Eclectus Parrot

We need an abbreviation that means the opposite of LBB/J (Little Brown Bird/Job), maybe BCB – many Australian parrots would rate as Big Colourful Birds and the Eclectus Parrot is one of the biggest and brightest – but unlike LBBs they are not difficult to identify.

 

Eclectus Parrot

Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) – male
Canon 5DS R, 1/500, f/5.6, ISO 1600, focal length 278mm

 

Male and female Eclectus Parrots have markedly different colouring, early ornithologists originally believed they were separate species.

Males are predominantly emerald green but the more you look the more you see including beautiful blues and rich scarlets, glimpses of which can be seen in the image above. Their lower bills are black while their upper bills remind me of sunsets as the golden colouring transitions from clear yellow to deep orange. Their eyes are striking too, and have a soft blue-grey eye ring.

 

Eclectus Parrot - female - Kim Wormald

Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) – female
Canon 7D, 1/320, f/5.0, ISO 2500, focal length 180mm

 

I checked my images, which was quick as I use Lightroom keywords, and found this older image of a female Eclectus Parrot, also a captive bird. Females are predominantly red and blue, their upper bills are black rather than orange and their eye rings are more pronounced. With such marked sexual dimorphism it’s easy to see why they were initially considered different species.

Eclectus Parrots are about 45cm in height and weigh over half a kilogram. In Australia they are found in a small area of the Cape York peninsula in northern Queensland, they are also found on islands from the Moluccas to the Solomons.

Happy birding, Kim

 

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