Parrots, also known as psittacines (pronounced /ˈsɪtəsaɪnz/), are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most warm and tropical regions.

The order is subdivded in three families:
the Psittacidae ('true' parrots),
the Cacatuidae (cockatoos) and the
Nestoridae (New Zealand parrots).

Parrots have a pan-tropical distribution with several species inhabiting the temperate Southern Hemisphere as well. The greatest diversity of parrots is found in South America and Australasia.

Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Most parrots are predominantly green, with other bright colors, and some species are multi-colored.

Cockatoo species range from mostly white to mostly black, and have a mobile crest of feathers on the top of their heads. Most parrots are monomorphic or minimally sexually dimorphic. They are the most variably sized bird order in tems of length.

The most important components of most parrots' diets are seeds, nuts, fruit, buds and other plant material, and a few species also eat insects and small animals, and the lories and lorikeets are specialised to feed on nectar from flowers, and soft fruits.

Almost all parrots nest in tree holes (or nestboxes in captivity), and lay white eggs from which emerge altricial (helpless) young. Parrots, along with ravens, crows, jays and magpies, are some of the most intelligent birds, and the ability of some parrot species to imitate human voices enhances their popularity as pets.

Trapping of wild parrots for the pet trade, as well as other hunting, habitat loss and competition from invasive species, have diminished wild populations, and parrots have been subjected to more exploitation than any other group of birds.

Recent conservation measures to conserve the habitats of some of the high-profile charismatic parrot species has also protected many of the less charismatic species living in the ecosystem.

Parrots, also known as psittacines (pronounced /ˈsɪtəsaɪnz/),are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most warm and tropical regions.

The order is subdivded in three families: the Psittacidae ('true' parrots), the Cacatuidae (cockatoos) and the Nestoridae (New Zealand parrots).


Parrots have a pan-tropical distribution with several species inhabiting the temperate Southern Hemisphere as well. The greatest diversity of parrots is found in South America and Australasia. Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet.

Most parrots are predominantly green, with other bright colors, and some species are multi-colored. Cockatoo species range from mostly white to mostly black, and have a mobile crest of feathers on the top of their heads. Most parrots are monomorphic or minimally sexually dimorphic. They are the most variably sized bird order in terms of length.

The most important components of most parrots' diets are seeds, nuts, fruit, buds and other plant material, and a few species also eat insects and small animals, and the lories and lorikeets are specialised to feed on nectar from flowers, and soft fruits. Almost all parrots nest in tree holes (or nestboxes in captivity), and lay white eggs from which emerge altricial (helpless) young.

Parrots, along with ravens, crows, jays and magpies, are some of the most intelligent birds, and the ability of some parrot species to imitate human voices enhances their popularity as pets.

Trapping of wild parrots for the pet trade, as well as other hunting, habitat loss and competition from invasive species, have diminished wild populations, and parrots have been subjected to more exploitation than any other group of birds. Recent conservation measures to conserve the habitats of some of the high-profile charismatic parrot species has also protected many of the less charismatic species living in the ecosystem.

The Grand Eclectus was the first Eclectus to be discovered and thus was used as the nominate subspecies or race. This does not mean that this race is the most beautiful of the group, only that the first observers of the Eclectus thought that this bird was indeed grand in its appearance.

The Grand Eclectus is slightly smaller in total length than the Vosmaeri Eclectus, which is closely related in coloration. Even though the Grand is smaller in length, most members of this race are more stocky is body shape than the Vosmaeri or even the Red-sided Eclectus.

Male

The Grand Eclectus male has a duller, but darker green body plumage compared to the Vosmaeri male, which is a bright grass green. The color of its upper mandible ranges in color from the bright candy-corn color to a slightly paler version. It normally does not have a pale orange upper mandible, which is normally a sign of immaturity or inadequate nutrition in its diet.

The Grand male has a faint tip of dull yellow coloration (sometimes appearing as a yellowish-white edging) that can be observed at the end of its tail. This faint yellow tip coloration is much more visual from below (vent side) than it is from the topside. The yellow tip of the tail on the Grand is much fainter than is observed on the Vosmaeri male subspecies. The upper mandible of the Grand male is more slender than it is on any other subspecies.

Female

The Grand Eclectus female is one of the most difficult to identify of any of the female Eclectus subspecies. As stated before some of the color traits found in the Vosmaeri race are found in the Grand race. These individual birds originate from Ceram from the central Moluccas, which borders the islands where the Vosmaeri race originates.

