Eclectus

by gloria scholbe
August 2001

Eclectus parrots are without a doubt, among the most beautiful and elegant of parrots. 

       "The hens are red,
        and males are green.
        At first 'twas thought
        two kinds were seen.
        But when 'twas found
        one species fared,
        at last were then
        two genders paired ." gjs

This poem refers to the extreme dimorphism (visual difference between genders) of eclectus. At one time even expert authorities believed that they were two different species  of birds.  The male was described in writings during the late 1700s, but it wasn't until 100 years later that the hen was also mentioned.

Wild Origins and Subspecies Differences

New Guinea, The Solomon Islands, Indonesia, and Cape York peninsula of Australia are home to different Eclectus subspecies. Many of the islands are separated by sufficient ocean to allow for their natural evolution into separate races. The Grand Eclectus (Eclectus roratus roratus), is the nominate race. Some subspecies, like the Biaki (E.r. biaki) and the Aru (E.r. aruensis) might not actually be distinct races, but rather variations of the Redsided (E.r. polychloros.) This is a matter of much debate. Another named subspecies, E.r. westermani, has never been seen in wild populations but only in captivity. Therefore its position as a separate subspecies is highly doubtful.

Two subspecies, Cornelia's (E.r. cornelia) and Tanimbar (E.r. riedeli) are very uncommon in captive breeding programs and are quite rare in nature, too. Another subspecies, Macgillivrayi (E.r. macgillivrayi) is Australia's Eclectus and the largest of all Eclectus subspecies. None of these three subspecies are known to be in the United States.

The most common subspecies kept in aviculture and as pets are Redsided (E.r. polychloros), Vosmaeri (E.r. vosmaeri) and Solomon island (E.r. solomonensis.) The nominate species, Grand (E.r. roratus), is also available but some experts doubt that many of these are pure birds.

Redsided with smaller Solomon hen. Note longer tail length and royal blue breast and shoulders of Redsided vs. short tail and brighter  electric blue of Solomon.

photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eclectus, especially the males of each subspecies, look so much alike that it has been difficult to maintain purity in breeding programs. Crosses between subspecies (hybrids are offspring of breeding between species; crosses are between subspecies) are commonly being sold as pure birds. This is not necessarily an attempt to defraud the purchaser. Many honest mistakes have been made.

To help people identify their own birds, The Eclectus Group organization has posted subspecies identification tables and photos on their website. Even so, it often takes an expert eye to discern some differences. It is easier to distinguish differences between hens than between males.

Another factor to consider is regional differences. For example, Solomon island eclectus look very much like Redsided, with size being one of the major differences between them. However, Solomon island eclectus themselves decrease in size as their range becomes further distanced from New Guinea, the home of Redsided Eclectus. The closer S.i. range approaches New Guinea, the closer in size they are to Redsided.

For this reason, some experts have speculated that Solomon island Eclectus are merely a regional variation of Redsided. This does not take into account other differences between them such as tail and wing length and the color of blue seen at the shoulders and breast. These differences are consistent, so there should really be no doubt that Redsided and Solomon island eclectus are distinct subspecies.

Natural Diet

In the wild, Eclectus forage for food in the forest canopy. Their diet consists of a variety of fruit, nuts, seeds, leaf buds, flowers, and other vegetation. They are not normally seen foraging on the ground.  However, where their territory intersects with human cultivation, they do raid crops. Eclectus are particularly fond of corn. In addition they raid banana, papaya, sugar cane and other above ground crops. They are not quite as destructive with root crops, but have been seen going after harvested yams. To read a fascinating eyewitness account of wild Eclectus in Papua New Guinea, visit Dan Meyer's website.

Captive Diet

Captive diets should take the birds' natural foods into consideration. The basic macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are important. Also important are plant (phyto) nutrients, which include plant chemicals, bioflavonoids, and pigments found in fruits and vegetables.  Neither an all-seed, all-pellet, or combination of  seed/pellet diet supplies this type of nutrition.

Another factor to keep in mind is the Eclectus intestine, which is somewhat longer than other parrots. Because of this physical difference, Eclectus require more fiber in their diets. Fiber serves to exercise and cleanse the gut, moving toxins and excess fat out of the digestive tract.

