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Australian wildlife 0067
Image by Michael Dawes
Eclectus parrot
Common name: Eclectus parrot
Scientific name: Eclectus roratus macgillivrayi (Gk. eklektikos = select, pick out, L. rorare = bedewed, macgillivrayi = after the ornithologist who discovered the species in Queensland)
Animal group: Parrots
Conservation status: This species is listed as vulnerable in Queensland (Nature Conservation Act 1992).
Description:
Body length: (beak to tail) Males: 420–480mm; Females: 400–450mm
Wing span: Males: 900mm; Females: 890mm
Weight: 615g
Eclectus roratus macgillivrayi is the largest of twelve subspecies of eclectus parrot. Plumage between the sexes is markedly different, even in juveniles. Males are predominantly emerald green, with scarlet red on the sides of the abdomen extending across the underwing, and dusky feathers on the remainder of the underwing. The upper wing is emerald green with blue outer feathers. The tail is emerald green on the upper side, fading to light blue with a white tip, and on the underside the tail is grey-black with a yellow tip. The lower beak is black, and the upper beak is orange fading to yellow at the tip. The eye is orange-red in colour with a grey eye-ring. Females have a scarlet-red head and neck, with a darker red tail and back. The upper side of the wings are dark red on the inside half and blue on the outer half. Under the wing is dusky with a vivid purple-blue band that continues under the body and around the back of the neck. A purple-blue ring surrounds the yellow eye, and the upper and lower beak is black. Both sexes have a short, square tail.
Habitat and distribution: Eclectus roratus macgillivrayi is endemic to Queensland (only lives in Queensland) and is the only subspecies on mainland Australia, with one other subspecies, E. r. polychloros, found in the Torres Strait islands. All other subspecies are located in Indonesia, New Guinea, and several Pacific islands. The eclectus parrot is found in one region in Queensland, the Iron and McIlwraith ranges of eastern Cape York Peninsula. They mainly inhabit the interior and edges of lowland rainforest; however they can also be found in the higher rainforest regions.
David Fleay Wildlife Park on the Gold Coast has eclectus parrots on display.
Diet: The diet consists of fruit, nuts, seeds, flowers and nectar, obtained from the tree canopy.
Reproduction: The eclectus parrot’s breeding season is from July to February. They can have more than one brood, particularly when there is a loss of eggs or nestlings. Nests are in wood chip-lined hollows of emergent trees in the rainforest. Females will mate with several males, and have a clutch of two eggs. The female does all of the incubating while one or more males feed her and the nestlings. Several fully-grown offspring from earlier breeding seasons are also believed to help care for the nestlings. This co-operative breeding behaviour is extremely unusual for parrot species.
Behaviour: Eclectus parrots usually perch and feed high in the canopy. During the day, they can be seen singly and in pairs or small groups, but will often congregate in large numbers (up to 80) at a fruiting tree or when roosting in the evenings. The loud screeching call of the eclectus parrot makes them conspicuous in the rainforest (this can also be a deterrent for keeping them in captivity).
Threatening processes: The lowland rainforest in eastern Cape York Peninsula is more like the lowland rainforest in Papua New Guinea than other rainforest in Australia. The uniqueness and limited area of this habitat type mean that ongoing habitat degradation is a serious threat to the eclectus parrot.
The parrot’s bright colours and conspicuous nature have made it a target for illegal trapping and nest-robbing.
Actions: The Action plan for Australian birds 2000 has identified the need for further research into the eclectus parrot to fully understand its breeding requirements and behavioural ecology of the species. This information would be necessary to successfully reintroduce captive-bred birds into the wild if active management is required. Regular surveys are important to ensure early detection of any decline in numbers.
