Eclectus Parrot Lifespan | How Long Do They Live?

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Eclectus Parrot Lifespan | How Long Do They Live?

If you have an Eclectus parrot or if you’re interested in adding one to your family, you might be wondering about Eclectus parrot lifespan. How long these colorful birds live depends on a bunch of factors, and it’s important to know what you can do to make sure yours makes it to a ripe old age.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about Eclectus parrot lifespan!

Eclectus parrot lifespan in the wild

The different subspecies of Eclectus parrot are naturally found in Australia and various island groups in the Eastern and South Pacific, like Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Indonesian Maluku and Sumba.

In their wild habitat, which is tropical and forested, Eclectus parrots deal with various dangers. According to an extensive research program, falcons, owls, monitors and snakes don’t shy away from hunting these parrots. Disease, human factors and the elements all pose other difficulties.

Despite the above, potential Eclectus parrot lifespan is known for being pretty impressive in the wild. Although obviously the vast majority of individuals doesn’t make it this far, the species has been recorded as living up to 50 years.

Did you know? Breeding success in wild Eclectus parrots is noted to be pretty darn low. In one study, only 27% of observed egg clutches actually produced a chick that made it to the fledgling stage.

Heinsohn & Legge, 2003.
Photo of red female Eclectus parrot with text above it saying: "what is the lifespan of an Eclectus parrot? In captivity & in the wild"

Eclectus parrot lifespan in captivity

The interesting thing about Eclectus parrot lifespan is that these birds actually tend to live longer in the wild than in captivity. This is not very common. Most domestic animals have longer lifespans than their wild counterparts because they’re not exposed to as many natural dangers.

The reason that there have been issues keeping Eclectus parrots alive until old age is likely their specific diet. Lack of knowledge about parrot diet causes many of these birds to pass away prematurely in general, but it’s even worse for Eclectus. We’ll go further into it below, but basically, they need much more fiber in their diet than most other parrots.

It is true that there is still a bit of a lack of information on Eclectus parrot lifespan, mainly because according to a historical review, these parrots have only been commonly kept as pets since the 1980s.

The AnAge Database of Animal Ageing and Longevity reports that the oldest officially recorded Eclectus parrot lived at the San Diego zoo and was 28.5 years old. This same individual was also noted in a 2000 study about parrot lifespans.

AnAge does note that there have been records of Eclectus parrots living up to 40.8 years. This is probably true, although these birds have not been officially documented.

Close-up headshot of adult male green Eclectus parrot.

What influences Eclectus parrot lifespan?

As discussed above, Eclectus parrot lifespan can actually be shorter in captivity than in the wild. Although the situation has probably improved quite a bit since the 1980s when folks were still getting used to this parrot’s needs, they still often don’t make it quite as long as they should.

So what can you do to make sure your Eclectus parrot makes it to that elusive 40.8 year number mentioned earlier? Or even the 50 years they can supposedly live in the wild? Diet is an extremely important factor, but there are more general care elements to keep in mind.

Diet

So, what is all this talk about Eclectus parrot diet? Basically, they possess a longer digestive tract than many other parrots. This means they digest foods more thoroughly, allowing them to effectively break down higher amounts of fiber.

In the wild, Eclectus parrots feed on a range of different foods: fruits, nuts, flowers, flower and leaf buds, seeds, and more. In captivity, they can’t be fed a standard parrot diet and they’re a bit more sensitive than many of their cousins.

It’s been suggested that this is because, with a longer digestive tract, they absorb more nutrients from their food. Sometimes too much.

If you’d like to keep your Eclectus parrot healthy and improve its chances of growing old, don’t feed it like you would a granivore such as a budgie or cockatiel. Eclectus gizzards are not used to all those crunchy, dry foods: they basically need wet, fruity bits.

