The Eclectus Parrot, Eclectus roratus, is a parrot native to the Solomon Islands, Sumba, New Guinea and nearby islands, northeastern Australia and the Maluku 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.

Joseph Forshaw, in his book Parrots of the World, noted that the first European ornithologists to see Eclectus Parrots 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 Eclectus Parrot is unusual in the parrot family for its marked sexual dimorphism in the colours of the plumage.

The male is mostly bright green with blue primaries, and red flanks and underwing coverts, while the female is mostly red with a blue abdomen and nape in most subspecies, purple abdomen and nape in the subspecies from the north and central Maluku Islands (roratus and vosmaeri), and red abdomen and nape in the subspecies from Sumba and Tanimbar Islands (cornelia and riedeli).

Females of several subspecies have a yellow-tipped tail; taken to the extreme in riedeli and vosmaeri which also have yellow undertail coverts.

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.

Whether you know them as Quaker parrots or Monk parrots, these little green and grey birds are the subject of a lot of controversy. Quakers are illegal to keep in many states.

The worry is that escaped individuals will form large wild populations and become a major pest. Whether these laws are based in reality or not, the issue is being hotly debated between parrot welfare groups and governing agencies.


You can get more information about this from the internet ! This article is about the Quaker as a pet, for those of you who are allowed to have one. Those who can’t are encouraged to become active in the efforts to overturn the restrictive laws so that everyone can enjoy Quakers.

Quakers are a small parrot native to South America. They are a very affordable bird compared to other parrots their size. Beautiful color mutations like powder blue and yellow are available, too. They’re more expensive than the normal greens, but as they become more established, the prices become more reasonable. A Quaker’s size makes him easy to accommodate if you don’t have a lot of space, but if you live in an apartment, you may want to check to see how "soundproof" your walls are.

Noise is often one of the biggest behavior problems reported by Quaker owners. Nipping is another. These birds are outgoing and active, and their energy levels can be hard for some people to manage. If you’re a patient person, and know how to provide a sense of authority without being a bully, you’re more likely to get along with a Quaker than someone who’s either too hesitant or too aggressive. Overall, the Quaker is a feisty but lovable little parrot. One thing that makes them so cute is their lively, bouncy bob. When you see it, you can’t help but be drawn to the bird.

Snuggles and kisses are activities Quakers like to engage in, but they’re also playful and like to show off. Their talking ability can be quite impressive, and they tend to be enthusiastic learners. Games and trick training are good ways to provide needed physical and mental exercise, as well as giving your bird some structure to his daily life.

Appropriate activity helps the bird channel his energy in a way that’s not as likely to get him into trouble. When behavior problems do occur with Quakers, boredom is a common contributor. Keep your Quaker busy, and you’ll keep him happy.

Because Quakers are very social, they’re eager for attention, and will usually want to hang around with you. Encouraging independent play is very important so your Quaker can be by himself when he needs to. You’ll also want him to meet and be handled by other people, and set consistent rules so he knows what he can and can’t get away with. If children are going to handle him, they’ll need to know the rules, too, so they don’t accidentally encourage bad habits. A Quaker may quickly take advantage of a person he thinks isn’t going to make him mind.

Some Quakers may be reluctant to step up onto people’s hands. We had one like this. It wasn’t that he didn’t’ want to come to us, but he would rather be picked up like a ball than step up. At first we thought he had a physical problem, or was mentally not too bright, but we eventually realized this wasn’t the case. He just liked being picked up.

The people who had him before we did probably took the path of least resistance and never worked on stepping up since it was easier to pick him up. Having talked to other Quaker owners with a similar problem, I think this may be more common in birds that came from large breeding facilities, or any place where the hand feeder didn’t have time to wait for the young bird to figure out the hand thing. Quakers are smart, but they’re also on the stubborn side, which can be part of their charm. That, and their little bob.

Macaws are one of the most familiar parrots. Even people who don’t particularly know much about parrots will recognize these majestic birds.

They have a very distinctive look—large beak, long tail, bare face patch—with a show-off personality that makes them popular in shows at zoos and theme parks. They’re all over the place in advertising, especially if the ad has a tropical theme.


One of the most recognized is probably the scarlet macaw. But macaws have far more to offer than just good looks and exotic flair. They’re an intelligent pet that rewards the right type of owner with years of affectionate and fun-loving companionship, sometimes compared to dogs in terms of how well they respond to their people.

No one should get a parrot without research and planning, and this is especially true for the larger species of macaws. Their caging needs alone make it out of the question for anyone with little space, and along with that big body comes a big attitude. Inexperienced parrot owners may not be prepared for a sassy, brassy macaw. And if you’re looking for a parrot on the quiet side, forget it.

Macaws’ voices match their personalities: bold and almost always ready to go. There still may be some hope for you if you like what macaws have to offer but aren’t able to accommodate such a large parrot. One of the smaller varieties might fit your lifestyle. You’d still need to know what you’re getting into, though. Even the mini macaws require an owner that’s dedicated and willing to establish rules and limits. A macaw of any size is not what I would consider a beginner’s parrot.

One challenge macaw owners can face is getting over any nervousness about those large beaks. Capable of snapping a broomstick, a macaw that means business isn’t a bird you want to push around. They learn when they’re young that hissing, lunging and brandishing that beak are effective ways to get what they want. But most macaws, as long as they’ve been treated kindly by people, are actually pretty gentle and easy going.

They will rarely bite as hard as they’re able. In the years that I’ve dealt with macaws of all ages and sizes, I’ve never received a serious bite, only some pinches that hurt at the time but didn’t do any real harm. I’ve been screamed at loudly, though, which isn’t pleasant and can be somewhat intimidating in its own way. If someone is working with a macaw and is overly hesitant, the bird is going to have that person’s number right away. A calm, confident person tends to do much better with a macaw. They don’t respond well to bullying, but they do need guidance and kind authority.

Treated with respect and given the right environment, which includes plenty of out-of-the-cage exercise and mental stimulation, a macaw can be a joy. They like to be involved in whatever the family is doing and thrive when they can have the stage all to themselves. They’re one of the major "hams" of the parrot world, so talking, singing and trick training are fine activities to do with a macaw.

While some individuals don’t mind just sitting around, and may be able to spend a considerable amount of time on a play gym, a macaw will often want to investigate things, wandering around on the floor and climbing up onto anything he can get to. Supervision is important. They aren’t the type of pet you’ll want to let come and go at will from his cage. Doing so can lead to behavior problems, such as the bird becoming overly pushy and willful, but it’s also likely to result in lots of chewed-up items around the house. Remember, think "guidance" and "limits". Give them more chances to be good than to misbehave.

Behavior problems in macaws can range from minor, hormonal moodiness to all-out mayhem with biting and excessive screaming. Rescued macaws that were mistreated, ignored, or just not well-trained seem to have the most issues, but even these guys can come around in time. Macaws are very social and will usually want to have a relationship with the people around them. They’ve got big hearts to go along with their big beaks.