Help determining eclectus sub-species

[SilleIN]

Hi,

I have tried to contact Sofus' breeder, but have had no such luck yet. I therefore am looking for help to determine Sofus' sub-species (or if he might be a mix).

His head and beak

His eye colour and eye feathers

His tail length

His tail band

His red side patch

and side patches form the front

I have an idea that he is a Solomon Island ekkie mainly due to his short tail, but could be a mix.

I would be really happy if someone can tell which sub-species he is and should he look like a mix, an idea of a mix of what

 

[chris-md]

I'm inclined to say Solomons as well due to the tail length as well. How much does he weigh

 

[SailBoat]

Does age play any importance, i.e. as a Eclectus grows from a baby, to young adult to adult?

The tail feathers kind of imply a baby /young parrot.

Neat looking little guy!

 

[chris-md]

Steven, the only real hallmark I'm aware of is the beak cooor. Outside of that, it's all the same.

 

[RavensGryf]

The male Vos is said to be a slightly different shade of green too. Not as deep of a green, a larger bird but more streamlined (not as chunky as say red sided). So not a Vos .

At least in the US, we most commonly see the smaller Solomon Island subspecies or mixes.

 

[SilleIN]

Sofus is weighing 480 g. I believe it is very heavy for a SI. He could still be a mix?

 

[chris-md]

*im not an expert!!!!!!!!*

To the best of my knowledge all the larger subspecies have the longer tails. Solomons and grands, the smaller subspecies, have the shorter tails such as yours. At 480g he is either a mix or overweight. My Parker is 425, still heavy for a Solomons which made me think he was red sided. but someone pointed out he has a short tail. This led a couple people to believe he's actually a mix and not a red sided like I thought. He's just too heavy to really be a Solomons.

When I first got him he was as heavy as your boy, around 475. When I got him on a proper diet he dropped to 425g and has been there ever since - he was on purely the zupreem fruity pebble type pellets with his old owners.

 

[SilleIN]

To be honest Sofus is overweight and is on a "change diet"-plan, but I would be very surprised if he goes below 450g, which is too large for the Solomon. His tail is also slightly longer than his tail feathers (they have been barbed by a female Ekkie) but still seems too short to be any of the larger Ekkies.

As for age; Sofus is 5 years old. His ring has the year 2012 on it and is a closed ring, so that should be good enough.