Commonly available in the U.S.:
Grand Eclectus (E. r. roratus)
Vosmaeri (E. r. vosmaeri)- Largest of the US sub-species
Red-sided (E. r. polychloros)
Solomon Island (E. r. solomonensis)- Smallest of the US sub-species
We can make unrelated pairs of both Vos Eclectus for future breeding programs
4 Common USA Sub-species info-
males are nearly impossible to tell apart the differences come down to weight of bird, shade of green in the general plumage and the amount of yellow tinge to the tail tip.
Male Grand Eclectus Weight- 380 grams to 475 grams
Male Vos Eclectus Weight- 430 grams to 540 grams
Male Red Side Eclectus Weight- 400 grams to 500 grams
Male SI Eclectus Weight- 350 grams to 430 grams
All males have a slight yellow tint to their tail tips, the SI having the least and the Vos having the most.
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Grand Eclectus
1. Eclectus r. roratus or female (P.L.S. Müller 1776)
Ceram Eclectus Parrot
German: Ceram-Edelpapagei
Description: male dark green; head lightly tinged yellowish; sides of body and under wing-coverts red; under tail-coverts yellowish-green; bend of wing blue; outer webs of primaries 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.
Female 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 with yellowish tinge to tips of under tail-coverts; upperside of tail red with indistinct orange-yellow edging; tail underside orange-red with dark centre and yellowish edging; bill blackish; iris yellowish; feet dark grey.
Immatures similar to adults; upper bill with dark brown tinge to base; iris dark.
Length: 35 cm (13.5 ins), wing 228 - 250 mm (9-10 ins)
Female- Never a blue eye ring, chest always purple and tail has slight yellowish orange tip.
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Eclectus. r. vosmaeri (Rothschild 1922)
Halmahera Eclectus Parrot
German: Halmahera-Edelpapagei
Description: as roratus, but green plumage of male lighter and more yellowish; particularly back of head, nape and back; red plumage to sides of body more extensive; outer webs of primaries without narrow green edging; narrow whitish-yellow edging of tail feathers broader than roratus; tail underside blackish and broad yellow-whitish edging to 7 mm (0.25 ins); much larger.
General plumage of female slightly lighter red than roratus; violet upper breast washed with red; under tail-coverts yellow, in some birds faintly washed with red; tail upperside red with distinct broad yellow margin up to 4 mm (0.15 ins); tail underside red with dark tinge to base and broad yellow tips; much larger.
Immatures resemble adults; upper mandible dark brown; iris dark.
Length: 38 cm (15 ins); wings 265 - 285 mm (10.5-11 ins)
Distribution: northern and central Moluccas, Indonesia, including islands of Halmahera, Morotai, Batjan, Obi, Damar, Mare and Kayao; probably already extinct on Ternate and Tidore.
Female- No blue eye ring, chest always purple, tail ends in wide yellow band and vent is yellowish.
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Eclectus r. polychloros or female (Scopoli 1786)
Red-sided Eclectus Parrot
German: Neuguinea-Edelpapagei
Description: male as roratus, but green plumage more yellowish; under tail-coverts with brighter tips; dark blue primary-coverts and primaries with distinct green edging to outer-webs; tail upperside green with narrow yellow tips; underside black with approx. 10 mm (0.4 ins) broad pale-yellow edging; iris orange-red; larger than roratus.
Female as roratus, but generally slightly lighter red; narrow blue periophthalmic ring; upper breast red; abdomen, sides of body, under wing-coverts and band to nape dark blue to violet-blue; under tail-coverts red and without yellow tinge; primary-coverts and primaries dark blue with narrow green edging to outer-webs; tail upperside dark red with broad pale tips; tail underside dull red with dark tinge and broad pale tips; iris yellowish-white; larger than roratus.
Immatures as adults, but upper mandible dark brown; iris dark.
Length: 37 cm (14.5 ins), wings 225 - 280 mm (8-11 ins)
Distribution: New Guinea, Salawati, Batanta, Waigeo, Kai Islands, Trobriand Islands, D'Entrecasteaux and Louisiada Archipelagos.
Note: in earlier literatur this sub-species was described in Latin as pectoralis.
Female- Slight blue eye ring, chest always royal blue tail is solid red
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Eclectus r. solomonensis or female Rothschild and Hartert 1901
Solomon Eclectus Parrot
German: Salomonen-Edelpapagei
Description: male as polychloros, but with lighter, more yellowish green; edge of wing paler blue; tips to underside of tail paler and in many birds more whitish; tail on average shorter - 93 to 115 mm (3.5-4.5 ins); iris brownish-yellow to reddish; on average slightly smaller.