At least half of the Eclectus diet should consist of vegetables, particularly those that are dark green, orange, and yellow.  Several sources claim that Eclectus require higher amounts of Vitamin A than other species of parrot, but Amazons, African greys, and Jardine's also seem to have this need. Providing and rotating a variety of the carotene-rich vegetables daily, such as broccoli, spinach, endive, winter squash, pumpkin, and carrots, will help to fill this need.

Another good portion of the Eclectus diet should include a variety of fruits. Those that are pigmented all the way through, such as kiwi, papaya, blueberries, melons, apricots and tomatoes etc should be stressed. The rest of the diet can consist of seeds and nuts.

An excellent supplement for natural source vitamins and minerals would be one of the green food powders such as wheat grass, barley grass, or even spirulina. Although a popular myth has developed that spirulina causes a neurological spasm disorder in Eclectus, my own experience tells me that this reputation is undeserved. I would be more inclined to conjecture that spirulina obtained from contaminated sources is a factor rather than spirulina itself.

Known Health Problems

Eclectus are subject to the same variety of dis-ease conditions that  plague other parrots. These include bacterial infections, viral infections, malnutrition, parasites (external and internal), environmental toxins, metal poisoning, and fungal infections. Some conditions seem to affect them to a greater degree than other parrots.

Treatment is to find the cause and eliminate it.  Birds may be required to wear a collar until the problem is solved to prevent them from harming themselves. At this time, there is no definitive cause. However, there is wide speculation.  Some of the theories include:

Calcium deficiency
Magnesium deficiency
Nutritional imbalance
Food allergies
Spirulina
Artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in pellets and other processed foods
Sunflower seeds
Stress

The reason for such divergent opinions is that when one of the variables is changed, then the problem discontinues. For example, some people have stopped feeding spirulina. When spirulina is removed from the diet, the toe tapping stops. In other cases, a calcium/magnesium supplement has been added. After a regimen of supplementation, the toe-tapping stops. Toe tapping has also been controlled in different birds by changing the pellet brand or eliminating sunflower seed from the diet.

I raised Eclectus for over 8 years and was feeling pretty smug about never having seen a case of toe-tapping or wing flipping. Then one of my birds started tapping and nearly chewed off a toe. This bird had to be collared. Shortly after, two others started tapping. I switched to a different brand of pellets and haven't seen the problem since.  However, I'm not blaming the pellets because I used that brand for several years with no problems.

Allow me to propose that a combination of factors might enter into the equation of why Eclectus toe-tap.  When one of those factors is removed, then the bird stops and people focus on that factor as the cause of toe-tapping. In actuality it may be a combination of things that cause the problem. This may be why it is so hard to define a single cause.

Carolyn Swicegood is collecting data about this syndrome via a survey on her website. If your bird toe-taps or wing flips, please add your information to her database. Carolyn's website is located at the Land of Vos.

Ricky has always been my show-off bird. He was one of my first babies, became my personal pet, and has been exposed to a variety of birds, people, and situations. Of all my birds, he is probably the least likely to stress. That is why I was so surprised when within a few days after moving Patrick (a male eclectus who plucks) into the room where I keep Ricky and several other eclectus, Ricky also started to pluck.

I don't believe the presence of Patrick caused Ricky any stress. Nothing changed other than adding Patrick to the room. Diet and environment stayed the same. However, Ricky had never seen a plucked Eclectus prior to this. Once Ricky started plucking, he continued this behavior for a few months, and then he stopped. Now nearly all of his feathers have grown back in. I speculate that Ricky started to pluck because he saw Patrick pluck and he stopped because once his curiosity was satisfied, he lost interest.

So, in addition to all the other reasons for plucking, I would like to add curiosity or mimicking. I doubt that it is common, but based on my observations, I believe it happens.

Intelligence

If you can get past their beauty to really know them, two characteristics about eclectus stand out. The first is their extreme intelligence and the second is their individuality.

Ricky's curiosity and exploration of feather plucking is a sign of his intelligence. He not only conducted a study (parrot version) to determine the potential benefits of feather plucking, but has at different times designed protocols (not to be confused with human science) to establish human responses to vocal and visual stimuli.

