Keen-eyed visitors may be fortunate enough to spot a juvenile Eclectus Parrot in the Rainforest Aviary. Hatched mid-August the young female is now fully fledged and can be seen flying around the walk-through aviary. 

An unusual and mysterious bird, the females are a bright red and blue colour, while the male is green. In most bird species the male is the brighter than the female leading people to believe they were two different species when they were first discovered.

The female chicks have darker down than the males, so after the pin feathers start coming through the sex can be confirmed. It’s possible to tell the sex of the hatchling when they are just three weeks old.

Depending on the sex, the chick can be in the nest up to 10 weeks, females often leave a little earlier than males as they tend to develop faster.The young bird is often seen sitting at the top of the avairy throyghout the day. Keep a look out for her stunning bright red plumage. 

By Bird Keeper, Emily Schmelitschek.