But how do you do this when the fruits we find in the supermarket tend to be cultivated to be sugary but low in nutrients? They’re not at all similar to the wild fruits these birds eat. Eclectus parrot experts tend to lean towards the following:

  • Plenty of cooked vegetable matter like squash and sweet potato.
  • Some cooked legumes and grains like lentils, pasta or rice.
  • A degree of “human” fruits like mango, pomegranate and figs.

Really be sure to make the veg and fruit the vast majority, around 80%, of your bird’s diet. Most Eclectus owners try not to feed their birds pellets at all. If you do decide to offer them occasionally, make sure they’re all-natural.

Did you know? Eclectus parrots are sensitive to a phenomenon called toe tapping, which is not really harmful in itself but can be an indication that there’s something wrong with their diet. It has been recommended to avoid any vitamin-fortified foods, processed human foods, and spirulina.

Toe-tapping. From The Combined Perspectives of an Eclectus Owner and an Avian Veterinarian
Male eclectus parrot holding food and eating.

Attention & mental stimulation

If you’ve got your Eclectus parrot’s diet nailed, you’re halfway there. There are plenty of other things to do to ensure your bird lives a long and happy life, though.

One of the other primary causes of premature death in parrots is stress. Stress can originate from different sources, but a very important one is a lack of attention and mental stimulation. Parrots are extremely social beings and will wither away without plenty of interaction.

What should you do to prevent boredom and loneliness in your Eclectus parrot?

  • Spend plenty of time with your bird, even if it’s just something simple like letting it hang out with you while you watch a movie.
  • Let your bird out of its cage often, preferably at least a few hours a day.
  • Provide loads of parrot toys and other interesting tidbits for your Eclectus to figure out and destroy.
  • Encourage foraging behavior by hiding foods or feeding whole fruit/veg to keep the bird busy for longer.
  • Spend time training. It provides a double whammy effect: training helps you bond with your bird while also really stimulating its smart brain.
  • If you’re away from home a lot, you cannot keep a solo parrot. They just can’t spend a lot of time alone.

Tip: Eclectus parrots can be fine talkers. Talking training is a fun way to spend time with your parrot and actually see (or rather, hear) the results!

Green male Eclectus parrot on green background.

Other factors

Aside from diet and stress prevention, there are a few other care factors you should really be keeping in mind. Eclectus parrot lifespan can really be shortened if you don’t provide the best possible care!

Don’t forget the following:

  • Obesity is a huge parrot killer. Let your Eclectus spend time out of its cage and encourage lots of activity with toys and foraging options. Weigh it regularly to make sure it’s still at a healthy weight.
  • Parrot safety. Although Eclectus parrots are not as rambunctious as some other parrot species, they can still get themselves in trouble. Don’t let your bird near anything toxic, close all doors and windows and always keep an eye out for any dangers.
  • Parrots are sensitive. Avoid anything perfumed near your bird and be mindful of the fumes emitted from your kitchen. Make sure everyone knows not to smoke in the same room and don’t use insect sprays.
  • Be ready for anything. Make sure you have the number for an avian vet handy, know how to recognize symptoms of disease in your Eclectus, and have basic emergency items like a blood clotting agent on hand.

How old is my Eclectus parrot?

In the wild, Eclectus chicks take around 13 weeks to become fledged. They stay with their parents until the six-month mark and reach sexual maturity when they’re about three.

It’s possible to see if an Eclectus is a juvenile or not. You can look at males’ beaks, for example: in adult males, the lower beak is dark while the upper beak is a yellowish orange color. In females, the beak doesn’t go fully black until they’re about a year and a half.

If your Eclectus parrot has passed the juvenile stage, there is unfortunately no physical way to tell how old it is. This can be very frustrating if you have an adopted or rescued bird with unclear origins!

Try checking for a leg band that might contain the information or ask the previous owner if they can point you in the right direction.


If you have any more questions about Eclectus parrot lifespan or if you want to share your own experiences with these fascinating pet birds, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!

Sources

Brouwer, K., Jones, M. L., King, C. E., & Schifter, H. (2000). Longevity records for Psittaciformes in captivity. International Zoo Yearbook37(1), 299-316.

