Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis) – Group: Blue

Male Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis). This is a bird that I once imported from Norway, and which was completely unbearable to listen to. Never before (and over the years I have heard a great many also large Macaws and Cockatoos scream) have I experienced a bird that could scream so violently that you definitely got physical pain in your ears. Note here the special anatomy of this small subspecies, where the tips of the wings reach all the way to the tip of the tail. In the other types of Eclectus Parrots the tail reaches significantly further than the wing tips.

Introduction

The subspecies name "solomonensis" refers to the bird's home, which is the Solomon Islands.

This subspecies has a considerable distribution area in the wild, which means that there is a big difference in the size and length of the birds. There is thus a striking geographical variation in size, as the birds in the western range can be the same size as the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus polychloros), whereas the birds in the eastern range are much smaller in size and length. The Solomon Red-sided Eclectus belongs to the smallest subspecies of Eclectus Parrots, which is especially visible on the specimens that are bred in human care.

Colour description

Adult male: The male is smaller and shorter than the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus polychloros), and when seen on a perch, it looks as if the tips of the wings almost reach the tip of the tail. The green body colour has a yellowish hue, which gives the bird a brightly coloured appearance. This yellowish hue is more visible on the upper wing coverts. The upper side of the tail is strongly marked by a light blue colour, and the tip of the tail is edged with a pale yellow band. In some birds the band on the tip of the tail is more whitish. The red oval flanks, which are visible along the side of the body where the wings are folded, are more elongated and wider in the Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis) than in the majority of the other types of Eclectus Parrots. The red flanks begin at the bend of wing and continue approximately 10 cm down the sides of the body and ends close to the thighs. The red colour continues under the wings and continues on to - and includes - the underwing coverts. The upper beak is more yellow than orange and can be a good aid in identifying this subspecies. The outer iris ring is very reddish in colour.

Adult female: The female has a small rounded head and a short tail, which gives it a slightly round appearance. This subspecies is much brighter red than the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus polychloros). The female has a well-defined chin, which is also known from the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus polychloros), except that the breast colours are different. The breast and upper back feathers of the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus female (Eclectus roratus polychloros) are clear blue in colour. The blue breast of the Solomon Red-sided Eclectus female has a light violet tinge to it. That's because the barbs of the feathers of the female Papuan Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus polychloros) are brilliantly royal blue, and its barbules are grey-black. The barbs on the breast feathers of the female Solomon Red-sided Eclectus have a much thinner line of royal blue, bordered by a thin line of mauve on either side of the blue, but its barbules are also grey-black. All in all, it results in a bright violet tinge on the blue chest. The primary coverts of the female Solomon Red-sided Eclectus are a paler blue colour, and the pale shade is also present on the outer edge of each primary. The undertail coverts are bright red. It has a very short tail, which measures 8.9 - 10.8 cm. The tail feathers are dark red with a lighter red colour at the tip. The female has a wider - and thus very distinct - blue ring of very small feathers around the eyes compared to the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus female (Eclectus roratus polychloros). The outer iris ring is straw yellow in colour.

• Average length: 33 cm, according to "A Guide to ... Eclectus Parrots", revised edition from 2004, by Rob Marshall and Ian Ward (ISBN 0 9750817 0 5).
• Length: 33 cm, according to "Lexicon of Parrots" (CD version 3.0) from 2008, by Thomas Arndt (ISBN 3-9808245-3-5).

Postage stamp from the Solomon Islands, a state in the Pacific Ocean in Oceania, located east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu, shows a female Eclectus. It is not clear from the stamp which type of Eclectus it is. However, the stamp comes from the Solomon Islands, which is home to the Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis), in addition to which the blue plumage around the eye is very distinct, so it can only be this subspecies.

In the wild

The Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis) is found throughout the Bismarck Archipelago (Umboi, Wuti Islands, Lolobau, Wotam, Duke of York, New Ireland, New Hanford, Tabar, Lihir, Tanga and Feni), Admiralty Archipelago (Manus and Rambutyo) and throughout the Solomon Islands, including Buku and Borgainville east to San Cristobal and surrounding small islands. As previously stated, from west to east there is a tendency for this subspecies to become significantly smaller in size.