The chest and breast feather coloration of the Grand female is a dull purplish coloration. It is not the bright lavender coloration of the Vosmaeri race. The biggest variation found in Grand females is the placement of the dividing line between the red head and the dull purple chest feathers. Individual variations show the purple chest feathers blending into the red head feathers at the chin line.

This is the least frequently observed. Other Grand females have an inch and one half diffusion of purple feathers blending into the red feathers at the chest. Another group of Grand females have a defined separation between the red feathers and the purple breast feathers.

The tail of the Grand female is shorter in total length than is found in the Vosmaeri female. The tail of the Grand female appears as an orangeish coloration often tending to an orangish-yellow tinge. This orange-yellow coloration is brighter on the top or rump side. The central ‘ ;V’ area of the vent is usually a darkish red coloration. Her iris is yellowish to a whitish yellow in color.

There are several defined areas to observer in comparing a Grand female and a hybrid (Grand or Vosmaeri X Red-sided) Eclectus. A hybrid between these two groups (the lavender group and the cobalt blue group) is one that it will almost always have a blue eye-wing, which is absent in the Grand female. The second area to observe is the coloration of the tail feathers.

The hybrid usually shows a tail that is reddish in coloration while the Grand female will show an orange to yellow-orange coloration. The next significant difference is that the hybrid will show a cobalt-purple chest while the Grand female retains the purple coloration.

The last and possibly most significant is that the bib on the hybrid is not visually observed flowing on the body going over the wing bend. It retains the flat bib line across the chest as is observed in any of the red-sided group. Any purple or lavender Eclectus female (which includes both the Grand and the Vosmaeri races) will always have a broad line of purple or lavender observed flowing on the body up and over the wing bend.

Ornithologists usually classify the Eclectus Parrot as a member of tribe Psittaculini in the Psittacidae family of order Psittaciformes. However, some recent thought indicates that there is a great deal of commonality between the Eclectus Parrot and the Loriinae tribe.

The Eclectus Parrot is the most sexually dimorphic of all the parrot species. The contrast between the brilliant emerald green plumage of the male and the deep red/purple plumage of the female is so marked that the two birds were, until the early 20th century, considered to be different species.

It is thought that there are nine (possibly ten) subspecies of Eclectus Parrots, with differences in size and coloring. In captivity, some of the most common subspecies are the Solomon Island, the Vosmaeri, and the New Guinea Red-sided.

• Grand Eclectus (Eclectus roratus roratus)
• Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus solomonensis)
• New Guinea Red-sided Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus polychloros)
• Australian Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus macgillivrayi)
• Vosmaer's Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus vosmaeri) - sometimes called the Vos Eclectus
• Aru Island Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus aruensis)
• Westerman's Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus westermani) – doubtfully valid.
• Sumba Island Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus cornelia)
• Tanimbar Islands Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus riedeli)
• Biak Island Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus biaki)

Although the Eclectus Parrot is the only extant species in the genus Eclectus, fossil remains of another species, Oceanic Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus infectus), have been found in archaeological sites in the islands of Tonga and Vanuatu (Steadman 2006). The species presumably existed in Fiji as well. E. infectus had proportionally smaller wings than the Eclectus Parrot. The species went extinct after the arrival of man 3000 years ago, presumably due to human-caused factors (habitat loss, introduced species).

Diet

The diet of the eclectus in the wild consists of mainly fruits, 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.

Eclectus parrots are one of the more popular birds kept in captivity, as either parent or hand reared. Unlike many other species of parrot they are relatively easy to breed yet difficult to hand feed. Eclectus in captivity require vegetables high in beta-carotene, such as lightly cooked sweet potato, fresh broccoli clumps, and fresh corn on the cob.

Fresh greens such as endive or commercial dandelion are a very important in providing calcium and other nutrients. As with all pet birds, they should not be fed avocado, chocolate, or high fat junk foods such as French fries or commercially processed human foods such as pizza. Parrots are unable to digest the lactose in milk.

Spray millet is one of the seed items they enjoy, though the Eclectus diet should typically contain much less seed than other birds. A variety of soaked and cooked beans and legumes, along with brown rice, provided in limited amounts help provide protein. Nuts and seeds provide vitamin E, but should be limited in order to avoid too much fat in the diet, as Eclectus parrots can become obese.

The captive Eclectus can be susceptible to muscle spasms known as toe-tapping and wing flipping, the causes of which are not clear. These movements have not been observed in the wild. Potential causes include calcium deficiency, consumption of pellets or other foods that are overly fortified or artificially colored, or even simple dehydration. Fortified or artificial foods may also cause allergic reactions in some individuals, including severe itchiness leading to feather and skin damage.