Female as polychlorus, but much lighter red; broader blue periophthalmic ring; primary-coverts slightly paler blue and with pale blue outer edging; tail on average shorter - tail length 89 - 108 mm (3.5-4.25 ins); on average smaller.
Length: 37 cm (14.5 ins), wings 210 - 255 mm (8-10 ins)
Note: in this sub-species there is a marked geographical size variation, the Western representatives being the same size as polychloros, the Eastern smaller.
Distribution: Solomon Islands, Bismarck and Admiralty Archipelagos.
Female- Prominent blue eye ring, chest always royal blue, tail solid red.
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General Species Info
Habitat: forest, partially cleared areas, savannah with isolated tree cover and mangroves to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) exceptionally to 1,900 m (6,200 ft); regularly found in areas with tall secondary vegetation and cleared land with some trees; forages in cultivated areas, plantations and gardens.
Status: most sub-species at least common in localities; cornelia population on Sumba endangered; roratus extinct on Ambon, Saparua and Haruku through trapping for trade.
Habits: singly or in small family groups outside breeding season; very rarely groups of several birds; mostly seen flying in pairs or single males observed perching on exposed branches; conspicuous there because of call; female usually perches quietly in foliage near to trunk of tree; difficult to detect there as red-blue plumage provides ideal camouflage in dark interior; partner mostly perches a few metres apart or on different branch, often even in another tree; occasionally flocks of up to 80 birds on foraging or roosting trees in Australia; then noisy and conspicuous; recognisable from afar by distinctive call; pairs or small groups leave roosting trees in early morning hours to forage in forest or palm groves; shy and watchful; if disturbed, they fly up loudly screeching and circle before flying away; return to roosting trees between 4.00 and 6.00 p.m; new arrivals noisily greeted; powerful flight relatively slow with slow wingbeats interspersed with gliding; flies high over canopy on way to feeding trees; in palm groves or over open areas flies often very low, sometimes only few metres above ground; female flies mostly behind male; call harsh and screeching; a krraatch-krraak repeated three or four times; during feeding a disyllabic tschu-wi ... tschu-wi; males also produce a tschii-ong sound.
Natural diet: fruits (banana, papaya, figs, bread fruit), berries, nuts, buds (casuarinas), nectar, flowers and seeds; occasionally forages in maize fields; in New Guinea feeds mostly in trees 30m (100 ft) to 35 m (115 ft) high; on islands often in smaller trees and fruit trees in coconut plantations.
Breeding habits: breeding season on New Guinea possibly year round; on New Britain in January, on Bougainville and Solomon Islands from September to October and April to August, on Aru Islands from June to August and in Australia from October to January; nests mostly in tall, dead trees or palms on edge of forest or standing alone; usually from 14 m (45 ft) to 25 m (85 ft) high; entrance hole with diameter of 25 cm (10 ins) to 30 cm (12 ins); nesting hollow between 30 cm (12 ins) and 6 m (20 ft) deep; clutch 2 eggs laid on small pieces of chewed wood; female sits tightly; male comes at regular intervals to feed female; female appears at entrance, observes surroundings for some time before leaving nest to be fed by male on nearby branch; then disappears at once into nest hollow; occasionally groomed by male before returning; egg measures 40.2 x 31.0 mm (1.5 x 1.2 ins).
Aviculture: quiet, pleasant parrots, which can however also be very noisy; usually heard in evenings; lethargic in small cage; active in large flight or communal aviary; often prefers climbing to flying; newly imported birds not always easy to acclimatise; offspring hardy and not very susceptible; change of location can occasionally cause feeding difficulties; enjoys bathing; communal aviary with other birds possible even during breeding season; not heavy chewers; nonetheless provide fresh branches (willow, elder, fruit trees) regularly; female can be aggressive to partner outside breeding period.
Accommodation: aviary 3 x 1 x 2 m (9 x 3 x 6 ft); ideally combination of inside aviary with adjoining outside flight; communal aviary approx. 2,5 m² (27 sq. ft) per pair; keep newly imported birds
initially at temperature no lower than 20°C (68°F).
Diet: plenty of fruit (figs, mango, apple, ripe and unripe banana) and vegetables (carrot, garlic, cucumber, celery, peas, tomato); greenfood; half-ripe maize; seed mix of safflower, hemp, buckwheat, millet, canary seed, rapeseed, oats, linseed and wheat; also sprouted; spray millet; some pinenuts and peanuts; high requirement for vitamin A; can be provided as supplement in drinking water; in addition softened rusk and eggfood during breeding.