One study, undertaken because his human had become desensitized to overtures for attention, involved emitting a loud growl when she hurriedly walked past his cage. The human's response was to stop, turn, and gaze upon him questioningly. Encouraged by this reaction, Ricky varied the stimulus in imaginative ways by accompanying his growls with vigorous chain rattling, physical weaving and bobbing, and demonstrations of beak aggression against cage bars and dishes. All of which drew the human's attention like a magnet and caused her to approach the cage and speak to him with concern.

Another study was to determine if human emotion and reaction could be manipulated into desired behaviors. In this study, instead of exhibiting territoriality when she was servicing the cage, he sweetly lifted a foot toward her. This was to indicate that he had a desire to step-up. In response, the human offered her hand and took him for a walk into different rooms to greet other birds. So satisfying was the result of this experiment, that now Ricky often uses this ploy when he wants to visit birds he hears but cannot see.

Ricky isn't the only intelligent eclectus in my experience.  Maggie is probably more than 15 years old. I've had her since around 1991 and I purchased her as a mature proven wild-caught Grand eclectus breeder hen.  I have never handled her or made a pet out of her because she was purchased for breeding. She recently lost her mate so I plan to move her into a community cage but will first quarantine her in my computer room for a couple of months.

When I netted her out of her flight cage and placed her in the carrier for a visit to the vet, I saw she was very stressed and asked: "are you OKaay?" The next morning I experienced a coughing and sneezing fit while I was reading my email. Later that day, when I approached her cage, she said "are you OKaay?" and when I was in the kitchen cutting vegetables, I heard her coughing and sneezing just as I had that morning. This past week, she has developed quite a vocabulary, repeating some things she has heard me say only once. More recently learned phrases include: "Hi Maggie", "ha ha ha ha", "What are you doing?", "mumbling of a phone conversation", "Hello", "You stop that", "Shut up" (to the dog), "Pretty girl", and more. She doesn't know the meaning of the sounds she makes, but the ability to mimic and learn quickly is a criteria of intelligence.

Josie, a young hen of about a year, likes to dump her food dish. So, to outwit her, I supplied her cage with a crock-lock dish. Within one day, she figured out how to unlock the crock and pull it out of the holder.

Nanci is a parent raised hen of about two years. Her cage is next to Ricky's. She watches everything he does and copies some of his behavior. She not only says everything that both Ricky and Patrick say (sometimes there is quite a conversation going on in that room) but she has also picked up some of Ricky's chain-rattling and growling behaviors...which she only does when I am in the room.

These are a few examples of eclectus creativity and learning ability, which is a manifestation of intelligence. No formal studies have been done to establish the extent of eclectus' cognitive abilities.

Personality and Temperament

Each eclectus is an individual. I cannot stress that enough. I raise both Solomon island and Redsided. Most of the eclectus that I keep in my collection were either bred and raised by me or purchased as babies and raised by me. I have experienced the various personality changes that eclectus go through from four weeks through maturity. Each bird develops at its own pace. You would think that all birds raised in the same environment would be exactly the same. Well, it isn't true for human children and it isn't true for birds either. Although each is a product of its environment, each is also a product of its genetics.

I've heard the myth that males are sweeter than hens and Solomon islands are sweeter than Redsided. Please allow me to dispel that myth. It isn't true. However, there is a phenomenon called the Pygmalion effect. You can unconsciously force people and birds to fulfill your expectations. If you want your dog to be vicious, call it Fang and give it no love. If you want your child to grow up to be a thief, treat it with distrust and lack of respect. If you want your bird to bite you, play rough with your bird and it will play rough with you or learn to fear you.

Some of my males are sweeter than my hens. Some of my hens are sweeter than my males. One of my hens loves to be cuddled. Most of my eclectus do not like close contact but do love interaction and gentle play.

The only reason that Redsided have the reputation for being less sweet than Solomon islands is because they are often sold too soon. Redsided develop slower than the S.i. Yes, they may be weaned, but psychologically they are not ready. If they are given the time they need to develop under the guidance and supervision of someone willing to understand the temperament stages of eclectus, they will be just as sweet as S.i. Unfortunately, many Redsided are sold during that critical stage when they are developing self confidence. The result is very damaging to their personality.

