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. is very similar to the large lories in on a regular basis to eclectus is impor­ When observing colorful birds in this behavior. tant. This is similar to lories which the wild, the colors red and green turn absolutely must have a routine sched­ black under the canopy. When the sun Dietary Needs ule in their feeding times. They must hits a green bird, it is reflected as the replenish their energy and nutrition green of the forest vegetation. Seldom In Parrots ofthe World, Joseph Forshaw both in the morning and evening and does the red eclectus parrot perch in the states that eclectus in the wild feed on periodically throughout the day. They sunlight. If they do reflect the sunlight, fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, leaf buds, blos­ should not be without food and this is they are generally on the move and the soms and nectar procured from the also important for eclectus. necessity of camouflage is not needed. tree tops. Is it not surprising that this is Although the lory's tongue with its While observing the female edectus par­ also the diet of lories in the wild? brush-tipped papillae is different than rot in New Guinea and Australia, they Although captive eclectus need to be the eclectus' smooth tongue surface, this were always dark and were lost in the fed fruit, seldom is a captive eclectus does not mean the eclectus parrot can­ canopy. Why should not there be a large given nectar as a part of its regular not obtain nectar from a bowl. Just lory that is sexually dimorphic? diet. For those eclectus breeders who provide some to the eclectus and you Being an advocate of adaptation supplement their diet with nectar, it is will soon see the nectar begin to dis­ (not evolution) I often wondered if not surprising that the nectar is one of appear. I have observedthe tonguesof both sexes of the eclectus could have the first food items these birds go to. several young (3 to 18 months of age) originally been green or red. Quite Eclectus have a large "true" stomach edectus and they are somewhat different surprising, while reading from George which is very long. This is an indication in shape than those of the cockatoo, Smith's book, Lovebirds and Related that their diet must consist of items macaw and Amazon. The tip ofthe eclec­ Birds, I found the following: that are both bulky and fibrous This is tus tongue is thinner and flatter than "Females [Edectus) are said to be less obtained from fleshy fruits, leaves and those of the other parrots which have common, yet captive records show blossoms. This is the same as the leaf­ a well defmed pad for holding solid food that the sexes are born in approxi­ eating monkeys (langurs) with their items. the edectus' thin tongue enables mately equal numbers for of 73 birds, extended stomachs. For the eclectus par­ it to consume the juices of fleshy fruits 38 were hens. We do not know the age rot that this is only a slight variation of and nectar. Ifthe lory tongue, which nar­ ofthe wild population, nor have we any a lory's diet which includes more pollen rows towards the end, lacked its brush­ population counts; but some explana­ and nectar. The nectar is used by lories like papillae, it would, in my opinion, tion ought to be offered to explain

afa WATCHBIRD 55 this apparent (or real?) disparity in lory of them all. Why, they now call it Grand Loty. For when it clings to the side numbers between the sexes. One expla­ the Grand Eclectus! of its cage or stands on a perch, it will nation that must immediately be scotched Although I will probably never turn its head in an inquisitive manner is that because the hens are red, and change anyone's thinking, I will always giving me an all-knowing look and I truly therefore more brilliantly-eolored (to us), enjoy keeping and reproducing this know it is a LoryL:+ they are more easily caught by preda­ tors. It is observed that a red parrot sit­ This beautifulwatercolor by Susie Christian depicts a pair ting just inside a canopy of leaves, in ofedectusparrotsinthecenter, a Black-cappedLoryontop bright sunlight, is perfectly well-cam­ anda Chattering Lory atthe bottom. The similarity ofsize, ouflaged; for, in the broken shadows of color, shapeandcolorofthe beaks. among otherthings. disrupted light coming from the green halle conllinced Dale Thompson and other.s that these leaves, red becomes a dark shadow and species allbelong inthesame genus. inconspicuous. Hen eclectuses, like the red lories, the red king-parakeets and red shining-parrots are seemingly this color because it is cryptic. For they are not red poppies in a field of grow­ "Loryeclectus " ing wheat but a dark shadow in a tree full of shadows. If it happens that more hen Eclectus are killed by preda­ tors than males then the selective pres­ Kissin' Cousins!! sures to have cryptic plumage is higher. Therefore their redness is the conse­ by Susie Christian quence of a positive selection for this Morro Bay, California hue. Were they green, like the males, then even more would be killed. Perhaps they are killed inside the nesting hole. ince my only roommates consist of laying on her back, not surprising for It appears that the "original" color of Snine Eclectus, and a plain 01' gar­ a loty. I also have two Eclectus hens that Eclectus is red and that selection has col­ den variety, Red Loty, I do have an opin­ are vel)' comfortable on their backs. They ored the male green." ion that they are very related. do sea otter imitations of "riding the waves" in Morro Bay, quite comfortably Lastly, the beak color of the eclectus First of all, the most obvious is the parrot is bright orange and black, the feather quality. Eclectus have hair-like in public, even with groups of people watching them. same as can be found in the lory group. feathers covering their heads and neck, I feel that the talking abilities are about and as I look at my lory, she also has the same in lories and Edectus. My Taxonomy soft, fme "hair-feathers." The general body loty says all the same words as does the shape and head structure of both par­ Eclectus. Yes, the Eclectus do have a In reading many books of an older rots is also vety close in my opinion. The more slender tongue than other species vintage, I see where taxonomists have loty's beak is so close in color to the male of parrots and I've noticed that they use changed the genus name of the eclec­ Eclectus; plus, shape-wise, it looks like their tongues in a more probing motion, tus parrot from Lonus to Eclectus. Why an elongated Eclectus beak. did they originally give the eclectus which is so much like the lories. the genus name of Lonus which should My lory is allowed the run of the As for food selection, both groups of have been given to a group of lories. house 24 hours, so I am able to watch birds (Eclectus and lories) will pick Not surprising, taxonomists did give her climb all over the Eclectus cage, and out berries, grapes, pomegranates or any the genus Lorius to a group of lories interact with them. Her favorite playmate nectar-type of fruit as their first choice sometime in the middle ofthe 19005. This is a male Biaki Eclectus, who is extreme­ from the food dish. Both groups will group of lories including the Chattering ly animated and playful. The Biaki sub­ throw out the boring stuff, only to and Black-capped Lories and all of the species is on the small end of the investigate much later. large lories I have mentioned at the Eclectus group, about the size of a I have noticed that neither group real­ beginning ofthis article. These large lories Solomon Eclectus. They are never still ly want to use a foot to hold their originally were given the genus name for a minute. Inquisitive and charged with food. They will pick food up with their of Domicellus. energy, the Biakis have an electric ten­ beaks but will place it back in the food In my opinion, they should have sion that equals and sometimes surpasses dish rather than hold it in one of their left the ecleetus parrot in the genus Lorius that of my lory. These pint sized Eclectus feet. and added the other large lories to it. hang upside down from their perches, Whether readers will agree with me They are all similar in size and color and are constantly into everything. or not, I sincerely feel that somewhere (especially ifthe eclectus was "originally" Animation should be their middle name! back in time (who knows how far), that red in both sexes), behavior and in I also find my Red-sided Eclectus is more both lories and Eclectus were much more their dietary needs. Would the taxon­ active than the Vosmaeri Eclectus (which similar in appearance and that they omists have called the eclectus the Red is one of the largest of the Eclectus). It evolved over the years to look as they and Green Lory? or as I often fantasize, seems that the larger they are, the more appear today. They used to be broth­ should it have been called the Grand laid back they become. ers and sisters; nowadays it is probably Lory? For it is indeed the grandest One of the lory's favorite positions is more like first cousins. ,.. 56 September/October 1995