Its status varies between common to uncommon, depending on the extent of deforestation in its range.

The Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis) seeks its food under the roof of the rainforest to a greater extent than the other types of Eclectus Parrots, as in its habitat there is plenty of food and many nesting opportunities. The markedly shorter tail and denser build of this subspecies is supposed to be an evolutionary adaptation to the "closed" biotope in which this particular subspecies lives.

In addition, refer to the article on www.birdkeeper.dk about the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus polychloros).

Female Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis). It is confusingly similar to the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus polychloros), but is typically smaller and the blue dorsal band is narrower, while the blue band across the belly is wider and the blue colour is generally characterized by having a light violet tinge. In addition, the blue ring of very small feathers around the eye, as can also be seen from the picture, is much more prominent. Photo from the internet.

Threats

BirdLife International, the official "Red List" authority for birds on behalf of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), continuously assesses the status of how threatened all kinds of birds are in the wild. However, as a starting point, BirdLife International only operates at the species level and not at the subspecies level, which means that all possible subspecies, including the nominate subspecies, which together make up the species, are grouped together under this. In its descriptions and assessments, BirdLife International makes no detailed distinctions between the nominate subspecies and the other subspecies.

In addition, it must also be stated that BirdLife International uses another taxonomy than Howard & Moore, which means that the Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis) is considered one of 5 subspecies of the "Red-sided Eclectus" species (Eclectus polychloros), which are treated as one by BirdLife International:

Bird Life International's current threat assessment of this species – the Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus polychloros) in nature is categorized in the "Least Concern" category. This obviously covers very large individual differences between the individual subspecies, i.a. because their distribution areas are of very different sizes. The Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis) has a large distribution area but not as colossally large distribution area (in New Guinea, the world's second largest island, and surrounding islands) as the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus has, which means that everything else being equal, it is probably more threatened in wildlife. Besides, BirdLife International reports that large-scale clearance of lowland forest throughout the Solomon Islands has had a significant impact on the natural habitat of the Solomon Red-sided Eclectus, forcing it into cultivated lands as a result.

Further reference is made to the article on www.birdkeeper.dk about the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus polychloros).

A male Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis). The upper beak of this subspecies is more yellow than orange, and can therefore be a good support for identifying this subspecies. At the same time, its beak is relatively smaller compared to the size of the head compared to all the other types of Eclectus Parrots.

Nature protection measures

This bird is listed on CITES, Appendix II.

See also the article on www.birdkeeper.dk about the Papuan Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus polychloros).

In human care

In Australia, there are few "pure" Solomon Red-sided Eclectus Parrots (Eclectus roratus solomonensis) among aviculturists, cf. the article, "Generally about Eclectus Parrots", here at www.birdkeeper.dk. Conversely, this subspecies is particularly popular in the United States, which is why it is quite common among the country's aviculturists. The population in the USA originates primarily from the eastern distribution areas, which means that these are smaller and shorter birds, which appear fine and well-proportioned in their physical appearance.

This subspecies is seen relatively often among aviculturists in Europe, although far from always in "pure" versions.

Here is another stamp from the Solomon Islands with a pair of Eclectus Parrots as a motif. There can hardly be any doubt that this is also the Solomon Red-sided Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis), although the birds' tails should rightly be drawn much shorter. The Solomon Islands were already populated approximately 5,000 years ago, and in 1568 the first Europeans arrived in the form of the Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana. He discovered gold on Guadalcanal, which is part of the Solomon Islands. Mendana probably thought he had found the source of King Solomon's mines, and he therefore named the islands the Solomon Islands. Due to Mendana, many of the islands that make up the Solomon Islands have original Spanish names. Guadalcanal became famous during World War II, when intense battles between American and Japanese forces took place here, including one of the decisive battles of the Pacific War.

Colour mutations

I am not aware of any colour mutations of this subspecies.

Feeding

See the section on nutrition under the article "Generally about Eclectus Parrots" and the article on the nominate subspecies, Seram Eclectus (Eclectus roratus roratus).

Jorgen Petersen

Conceived/Updated: 16.12.2011 / 01.04.2024

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