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Subspecies
This
area
of
eclectus
is
in
constant
debate,
there
is
believed
to
be
nine
subspecies
of
eclectus
ranging
from
the
small
Soloman
Island
eclectus
right
up
to
the
Vosmaerie
Eclectus.
The
true
difference
between
the
different
species
is
size
and
the
degree
of
colour
difference.
In
terms
of
the
females
this
is
slightly
easier,
some
females
have
a
clear
distinction
of
blue
on
the
chest
separating
the
red
head,
for
some
the
blue
and
red
merge
together.
There
is
different
shades
of
red
and
blue
and
in
the
case
of
the
Cornelia
and
Reidel’s
eclectus,
there
is
no
blue
on
the
chest.
There
are
other
differences
as
in
the
Vosmaerie
eclectus
female
which
has
a
broad
yellow
stripe
across
the
bottom
of
the
tail
including
its
vent.
Some
of
the
females
in
the
eclectus
family
have
blue
eye
rings.
Males
are
much
more
difficult
to
distinguish,
there
is
differences
as
in
the
eye
ring
which
can
range
from
bright
orange
to
yellow,
there
is
differences
in
the
shades of green, there is different degrees of yellowish bands across the base of the tail.
I
have
worked
with
every
single
sub
species
of
eclectus
whilst
I
was
at
Loro
Park’s
breeding
centre
La
Vera
in
Tenerife
in
2003,
females
were
not
a
major
problem,
you
could
compare
and
see
the
differences
and
sizes
especially
relating
to
colour
changes,
males
on
the
hand
were
extremely
hard
to
differentiate
except
in
the
case
of
the
Reidels
which
had
a
blue
sheen
to
it’s
green
plumage
and
it’s
distinct
yellow
band
on
its
tail.
The
only
other
male
which
was
distinct
was
the
very
small
Soloman
Island
eclectus.
Now
had
I
not
had
the
sub
species
in
front
of
me
to
compare,
I
would
have
struggled
with
the
majority
of
males.
I
have
over
time
come
to
the
conclusion
that
our
identification
of
eclectus
certainly
in
the
UK
is
a
total
guess.
We
do
not
have
anyone
with
100%
pure
species
and
therefore
we
cannot
compare.
Females
are
much
easier
to
identify
but
it
is
the
confusion
over
males
which
has
led
to
the
breeding
of
different
species
of
eclectus.
In
my
opinion
the
only
bird
we
can
positively
identify
in
terms
of
the
males
is
the
Solomon.
Now
the
additional
problem
we
have
is
that
since
the
total
ban
of
any
wild
caught
parrots
entering
the
UK
from
around
10
years
ago,
we
are
faced
with
a
situation
that
the
majority
of
birds
are
bred
here
now.
What
may
look
like
a
male
Soloman
could
have
a
parent
which
was
a
Soloman
and
the
other
parent
was
not.
In
one
of
my
pairs
of
eclectus
I
have
babies
which
switch
from
small
babies
to
large
ones,
the
size
of
these
babies
is
distinct
for
a
Soloman
eclectus,
therefore
there
is
Soloman
in
the
line
of
one
of
my
pairs.
I
also
have
a
similar
situation
with
another
pair
who’s
female
chicks
show
a
distinct
yellow
band
of
yellow
on
the
tail
therefore
there
is
some Vosmaerie in the lineage.
Therefore
bearing
in
mind
my
experience
working
with
all
the
species
and
having
seen
them
close
on
a
daily
basis,
I
can
honestly
say
there
is
no
pure
birds
in
the
UK
in
my
opinion,
they
are
just
guesses
unless
someone
purchases
from
a
pure
source
such
as
Loro
Park
which
I
hope
to
do
someday.
Until
that
point
where
I
can
positively
determine
what
my
eclectus
are,
I
am
calling
them
Red
Sided
crosses.
Naming
and
selling
your
birds
as
a
particular
species
brings
about
a
responsibility
and
as
people
have
not
been
open
and
honest
about
this
issue,
we
are
faced
with
a
situation where all our eclectus are now mixed.
A pure Vosmaerie
eclectus female.
