Abstract
Having reproduced the eclectus parrot for over 20 years with a count numbering in the hundreds, I have often wondered if this bird was not just one big lory. Now having the lory as a pet and observing many lories in the collections of successful breeders, I am even more convinced that there is a correlation between these two bird groups.
Behavior and Breeding
When observing the Lorius group of lories, the similar traits become even more clear. Most of us relate lory behavior to the Trichoglossus group of lories. These are the "rainbow" lories which have a great variety of rainbow colors, energetic behaviors and are overall wonderful pets when handf ed. The · Lorius group of lories, however, are much larger in size and have a much more sedentary behavior than the jerky movements of the rainbow lories. The common lories belonging to the genus Lorius are the Chattering and Blackcapped Lories; the uncommon lories in the this group (of which several are found in captivity) are the Purple-bellied, Purple-naped (Purple-capped), Yellow-bibbed and the White-naped Lori es.
My theory is that the eclectus parrot belongs to the Lorius group of lories or at least is closely related. The large lories, as the Black-capped Lory, are still much more active than an eclectus parrot. This would be the opinion of almost anyone knowing both of these groups of parrots. However, I would like to dispel this observation. Even though most breeders feel the eclectus parrot is extremely sedentary, this is because their eclectus are almost always kept as pairs or singles in one cage or flight. Of those eclectus kept as pairs, the female is often spending extended periods of time within the nest box.
Most breeders have not had the priv-
ilege of observing their eclectus in group situations or they would see a very different behavior. The statements that eclectus parrots are dull birds would change immediately. They certainly do not have dull personalities. The energetic personality of an eclectus can also be seen in the young, handfed pet bird.
In the wild, eclectus parrots are most often seen in pairs or small groups. Sometimes they can be seen in very large groups within a fruiting tree. Eclectus are quite noisy and conspicuous with their loud, raucous vocalizations.
Their flight is somewhat slow with full deliberate wing beats having brief periods of gliding. Joseph Forshaw in Parrots of the World, relates that eclectus do not raise their wings above body level during their flights.
With the possibility of being somewhat slow in flight, the above description could be said of a lory. And a large lory would obviously be slower with its large body mass than a small lory or any of the lorikeets which are certainly fast on the wing.
In captivity, eclectus parrots are usually purchased as singles or pairs and pair bonding behavior is seldom observed. George Smith relates in his book, Lovebirds and Related Parrots, "The courtship has not been described save that the males make a seriously hollowsounding chee-ong chee-ong or bonging. They make this sound year-round; but the intensity increases with courtship. Sometimes he may bong almost in the ear of his wife as he pursues his hen; and most particularly after she has entered the nest cavity. I have been told that males "flash" their red sides by suddenly lifting the wings or by taking short flights in the vicinity of the hens. When pairing, as with the hanging parrots and lovebirds, they frequently change sides."
Lories also show the same behavior in courtship except that it is done with
greater intensity But how many eclectus breeders observe their males getting excited as George Smith describes?
I have been only one of very few eclectus breeders to have bred this species in a colony situation. After several years of infertility, I placed four pairs of eclectus parrots together within a 12 ft. flight that had four partitioned areas within that the birds could utilize as nesting booths. Each of these areas contained one nest box. To aid the stimulation of the males, I added an extra mature male. This made a total of five males and four females.
The behavior of the males within this colony situation changed dramatically. For years the males had appeared to be very lethargic as they only had a domineering mate to contend with. Now with other males in their direct vicinity, it was as if each male received a large dose of hormones as they immediately responded to the challenge of an opposing male. With a resurgence of energy they each immediately chose a mate and began to defend her from any advances by another male. Completely different personalities began to emerge. When pair bonding had occurred, a visual courtship was observed. Eye blazing, bobbing and "beaking" between the mates occurred. I actually observed a male hop over its mate on one occasion. This correlated to George Smith's description of mates frequently changing places. Only on rare occasions did I observe the wing-lifting behavior of the males and it was done as a reaction to another male instead of a courtships behavior. Now for the first time did I observe a lory behavior among the eclectus. This was the first time that I began to firmly believe that the eclectus may be a large lory in disguise.
When discussing my theory of eclectus being lories, the topic of female dominance in eclectus is almost always brought up. First and foremost, have you ever seen a "wimpy" female lory?