Heinsohn, R. (2008). Ecology and evolution of the enigmatic eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus). Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery22(2), 146-150.

Heinsohn, R., & Legge, S. (2003). Breeding biology of the reverse‐dichromatic, co‐operative parrot Eclectus roratus. Journal of Zoology259(2), 197-208.

Lindholm, J. H. (1999). An historical review of parrots bred in zoos in the USA. Avicultural Magazine105(4), 145-184.

  • Marijke Puts

    Marijke is a full-time niche blogger and pop science writer, founder of Psittacology, and overly enthusiastic bird mom. Originally from The Netherlands but living in sunny Spain, she spends her time wrangling cockatiels, writing about parrots, cooking, diving and hiking. About me

27 thoughts on “Eclectus Parrot Lifespan | How Long Do They Live?”

  1. This article was very interesting. What a beautiful bird! I am 82 years old and I have two Parakeets, which I love very much. They are fun to watch in play and when they are irritated with each other. Also, require a lot of care and are quite messy,
    jho

    Reply
    • I’m glad you liked it! I have four parakeets and I agree. Their little squabbles and social behavior is so fun to watch.

      Reply
  2. I have a SI Eclectus male, 8 years old. He’s really thrived well during Covid with his people home more and more regular food. I just love him to bits. A famous brand pellet is the only thing that’s ever caused toe tapping for him. We offer organic pellets, salad greens, dry quinoa, and fruits/veg. He’s as healthy as ever as long as we keep him away from cheese and nuts (he goes crazy for them). Thanks for the great post. I wanted to know an approximate lifespan as I had been operating under the 50 year estimate.

    Reply
  3. I have two parakeets also. Dry funny when upset with each other. They also know when treat day is, and I better not be late, because they get very loud.(funny). But thank you for sharing the love of birds

    Reply
    • Oh man, mine are the same when it comes to food! Once the volume goes up, I know the boys are hungry. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  4. I have a female Moluccan eclectus with no leg band that I adopted from a zoo that closed while I worked there north of Las Vegas. She doesn’t get along with other birds, but tolerates being near my parakeet. I’ve been teaching myself and her what’s appropriate food for her and let her walk around the back yard since she refuses to fly. She immediately took to clicker training and over time I’ve noticed her thinking for herself more and playing with toys she never would’ve touched before. Wanted to say thanks for the article because I haven’t heard about giving flowers and buds before and now she likes hibiscus flowers

    Reply
    • Thanks for sharing, so nice to hear that she’s trying new stuff and coming out of her shell! Hope you guys have many happy years together.

      Reply
  5. My Eclectus only speaks…with words…when it is alone. I adopted him from a rescue whose previous owner did not readily give him up, so I have no history other than my own. In addition to his chopped veggie/fruit mix, I feed him TOPS/Roudybush/Hagen Tropican pellets which he eats regularly.
    Without knowing his age, what sort of training should I introduce?…he already has full access to the house.

    Reply
    • Good on you for rescuing him 🙂 you can introduce any sort of training you want, they can be a little slower to pick it up when they’re already mature but by no means will it prevent you from teaching him things. I’d make sure to provide plenty of fun foraging options to keep him entertained and work on basic things like step up, step down, stay etc. if he doesn’t do that already. 🙂

      Reply
  6. I got my male Red Sided Eclectus in 1993 and was told he was about 6 yrs old then. So guessing he’s 35. He’s a good ol’ boy, not too noisy and we’ve got his diet going well with fruit and veges…I fix a bowl of a variety so he can dig through it and find what he wants.

    Reply
  7. We have a 16yr old male eclectus (we adopted him when he was 11) who’s diet has mainly been organic pellets with legumes and vegetables. He doesn’t like toys at all and I’ve tried him on quite a few different ones 😞

    Reply
    • Don’t worry too much about the toy situation. Are there any other things he likes? Even if it’s just chewing natural wood or stuff like that, that’s already great for enrichment. Or try simple foraging set-ups to make feeding time more interesting 🙂 Good luck.

