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The Grandest Lory of Them All the Eclectus Parrot Lorius Roratus

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The Grandest Lory of Them All the Eclectus Parrot Lorius Roratus The Grandest Lory of Them All The Eclectus Parrot Lorius roratus by Dale R. Thompson Canyon Country, California ilege of observing their eclectus in greater intensity But how many eclec­ aving reproduced the eclectus group situations or they would see a very tus breeders observe their males getting Hparrot for over 20 years with a different behavior. The statements that excited as George Smith describes? count numbering in the hundreds, I have eclectus parrots are dull birds would I have been only one of very few often wondered if this bird was not just change immediately. They certainly do eclectus breeders to have bred this one big lory. Now having the lory as a not have dull personalities. The ener­ species in a colony situation. After sev­ pet and observing many lories in the col­ getic personality of an eclectus can eral years ofinfertility, I placed four pairs lections ofsuccessful breeders, I am even also be seen in the young, handfed pet of eclectus parrots together within a 12 more convinced that there is a correlation bird. ft. flight that had four partitioned areas between these two bird groups. In the wild, eclectus parrots are most within that the birds could utilize as nest­ often seen in pairs or small groups. ing booths. Each ofthese areas contained Behavior and Breeding Sometimes they can be seen in very large one nest box. To aid the stimulation of groups within a fruiting tree. Eclectus the males, I added an extra mature When observing the Lorius group of are quite noisy and conspicuous with male. This made a total offive males and lories, the similar traits become even their loud, raucous vocalizations. four females. more clear. MoSt of us relate lory behav­ Their flight is somewhat slow with full The behavior of the males within this ior to the Trichoglossus group of lories. deliberate wing beats having brief peri­ colony situation changed dramatically. These are the "rainbow" lories which ods of gliding. Joseph Forshaw in For years the males had appeared to be have a great variety of rainbow colors, Parrots ofthe World, relates that eclec­ very lethargic as they only had a dom­ energetic behaviors and are overall tus do not raise their wings above ineering mate to contend with. Now with wonderful pets when handfed. The· body level during their flights. other males in their direct vicinity, it was Lorius group of lories, however, are With the possibility of being some­ as if each male received a large dose of much larger in size and have a much what slow in flight, the above descrip­ hormones as they immediately respond­ more sedentary behavior than the jerky tion could be said of a lory. And a ed to the challenge of an opposing movements of the rainbow lories. The large lory would obviously be slower male. With a resurgence of energy they common lories belonging to the genus with its large body mass than a small lory each immediately chose a mate and Lorius are the Chattering and Black­ or any ofthe lorikeets which are certainly began to defend her from any advances capped Lories; the uncommon lories in fast on the wing. by another male. Completely different the this group (of which several are In captivity, eclectus parrots are usu­ personalities began to emerge. When pair found in captivity) are the Purple-bel­ ally purchased as singles or pairs and bonding had occurred, a visual courtship lied, Purple-naped (Purple-capped), pair bonding behavior is seldom was observed. Eye blazing, bobbing and Yellow-bibbed and the White-naped observed. George Smith relates in his "beaking" between the mates occurred. Lories. book, Lovebirds andRelatedParrots, "The I actually observed a male hop over its My theory is that the eclectus parrot courtship has not been described save mate on one occasion. This correlated belongs to the Lorius group of lories or that the males make a seriously hollow­ to George Smith's description of mates at least is closely related. The large sounding chee-ong chee-ong or bong­ frequently changing places. Only on rare lories, as the Black-eapped Lory, are still ing. They make this sound year-round; occasions did I observe the wing-lifting much more active than an eclectus but the intensity increases with courtship. behavior of the males and it was done parrot. This would be the opinion of Sometimes he may bong almost in the as a reaction to another male instead of almost anyone knowing both of these ear of his wife as he pursues his hen; a courtships behavior. Now for the first groups of