Hey! Are you wondering why a green parrot and red parrot are in the same place and are named as same species? Well, we are Eclectus parrots and we are known for our extreme sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females of our species look a lot different from each other. So, red ones are females and green ones are males.
Know more about us :
- Our name Eclectus is derived from the word eclectic which means having or deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. This exactly describes our sexual dimorphism.
- We, like many other parrots, are kept as pets and also kept in captivity.
- Unlike many other parrots, we are surprisingly calm and peaceful.
- Our deeply involving mentality made people believe that we are dull-witted, but we are in fact a little intelligent.
- Do you know? We do not receive new people or things well and get irritated when introduced to them.
- Initially, when ornithologists first discovered us, they thought males and females are separate species, this was corrected only at the beginning of the 20th century.
SOME QUICK FACTS ABOUT US:
Our Scientific Name: Eclectus Roratus.
Identification: Parrots: Males are green with orange bill; females are red with black bill.
Our Habitat: densely populated forests, and coastal areas where there are a lot of tall trees and tropical climate.
Our Range:
Food Habits: Herbivorous; feed mainly on fruits, figs, unripe nuts, leaf buds, seeds and also flowers.
Breeding Period: April to December.
Number of eggs laid: 1-2 eggs.
Incubation period: 28-30 days.
Lifespan: about 30 years in wild.
IUCN red list status: Least Concern.
CITES: Appendix II.
Indian Wildlife Protection Act: Protected.
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittaculidae
Genus: Eclectus
Species: E. roratus
COMPLETE DETAILS ABOUT US FOR ANIMAL ENTHUSIASTS:
We are known for our extreme sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females look drastically different. Let us tell you more about our species.
Eclectus Parrots are scientifically called as Eclectus Roratus.
HOW WE LOOK:
We are short-tailed parrots with a body length of 35cm and weighing 500gms-600gms. Males and females look vastly different.
Males of our species are mostly bright green in color with the head having a yellow tinge. Their primary wings are blue in color with red underwings. Their tail is green with blueish and yellow tip. The bill is multi-colored, the upper bill is orange with a yellow tip and the lower bill is black in color.
Females of our species are mostly red in color. Wings and back of females are redder than other parts. Underparts of wings are dark purple in color. Underbelly and wing edges are bluish in color. The tail of females is yellowish-orange in color. The bill is black for the females.
Young ones of our species differ from adults having dark brown to black eyes compared to adults’ yellow-orange eyes.
WE ARE FOUND IN:
Our preferred habitat is densely populated forests, and coastal areas where there are a lot of tall trees and tropical climate.
Our range lies in countries like Papua New Guinea, Sumba Islands, Solomon Islands, Australia, Palau, Goram Islands, and Singapore.
WHAT WE EAT:
We are herbivorous parrots and feed mostly on fruits, figs, unripe nuts, leaf buds, seeds and also flowers.
OUR REPRODUCTION:
Our breeding is unique. Our breeding season is from April to December. In this time, females generally nest in a hollow by occupying it and not allowing other females to get near her. She stays at the entrance of the hollow. She is fed by males that pass by the hollow.
We are polygynandrous species, meaning one female has several male partners in a lifetime. The passing males feed and mate with the female. The males often fight with each other for the female’s affection.
The female lays eggs in the same nest. 1-2 eggs are laid at a time with the incubation period being 28-30 days. The young chicks are taken care of and fed by the female.
The young chicks leave the nest after about 11 weeks. They obtain sexual maturity at 2-3 years of age.
Our lifespan is expected to be 30 years.
MORE ABOUT US:
We are one of the popular birds kept in captivity and also as a pet.
We are surprisingly calm birds, unlike other parrots. We deeply get involved in novel items or situations. This leads to people thinking that we are dull-witted.
We are the birds that are most irritated by anything new than any other pet birds.
OUR CONSERVATION:
We are abundantly available in our range and are considered “Least Concern” in the red list of IUCN. Our populations are decreasing due to habitat loss. We are also listed in CITES Appendix II. We are also protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
