Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus)

The Eclectus Parrot, is a parrot native to the Solomon Islands, Sumba, New Guinea and nearby islands, northeastern Australia and the Malaku Islands (Moluccas). It is unusual in the parrot family for its extreme sexual dimorphism of the colours of the plumage; the male having a mostly bright green plumage and the female a mostly bright red and purple/blue plumage. The first European ornithologists to see the thought they were of two distinct species. Large populations of this parrot exist in Papua New Guinea where they are sometimes considered pests for eating fruit off trees. Their bright feathers are also used by native tribes people as decorations. 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 and male and female juveniles are brown at the base fading to yellow towards the biting edges and the tip. Eclectus Parrots are one of the more popular birds kept in captivity. They can become obese easily and have a tendency towards muscle spasms, toe tapping or wing flipping. Fortified foods can sometimes cause severe itching leading to skin and feather damage. They prefer calm environments and are sharply susceptible to changes in environments. Eclectus Parrots make a variety of sounds including, soft gong tones, coos and whistles, and comic squeals, they are good speakers but can scream if frightened.