parrots. However, I would like and most particularly after she has time did I observe a lory behavior to dispel this observation. Even though entered the nest cavity. I have been told among the eclectus. This was the first most breeders feel the eclectus parrot that males "flash" their red sides by time that I began to firmly believe that is extremely sedentary, this is because suddenly lifting the wings or by taking the eclectus may be a large lory in dis­ their edectus are almost always kept as short flights in the vicinity of the hens. guise. pairs or singles in one cage or flight. Of When pairing, as with the hanging par­ When discussing my theory of eclec­ those edectus kept as pairs, the female rots and lovebirds, they frequently tus being lories, the topic of female dom­ is often spending extended periods of change sides." inance in edectus is almost always time within the nest box. Lories also show the same behavior brought up. First and foremost, have you Most breeders have not had the priv- in courtship except that it is done with ever seen a "wimpy" female lory? Ifthere 54 September/October 1995 ever was a dominate parrot, this behav­ to add subcutaneous fat which is quick­ be very similar to that of the eclectus. ior belongs to the lory group of parrots, ly burnt off with their energetic behav­ Although this is my opinion, I know both male and female. Lories, both as ior. The similarities in their dietary for sure that the eclectus parrot must be breeders and pets have very dominant needs gives credence to the concept of given a nutritionally sound diet that personalities. They are not afraid of the eclectus being a lory. includes a variety of fruits and vegeta­ very many circumstances. Eclectus parrots are not primary bles. Why not try one of the lory nec­ Taxonomists refer to the eclectus seed-eaters and must be given green tar foods that are commerdally available? parrot as being related to the foods and fruit. In the past years, the It will increase the eclectus' consump­ Tanygnathus parrots. In my experi­ eclectus parrot was plagued with can­ tion of many of the amino proteins ence the eclectus is certainly "closer" to didiasis produced by an infection of lacking in many parrot diets and they the large lory group than it is to the yeast-like molds. This was thought to be will certainly enjoy it. Great-bills and Mueller's parrots. Both strongly linked with the lack of Vitamin the Great-bill and the eclectus parrots A. Vitamin A is synthesized in the body Size and Color are referred to in the german texts as from carotenes, which gives the color hClelpapagei or "noble parrots." Certainly to plants. Seeds are generally very low Joseph Forshaw gives a measure­ the Great-bill is a noble parrot but the in carotenes. Green foods in the form ment of 31 cm (12.4 in.) for the Black­ eclectus is a noble and grandiose lory. of blossoms, buds and nectar is used to capped Lory versus 35cm (14 in) for the The Tanygnathus parrots lay a three to fortify eclectus in the wild. In captivi­ Eclectus Parrot. The large lories and the four egg clutch while the eclectus lays ty, green foods including fruits and eclectus are very close to being the a one to two egg clutch. vegetables should always be given to same size. The large lones of the Lorius One of the greatest reasons for plac­ eclectus parrots. Seeds should be fed in genus are much more stocky than the ing the eclectus parrot within the lory minimum amounts. rainbow type of lories and they have a group is that it lays a one to two egg I personally feed eclectus parrots squared or rounded tail. They have the clutch. This is exactly the clutch size of on a regular basis, two times a day. This same outline form of the eclectus. the large lones and is so dissimilar to the is similar to their feeding habits in the The dominant colors of the large larger clutch sizes of most of the large wild when they have two main feeding lories are red, green and blue/purple. parrots. times (morning and dusk). Eclectus Guess what the main colors of the Unlike almost all of the large parrots can often become very radical in their eclectus parrot are? Yes, they are red, such as macaws, cockatoos and the behavior when given a nutritionally green and blue/purple. Tanygnathus parrots, the eclectus is a deficient diet. They can show very One big difference is that the eclec­ light to moderate chewer. They do not erratic behaviors both as babies and as tus parrot divides these dominant col­ destroy wooden perches and nest boxes adults. ors by sex; even so, both sexes have these as do other large parrots. The eclectus Giving a nutritionally balanced diet colors somewhere on their bodies.
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