Living with Eclectus parrots
For over 25 years, Laurella Desborough from Florida, USA, has dedicated her life to Eclectus parrots. She currently has 22 breeding pairs producing five out of the ten sub-species. Other large outside flights house retirees, young single birds and odd adults that she has taken in over the years. Laurella and her husband, Marc, also keep two special companion Eclectus parrots indoors.
Here Laurella shares her extensive knowledge, having observed them at close quarters and kept detailed records, on their development and behaviour, over many years. She explains how this species differs from other parrots, and gives tips on how to get the very best out of a companion Eclectus…
All my life I have loved birds of all kinds, but during the 70s when I discovered that many parrots were likely to become extinct, I decided that I wanted to play my part in keeping birds on the planet. I chose to focus on the Eclectus parrot, and visited ornithological museum collections all over the US, to study the identification procedures of the ten sub-species of this parrot.
Now, as an Eclectus specialist, I am not only concentrating on breeding pure sub-species of this stunningly beautiful parrot, but also take great pleasure in helping to educate Eclectus keepers, through my website and writing articles. And, if I can increase awareness of the specific needs of this species, including their care, diet and treatment, and as a result improve their health, quality of life and parrot-owner relationships, I am happy.
Read more in the magazine…