Solomon Island Eclectus
By John Stoodley

Avian hobbies thrive for some parrot fanciers because of our fascination with the beauty we see in a particular species or genus of parrot. A while ago, I visited a respected parrot importer and saw several pairs of magnificent, colorful Solomon Island eclectus parrots. I left this establishment with two pairs, knowing they were true Solomon Island eclectus, not hybrids, as many birds are these days.

When I was in Australia, I had the privilege of visiting a vast collection of parrots housed in a wonderful aviary. The enclosure was 120 yards long, 65 yards wide and 20 yards high. This avian paradise was planted with subtropical shrubs and plants, and contained several pairs of eclectus.

Each pair had its own nestbox, and they were breeding in harmony. We are not able to offer such luxury, but I house our parrots in a large suspended aviary -- 21 feet long, 7 feet high and 4 feet wide -- the top of the enclosure being 10 feet above the floor. Parrots are happier when they are higher up from the ground.

I keep the unit situated in a large building with good natural light. During the shorter winter months, I use artificial lighting in the morning to keep daylight at a minimum of 14 hours, which is what the birds would have in their natural habitat.

It was to my great good fortune that within a few weeks, one of our new pairs had mated and produced eggs, one of which was fertile. The male hatchling has progressed well. I close-rung him and eventually he emerged from the nest, parent-raised. It is important to me that our hatchlings not be hand-raised; I fear this may cause them to lose some of their own parental instincts when they reach sexual maturity and it is their time to reproduce.

These eclectus are not the first we have kept. Some years ago, we had several pairs and found them easy to breed. We often regret having parted with these magnificent birds.

Care and Feeding

In recent times, the Solomon Island eclectus has become well-known in aviculture. Prior to this period, eclectus was mainly regarded as a cage bird, and many of the captured birds were lost because they were unable to adjust to the new living conditions. There are some parrots, Amazons and African grays in particular, which are capable of adapting to life as cage birds with relative ease. A wild-caught eclectus, however, needs more care.

Many more eclectus were lost because the food provided in captivity was unsuitable for this particular parrot. A study of the eclectus' digestive system shows this bird's need for a fruit and vegetable diet. Some caged parrots can survive for long periods on dry seed, but the eclectus cannot. To do well, they require a half-salad diet. My own breeding pairs eat mostly organically grown sprouted pulses, which are highly nutritious. The also eat large quantities of carrots, apples, oranges, fresh landcress and watercress, and leaf beat. A male with young in the nest will avidly take care of a stalk of celery or a head of lettuce daily. Because of the pesticide sprays used by some fruit and vegetable growers, we peel or wash all fruits and vegetables before giving them to the parrots.

Eclectus also need some shade and seclusion. These are lowland forest birds, after all. They love the early morning sun, but even in captivity they need a shady refuge. Their need for bathing is met by a misting system operated at least twice a week, winter and summer.

The building we keep our eclectus in is always warm. The roof has a southern elevation, and during the summer we use shading to reduce the sun's heat and glare.

Coloring and Temperament

At one time ornithologists considered the male and female eclectus as two separate species because of the completely different coloration of the birds. Males are mostly green with red sides to the body and red underwing coverts, with some blue in the wings and tail. The upper mandible is yellow, the lower mandible is black and the iris is orange. Females are a spectacular combination of red and purple. The head, breast and undertail coverts are vivid red, the back and wings are dark red, and the abdomen and upper mantle are purple. In some females, the abdomen is bluish-mauve.

These truly splendid parrots may not be as demonstrative as cockatoos, for example, and some aviculturists find the eclectus rather quiet and inactive. They are, however, highly intelligent birds. If you spend time with the youngsters they will become delightfully tame and playful.

My breeding pairs are compatible. Nevertheless, when matching up pairs, take care; females are often bossy. It is best to have males that are a year or so older than the females when pairing up youngsters. Because the birds are so keen to breed, during the winter I close off the nests to rest the females and keep them from becoming exhausted.

Breeding

Parents in tiptop breeding condition will all too often peck their chicks, especially on the feet, to make them leave the nestbox. Only occasionally have I found parents that tolerate young in the nest together with a new clutch of eggs. Because of this, it is important to make the opening of the nestbox easy for the young to emerge from. You should provide a good metal ladder that goes right down to the bottom of the box. I have known bird owners who use wooden ladders, but the hens tend to chew the bottom part of a wooden ladder away. This frequently results in mutilated youngsters who cannot not reach the shortened ladder to leave the nest. If the young have difficulty in vacating the nest they will be in danger of losing feet or mandibles, or of being killed by the parents. The nestbox can be of either the longbox design or the shortened version. Some breeders like their boxes upright, while others prefer a horizontal structure; either is fine as long as the nest is easy for the young to leave.

Many aviculturists are prevented from keeping parrots because of intolerant neighbors. This need not deter those with room for an indoor flight cage. Eclectus will breed equally well inside if a little thought is given to the size and situation of flight areas. In my opinion, all birds should be given the opportunity to fly. A good rule of thumb when buying or constructing a flight cage for large parrots is that the width should be twice the wingspan, plus a handspan. This allows pairs to pass each other in flight.

Finally, a few words of advice if you are planning to purchase eclectus. Take care to select even-tempered birds. You should avoid nervous parrots, as many start plucking their feathers when they become stressed. A steady bird will not suffer shock to the same degree as a nervous one, and will more readily adapt to its new environment in your home.

John Stoodley and his wife, Pat, reside in the United Kingdom. They have concentrated on parrots of the new world since 1973 and have authored three books.