveniles have dark brown to black irises. The upper mandible of both male and female juveniles are brown at the base fading to yellow towards the biting edges and the tip

Diet

The diet of the eclectus in the wild consists of mainly fruits, wild figs, unripe nuts, flower and leaf buds, and some seeds. Two favorite fruits are the pomegranate and the papaya(pawpaw) with seeds. In captivity, they will eat most fruits including mangos, figs, guavas, bananas, any melons, stone fruits(peaches etc, grapes, citrus fruits, pears and apples. The eclectus has an unusually long digestive tract and this is why it requires such a high fiber diet. In captivity the eclectus parrot does benefit from a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, leafy greens such as endive and dandelion, as well as a variety of seeds, including spray millet, and a few nuts such as shelled almonds and shelled walnuts.

Speech & Sounds

Eclectus generally are not prone to excessive noisiness. Eclectus can be quite vocal, and are capable of developing an extensive vocabulary.

Health & Common Conditions

Eclectus have been known to exhibit episodes of toe-tapping and wing-flipping-type muscle spasms, which is thought to be related to vitamin and mineral imbalances. Talk to your avian veterinarian about the types of foods to feed your Eclectus parrot, as well as which foods to avoid.

Eclectus parrots might be more prone to feather picking (pulling out their feathers) compared to other parrots, which can be tied to medical issues and/or behavior issues. If your Eclectus starts to pick at its feathers, take your bird in to your avian veterinarian for a full medical workup. Eclectus parrots are also susceptible to avian polyomavirus, Hypovitaminosis A and psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD).