HABITAT AND RANGE:
Eastern Indonesia, Palau Islands,
Australia, New Guinea. Rain forests,
lowlands, tree clumps in the savanna and
woodlands.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
The male Eclectus has a brilliant green
body with blue, mauve and red and the
beak is yellow and orange. The female,
however, has a red and purple body with
a crimson head and back. Both males and
females are stocky in build with a short
neck and short square tail. Both of
their legs and feet are dark gray. They
are about 13-14 inches in length and
weigh about 14-15 ounces. Their wingspan
is 8-10 inches wide. These birds have an
estimated lifespan of 40 years.
ADAPTATIONS:
Because of their differently colored
feathers (sexual dimorphism) the young
can be sexed at three and a half weeks
of age. The intuitive instinct of the
Eclectus Parrots allows them to easily
read our moods, which is responsible for
owners bonding with them on a deeper
level than they bond with other pets.
Ten to twelve hours of sleep is the
general rule for Eclectus Parrots.
DIET:
Fruits, seeds nuts, berries, leaf buds,
blossoms and nectar.
REPRODUCTION
AND DEVELOPMENT:
The Eclectus does not mate for life.
Females incubated either one or two eggs
herself, only venturing out to be fed by
the male a short distance away. Both
parents care for and help feed the
chicks. The eggs incubate for
approximately 26 days.
