Eclectus parrots are intelligent and playful friends
Eclectus Parrots (female and male)
The Eclectus parrot is an intelligent and active pet bird. They are also one of the more unusual members of the parrot family.
The first thing you will notice is that they are very sexually dimorphic. The male and female Eclectus are so different looking that they were originally thought to be two different species.
The male Eclectus are bright green with a yellow-orange beak while the female Eclectus are red and purple with a black beak. As soon as their feathers come in, you can tell whether the bird is male or female.
Their feathers also appear to be more hair-like rather than feather-like and they require more vitamin A and calcium in their diet than most other parrots. The specialized diet alone means they do require more experienced owners. They also don’t form strong bonds like other parrots, but this in no way means that they don’t make good pets.
Eclectus are only a little cuddly, but they are great companions and love to sit on a perch near you or on your hand. They are not great talkers, but they can learn a few words and phrases and even whole songs. What they love is imitating sounds–like a telephone, alarm, or microwave.
Eclectus Parrot Species
There are a few different Eclectus subspecies that are available for pets:
- Red-Sided Eclectus (E. roratus polychloros) – This subspecies is more outgoing and boisterous and has a great sense of humor.
- Solomon Island Eclectus (E. roratus solomonensis) – This is the most common and tend to make the best family pets.
- Vosmaer’s Eclectus (E. roratus vosmaeri) – This subspecies is believed to be the most quiet and gentle of the Eclectus.
Fast Facts
| Name | Eclectus (Eclectus roratus) |
| Origin | Indonesia, New Guinea, northern Australia |
| Size | 14″ (35 cm) and 370-525 grams (13-19 oz) |
| Color Differences | Male Eclectus are bright green with a yellow-orange beak while the female Eclectus are red and purple with a black beak. |
| Average Cost | $600-1200 |
| Lifespan | 30-50 years |
| Noise | Eclectus parrots can be loud, though they are not known to be screamers. They are best fit in a house. |
| Qualities | Some subpecies qualities are different from others (see above), don’t form strong bonds like other parrots do, good with children that know how to respect a bird, not good for a house with a lot of commotion, outgoing, curious, a little cuddly, love to perch near you and sit on your hand, entertaining, loving, intelligent, can be shy and standoffish, playful, very active, prone to feather plucking, sensitive to noise, males tend to be mellow and shy while females tend to be outgoing and a bit moody, most go through a nippy stage. |
| Abilities | Good – Capable of talking, can learn whole songs, love to imitate sounds, not great training ability. |
| Interaction/Time Requirements | Eclectus parrots need interaction on a daily basis |
| Diet | They need a diet for large birds and need more vitamin A and calcium than most other parrots do. Make sure not to feed them too many foods heavy in iron–Eclectus have problems with iron storage. |
| Supplies Needed | They need supplies for large birds. |
Eclectus Videos
“Riley the Amazing Talking Parrot – Best Bits”
Eclectus parrots can also be very good talkers. This video is a great example of how large of a vocabulary they can have!
“Eclectus parrot singing and talking”
This is a great video of another Eclectus singing and talking. They can be so talented!
“Talkative Eclectus”
This is a sweet video of a talking female Eclectus. They can talk well too!
Eclectus Training
Eclectus parrots can become very sensitive birds, so it is important to train them correctly right from the beginning. Eclectus parrots can be fantastic companions. They are caring, loving, and they can become very attached. However, if not properly trained, they can be very nervous and may never want to leave their cage.
For this reason, we highly recommend that you find an effective training program for your Eclectus. Whether your parrot is new to your home or you’ve had him for years, a training program will always come in handy. We personally recommend the Bird Tricks Parrot Training Course by Dave and Jamieleigh Womach. You can see many of their videos for free to get an idea of how much they know about parrots and how they can help you train yours.
Below is one of Dave’s videos about training an Eclectus who hates men and kids. This video is a great example of how effective the training courses can be and how they are filled with a wealth of useful information for any bird owner.
This video is only the first step in getting your Eclected fully tamed. We highly recommend checking out the BirdTricks Training Course for taming your parrot even further.
For more information about Dave and Jamieleigh’s courses, you can visit the Bird Tricks website HERE.
Eclectus Education
To learn more about your pet Eclectus, we recommend these books:
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Eclectus Parrots as Pets | PrimeEligible | Add to Cart | |
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Eclectus Parrots (Complete Pet Owner’s Manual) | PrimeEligible | Add to Cart | |
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The Eclectus Parrot: The Complete Guide | Prime | Add to Cart | |
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Owning an Eclectus Parrot | Prime | Add to Cart |
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Eclectus Gifts
Have a friend of family member who loves Eclectus parrots? Gift them something that will truly spark joy!
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Have A Great Story About Your Eclectus?
Share your experience with others! There’s no better way to learn about a pet bird than from an owner.
Some helpful information for potential owners can be: What is the sex of your bird? Is he/she friendly? Loving? Cuddly? Talented? Messy? Loud? You get the idea!
Your comment may just help someone decide whether or not this pet bird is for them.
Source
The Active Eclectus Parrot Is A Wonderful Companion is written by All Pet Birds for www.allpetbirds.com
