Eclectus Parrot

(Eclectus roratus)

Live: Cape York Peninsula (Upper Queensland, Australia).

Habitat: Mainly lowland rainforest.

Diet: Wild diet: fruit, nuts, seds, flowers, nectar from the tree canopy.
Zoo diet: Seed mix, fruit, vegetables and browse.

Breeding: July - February
Nest: wood chip- lined hollows in emergent trees.
Eggs: 2, incubated by the female for 20 days, while one or more males (any of whom may be the father of the chicks) feed the female and chicks.
May have more than one brood, especially if eggs lost.

Conservation status: Vulnerable

General: Size to 48cm.
Male: mostly emerald green with red feathers from sides to underwing. Blue outer wing feathers. Lower beak is black, upper is orange to yellow. Orange-red eyes, grey eye-ring.
Females: bright red head and neck, darker red tail and back. Upper wings red and blue, under wing and part of body are bright bluey purple. Eyes are yellow with purple eye ring. Beak is black.
Juveniles: female chicks have black down; male chicks have grey down.

Call: Harsh screeches.

Habits: Usually found high in the canopy. Will congregate in large groups for roosting but generally feed by themselves or very small groups.

Grown young from previous breeding seasons may help care for nestlings.