Parrot Country's Red Sided Eclectus Parrots
 Solomon |
 Red Sided |
 Halmahera |
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About Red Sided Eclectus Parrots (Eclectus Roratus Polychloros)
The
Red Sided Eclectus Parrot is one of the most popular Eclectus species
kept by aviculturalists, and it is not difficult to see why. With their
intensely shaded coloring and their lovely personalities, Red Sided
Eclectus Parrots are truly incredible birds.
In the wild, Red Sided Eclectus Parrots nest high in the forest canopy. Pairs will usually predominate in a group, with other parrots in the group helping the dominant pair to raise their young. In captivity, they tend to do well when kept in pairs. Red Sided Eclectus Parrots may be fed plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables along with a good basic pellet diet or seed mix. The majority of the seeds should be soaked to make them softer for the parrots. Plenty of branches or wood should be provided for your Red Sided Eclectus Parrots to chew. When kept outdoors, a four and a half-meter by one and a fifth meter by two-meter aviary in a sheltered area will suffice for a pair. These birds are rarely loud, but they can get stressed out easily. To reduce the birds' anxiety level, you may try turning on a radio for them, to allow them some form of audio entertainment other than their own voices.Red Sided Eclectus Parrots can be taught to imitate noises and talk quite well. They need plenty of sunlight and enjoy being bathed by rain! Generally, hand raised parrots make much better, healthier pets than will wild-caught birds.
At maturity, Red Sided Eclectus Parrots measure between 33 and 37 centimeters
in length and have a wingspan of about 260 millimeters. The feathering
of Eclectus Parrots has a strange texture, and has been described as
"hair-like". Male Red Sided Eclectus Parrots have 
yellowish-green
feathering over the majority of their bodies. Their primary wing coverts
and primary flight feathers are a dark blue color, edged in green. The
upperside of the Red Sided Eclectus male's tail is green and the tips
of the feathers have yellow edging. The underside of the tail is black,
edged with a slight band of pale yellow. The iris is a reddish orange
color. Female Red Sided Eclectus Parrots have red plumage with dark
blue underwing coverts. They also have a band running to the nape that
is dark blue. Females have dark blue, green-edged primary coverts and
primary flight feathers like the male, as well. The tips of their red
tails have pale edging, and their irises are a light, yellow-white color.
Female Red Sided Eclectus Parrots tend to have bright, scarlet heads
with a duller, deeper, maroon shading over their backs.
Red Sided Eclectus Parrots are native to New Guinea and the surrounding islands, including the D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago and the Lousiada Archipelago. They are also known as New Guinea Eclectus Parrots. This species is one of the most commonly kept species of Eclectus Parrots in captivity. The Red Sided Eclectus Parrot was first recorded by Scopoli in 1786. It was, in fact, the first subspecies of Eclectus Parrot to be noted after the discovery of the nominate species, the Grand Eclectus. Eclectus Parrot pairs are often mistaken for two birds of different species, since their coloration is so vastly different!
