BirdUp · Species
Moluccan Eclectus
Eclectus roratus(Müller, PLS, 1776)
Updated
- Order
- PSITTACIFORMES
- Family
- Psittaculidae
- Genus
- Eclectus
At a glance
The Moluccan Eclectus is a large bird, about 40–48 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.
- Size
- 40–48 cm
- Origin
- Native
- Best seen
- Year-round
- Commonness
- Common
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does a Moluccan Eclectus look like?
The Moluccan Eclectus is a large bird, about 40–48 cm long and weighing 355–615 g.
The Moluccan eclectus is a parrot native to the Maluku Islands (Moluccas). It is unusual in the parrot order for its extreme sexual dimorphism of the colours of the plumage; the male having a mostly bright emerald green plumage and the female a mostly bright red and purple/blue plumage. Joseph Forshaw, in his book Parrots of the World, noted that the first European ornithologists to see eclectus parrots thought they were of two distinct species. Large populations of this parrot remain, and they are sometimes considered pests for eating fruit off trees. Some populations restricted to relatively small islands are comparably rare. Their bright feathers are also used by native tribespeople in New Guinea as decorations.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
03 · When
When to look
When can you see a Moluccan Eclectus?
The Moluccan Eclectus is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does a Moluccan Eclectus eat?
The Moluccan Eclectus feeds on fruit and seeds, usually foraging in pairs or alone.
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