      Reply
  8. I have a male that I got from the breeder when he was a fledgling only a few months old. He required formula at the which was February 1993. He is going strong and eats a little bit of everything from bird food, pellets, pizza, eggs, nuts, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, veggies whatever I am eating.

    Reply
  9. Hi
    Great information folks. I’m thinking of adding one to the family and garnering as much information as I can, so thankyou experienced Eclectus keepers.
    Grahame (NZ)

    Reply
  10. Thank you for this article, it was very useful. I currently have a male Eclectus who I think I may have rescued… the “backyard breeder” cut one of his wings off severely, instead of just the tip of the feathers!! Really sad. He is about 5 months old now. He is very happy with us now and has a lovely funny personality… I feed him lots of veg, nuts in shells, good pellets and just started with some homemade veg soups, however he does not like fruit? I’ve tried Apple, pomegranate, berries, pears, watermelon, honeydew melon and he will only eat 3 bites of whatever fruit I give and walk away from his bowl. My local bird shop owner said as long as he eats veg it’s fine, but I don’t understand why he is not warming to fruits at all. It sometimes worries me because I want to give him what he needs and give plenty of variety.

    Thank you for your helpful article

    Reply
    • That’s shocking about the wing! Your shop owner is right in that with just veg, your boy will be fine. Many of the fruits cultivated for human consumption are crazy high in sugars anyway. That being said, for variety’s sake, I’d just keep trying, and also keep trying to offer fruit in different forms. I’ve had instances where it took months and months for a bird to warm up to certain foods.

      Best of luck and thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  11. Thanks for your article.
    I can’t give my male any apple as the sugars are too high & he starts shredding his feathers.
    I generally feed my two chopped fruits & nuts with a sml handful of organic pellets in the am & mashed veges with a sml handful of pellets in the evening. I find feeding Electus’ extremely time consuming & somewhat difficult to get right unfortunately, but also definitely worth the effort.
    If anyone has any extra feeding info for me I’d be grateful? Thankyou.🦜🦜

    Reply
    • Yeah, Eclectus aren’t the easiest when it comes to their diet! Berries are relatively low in sugar, so if he likes those, that may be good since you can just buy them frozen. I think this is a prime candidate for chop if you don’t make that yet. You can freeze is in portions, thaw it out and mix it with some pellets to make things a bit easier. You don’t even have to chop it yourself, just give it a pulse in a food processor if you have one until you reach the preferred size for the pieces.

      You can also do sprouts for both yourself and your bird. My favorite thing to sprout are lentils. It’s easy to quickly grab some sprouts to give them if you’d like to feed something healthy that’s not pellets.

      Good luck! Good to hear you’re dedicated to feeding them what they need 🙂

      Reply
  12. Sole is 24. I got him in 2008. He is harness trained and very sweet. I feed him Avian science eclectus seed mix along w 20 or so Hagen lifetime formula 4mm granules in am. Pm quinoa or brown rice, chopped carrots, zucchini, corn sprinkled w chopped nuts. I need to do better w fruit. In season a wedge of pomegranate, or slice of apple or banana. Occasional sweet potato, a small chunk. Won’t eat green beans. Almond as a treat.

    Reply
  13. I adopted my Ekkie in 2021. It was believed that he is 16 years old. So he’s around 18 years of age now. He was toe tapping, and wing flipping when I got him. His feather destruction consisted of scissoring, barbering, and plucking. I am hoping to have my Ekkie for many more years. I’ve been trying to do some research on how long they live for in captivity as I was informed their life is shortened in captivity.

    Reply
    • Good on you for adopting, that’s great! Hope he has improved. Yes, their lifespan in captivity tends to be shorter because their dietary needs are very specific and they’re easily stressed. If you’ve got diet, exercise and enrichment under control, though, your ekkie has got everything it needs to live to 40. Good luck and I wish you many happy years with your bird 🙂

      Reply

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