by Graham Taylor

There are two distinct types of Grand Eclectus found in the wild of Indonesia. 1). The most common of the two (IMO) is the Ambon Grand found on Ambon Island in the southern Maluku Islands, this type the females do show a bib and a distinct separation between the red of the upper body and the purple of the lower breast.

2). The Seram Grand Eclectus is found further north on the larger island of Seram. The females from Seram has no bib and the purple feathers blend through the breast up to and including the neck area, this is the most sort after of the two types from breeders in Europe.

There are probably very few if any pure Grands of either type in the US. Because they were most likely imported from Dios in the Philippines or from some other importer, IMO the only way to get pure birds of any of the Indonesian subspecies is get them direct from the islands in question, which these days is most likely impossible.
If the hens have blue breasts similar to Red Sided then I would have to say they are most likely cross bred birds. Both male and female Grands have bright yellow eye rings, the Seram Grand has slight yellow on the tail, where the Ambon Grand does not, and is more orange looking.

Why are they called "Grand" Eclectus... it has nothing to do with size, if you think back to when these birds were first discovered in the late 1700s the comment was they were very Grand in appearance, so a Grand looking bird.


Graham.

Photos © Graham Taylor and Uwe Beckedorf