A noble parrot - aka eclectus - is a bird of incredible beauty. Proud posture, insightful look, beautiful plumage - the parrot fully lives up to its name. These are truly sensual and intelligent creatures. The bird requires care and careful care. But this is fully offset by the pet’s attitude towards its owner. Noble parrots can become so attached to a person that they will not need a partner.
Appearance
A distinctive feature of the noble parrot is the unusual color of the plumage. This in nature is rare enough that heterosexual birds are so different from each other. The male noble parrot is green-red. The female is red-blue. In nature, there are about 20 subspecies of eclectus that live in different regions. They have some differences in the color of plumage, but insignificant. The most common type among domestic lovers of exotic.
Noble parrots are relatively small birds (up to 40 cm) with a strong body. The tail is square in shape. The ends of the wings are rounded. The beak is smooth and shiny. Differences in color divided individuals into Lori green and Lori red. The mass of the bird reaches 450 grams.
Eclectus noble parrot: description, photo
The color of the bird deserves special attention. So, the males of eclectus are distinguished by a velvet emerald green color with a slight yellow tint on their heads. The tail is also green, with inserts of blue feathers. The eclus of the eclectus is greenish yellow, but the sides are red. Fly wings of a velvet blue hue with green tips. In the male half of the eclectus, the beak is glossy yellow or red. But the place under the beak is black.
This is one of the few species on the planet whose morphological characters are so different. Female noble parrots eclectus of a richly red or red-brown hue. On the wings and back, the feather is slightly darker with a soft transition with a dark cherry hue. The abdomen and rim on the back of the head are underlined with a dark purple stripe. The female under the wing has a feather of dark blue color. Beak is almost black.
It should be said that the newborn chicks immediately see what gender they are.
What does the owner need to know?
Noble parrots are monogamous. Having bought a male girlfriend, do not expect that a spark will necessarily slip between them. Two individuals can quite easily adjoin each other, play and talk. But do not expect that friendships can turn into something more.
It is better and easier to perceive them as two completely different individuals who need care and attention. Thanks to the equal treatment of both birds, you can achieve a peaceful neighborhood. Eclectuses are incredibly smart birds. It only means that underestimating their abilities is definitely not worth it. Reviews of the noble eklectus parrot indicate that, with proper upbringing, birds become stronger than dogs.
Features of keeping birds
This is a fairly common variety of parrots among domestic lovers of exotic exotic species. Despite the fact that the eclectus is monogamous, they reproduce quite easily in captivity. The main thing is to know the features of the content and care for them.
The main nuance that can become a stumbling block is space and availability of free space. The best option is keeping parrots separate from other pets and birds. First of all, it is necessary to equip an aviary (about 6 meters long and 1.5 meters wide). It should be as high as possible (of course, according to the capabilities of the owner). If your parrots live in a cage, you should let them fly as often as possible.
The noble green parrot loves to swim. If you notice that your pet is trying to bathe in lettuce or a drinker, offer him a warm spray shower or turn on the water in the sink. You can add a weak decoction of chamomile pharmacy, which favorably affects the feathers of the bird (they become smooth and shiny).
Eclectus noble parrot: owner reviews
More experienced owners of exotic birds say that taming an emerald green beauty is not so simple. It is necessary to know some features of their behavior and subtleties of character. For example. many breeders note that making contact directly depends on the gender of the bird. As a rule, males are more open to communication, they are happy to learn, show interest in new toys and in every possible way achieve the attention of their owner.
Females, on the contrary, are more thoughtful and judicious. Taming a noble lady is a little more difficult than her gentleman. The only thing that is characteristic of both sexes is attachment to their master. With proper care and attention, eclectuses become a more faithful dog.
Breeders say that a sharp mind and quick wit are the hallmark of a parrot. Sometimes their behavior is simply amazing. They are able to immediately remember a few words and build them into sentences. Eclectuses can independently monitor the purity in their cell. Many owners note that the bird itself puts the scattered food in a plate, and the toys in a basket.
Useful tips for anyone planning a green pet.
If you already have a pet (cat or dog), then most likely the parrot will not make friends with them. This is a noble bird. And she can’t handle the local "servants" with her hands. Moreover, if a cat or dog decides to play with a parrot, it can end badly for furry ones (eclectuses can strongly peck someone who decided to unceremoniously disturb their peace). Try not to leave the parrot alone with any of the tailed ones.
When such a bird lives in the house, you can see how few hours there are in a day. And all because noble parrots, whose photos eloquently testify to their extraordinary beauty, require a lot of attention. Experienced owners recommend starting a hand parrot. Unlike wild animals, they shout much less and do not react so sharply to extraneous noise (the operation of a washing machine or vacuum cleaner, for example).
What to feed?
If you start a parrot just for the sake of beauty and fun, then eclectus is not your story. The bird needs care, and very thorough. Even its nutrition is significantly different from the diet of other exotic birds. This should be taken into account before purchasing. In the wild, they enjoy eating wild fruits and berries, flowers and plants. Favorite goodies are pomegranate and papaya. No less tasty are pears, bananas, mangoes, stone fruits, apples, nuts.