One of my Redsided girls was particularly nippy and paranoid. I decided not to offer her for sale because the consequences would have been disastrous for both her and her new family. It wasn't until she was past nine months old that she suddenly turned around all on her own and sought interaction. She became one of the sweetest eclectus I have ever raised and she is adored by her family.

A S.i. girl that I purchased as a baby, on the other hand, almost four now, has never liked human contact. Marta has always been very phobic up to this past year. This year her phobia has turned into an aggressive/wary/desire to interact. She comes up to the cage wire and loves to grab or bite any clothing she can reach especially if the person doesn't look at her. As soon as one looks at her, though, she moves away. In contrast, another S.i. hen, Sally, allows me to move her aside from the eggs or babies she is brooding and never attempts to bite me.

Once they attain some maturity, eclectus' personality becomes stable. They no longer transition from fear stage to feed me stage to nippy stage to independence stage. But, there are mood swings. This can be attributed partially to hormonal and seasonal fluctuations. Other factors to consider in mood swings are: diet, environment, health, allergies, and emotional response to perceptions of what is happening around them.

Overall, I find eclectus to be companionable. They have a quiet inner presence that is pleasant to be around. This doesn't mean they are quiet. They have a particularly loud, grating call that is quite at odds with their appearance. Thankfully, they don't produce this call all day long.  Even so, my flock of eclectus is quite loud as they interact with one another. One eclectus by itself will produce less noise but I would be concerned if an eclectus was quiet all day long.

If you isolate your bird into a room by itself, it may call unceasingly. One family, to whom I sold a young male, did this very thing. They decided to make the bird live in their daughter's bedroom. Soon its calls of loneliness became irritating to them. Rather than allow the bird to live amongst them, they offered him for sale. This was a good thing because now he is living with a family who takes good care of him.

Eclectus produce other natural sounds that are very pleasant. These sounds are an assortment of hoots, gongs, clicks, and whistles. I have never learned what these sounds mean, but I repeat their sounds to communicate with them...much the same way they repeat my sounds to communicate with me.

In addition to clearly repeating words and phrases, they can also sing, although they aren't as talented in this direction as are amazons. Maggie has a sweet singing voice. She sounds like a little girl when she sings "I luuuuv you".  In my experience, their ability to talk clearly and learn words meets that of African greys...which I have also raised.

Unweaned Babies

Unless the person who wishes to purchase an unweaned eclectus is a breeder already experienced and successful at raising healthy eclectus, then don't sell and don't buy unweaned. Eclectus are one of the more challenging species to raise. Responsible eclectus breeders will admit this fact. Some people have perpetrated the myth that if you raise the bird yourself then it will bond to you. This is simply untrue. The instinct of weaned birds is to leave their parents.

Although handfeeding is not rocket science, there is science involved. No one can become an expert by raising one bird. If you have never raised an eclectus before, then you are taking the bird from expert hands and placing it in the hands of a rank amateur who will not have the experience to recognize when something has gone wrong.

Summary

Eclectus are the personification of beauty and brains. In addition, they are not too clingy, too noisy, too destructive, or too dusty. They do have various health problems prevalent amongst the species, most of which can be avoided by proper diet.  By that, I mean feeding natural foods and limiting processed foods...especially those with artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

The personality of eclectus varies from bird to bird. There is no way to predict how they will develop while they are young. The best way of selecting an eclectus who will fit into your life is by visiting weaned birds at the breeding facility. There you and your bird can choose one another and begin to form a bond that will last a lifetime.

References: 

A Guide to Eclectus Parrots by Australian Birdkeeper
A Complete Guide to Eclectus Parrots by K. Wayne Arthur, Fred Bauer, and Laurella Desborough
The Eclectus A Complete Guide by Roger Sweeney
Parrots of the World by Joseph M Forshaw
Parrots: Their Care and Breeding by Rosemary Low
Parrots and Related Birds by Henry J Bates and Robert I Busenbark