Birds need fiber-rich fruits. The fact is that in eclectus the digestive tract is slightly longer than in other birds. At home, you can feed your pet with dandelion leaves and various seeds (millet, almonds, walnuts). True, the latter should not be carried away - after all, these are fatty foods that can lead to excess weight gain. Vegetables (pumpkin, ears of young corn, carrots and broccoli) are also required in the diet. Boiled beans, beans, brown rice and wheat - this will saturate the body of the bird with useful proteins.
Captive breeding
As we have already said, at home, birds become very attached to humans, so the partner is often left unattended. But, if you set out to get offspring, you need to know some features of the breeding of eclectus in captivity. In the wild, noble parrots settle in nests, the struggle for which sometimes ends in failure.
First of all, you must provide the female with a place in which she can lay eggs. For these purposes, a small wooden box (30x30x60 cm) and a quiet place (extraneous noise make the female very shy, as a result of which she can simply leave the nest). The female lays only 2 eggs. The girl incubates the chicks for a month, after which young parrots are still under the care of their parents for a long time. A lady is engaged in children when a male fulfills his immediate duties - takes care of the food and safety of his family.
How to understand that it’s time already?
About 2-3 years after birth, young eclectuses are ready to create their own family. It’s easy to notice. As a rule, the female first begins to worry about the nesting place. If you noticed that the red eclectus begins to clean the territory somewhere on the mezzanine, in a bookshelf or under furniture, offer her more comfortable conditions. In the wild, females are fighting for the place of hatching and the attention of the male, so you need to allow the girl to the green parrot so that there is no fight over the territory.
Experienced breeders warn about one interesting feature of birds. The fact is that the females of the noble parrot are girls who prefer free relations. In captivity, they can mate with 2-3 males. This can play a cruel joke with the owners of the couple - the female may simply not pay attention to the courtship of the gentleman.
Noble parrots in captivity live very long. With proper care, excessive attention and conditions for a comfortable life, life expectancy can reach an incredible 45-50 years.
How much is?
So, you have already made up your mind to make an eclectus and have prepared everything you need for his settlement. Immediately it is worth saying that the price of this pleasure can slightly cool the desire. So, for one chick they ask for 600-900 dollars. Such a cosmic figure has a logical explanation - the bird is exotic, a lot of expenses are associated with transporting it across the border. You can, of course, buy from local breeders or in a nursery, but the chicks received from foreign parents will be much weaker.
Plus, you should clearly understand that this is not a budgie. The standard cage for eclectus is not suitable. They need freedom and maximum space for flights. Otherwise, the bird will not live even 10 years. Pay attention to the features of nutrition and content. If you can give the parrot everything you need for a full life, then feel free to go shopping.
How to choose a chick?
First of all, you need to find out in what conditions the chicks live. Ideally, these should be clean, spacious, not very populated cells. If there are no questions in the sanitary plan, you can proceed to the inspection:
- Ask the breeder about the nutritional status of the bird and its age. It is best to take a 1-1.5-month-old chick that was fed from a syringe or spoon.
- Pay attention to the color. Important: eclectus chicks have exactly the same plumage as adults, so the breeder’s story that they are still small and that this is just young fluff is an attempt to deceive the buyer.
- Observe bird behavior for 15 minutes. A healthy chick will respond brightly to the attention of an outsider, begin to make welcome sounds.
- Be extremely attentive to the plumage. Kinks, roughness, unevenness - all this indicates that the bird is not healthy.
- The eyes of the parrot should be bright, without clouding and clear traces of secretions.
- Do not disregard the paws. Frequent bouncing or limping indicates that the parrot was injured. The same point applies to the beak.
And finally, do not forget to look under the tail of the chick. Clean feathers without wet lumps suggest that everything is in order with the stomach in eclectus.
Cell
Your pet will sleep, eat and have fun in the cage. But this does not mean that only she limits the space for the bird. Unfortunately, in a city apartment, the parrot will have to be tight - he needs space for flights.
The optimal cell size is 70x50x70. It is clear that the top should be shifted, and the bottom should be advanced. Pay attention to each twig - they must be durable and well attached to the base. In addition, they should not be covered with any kind of composition - the parrot likes to gnaw them, so chemicals should be completely eliminated.
Cell arrangement
Electlectus spends most of the time on the perch, so this attribute should be as strong and stable as possible. Drinking bowls and feeders should only be hinged. It’s good if there will be a few perches. Prepare fruit tree branches. Rings, balls, ladders - all this is suitable for entertainment birds. Just change sports equipment at least once a week.
Do not forget about water procedures. Well, if there is an opportunity to put a basin with water near the cage. Eclectus likes to take a shower daily. But watch the temperature of air and water - the bird should not be supercooled. Perhaps this is the most basic thing you need to know about such an unusual pet.
Remember that eclectuses are incredibly smart and quick-witted creatures that can become not just a friend, but also the most honorable member of the family.