Moluccan Eclectus Parrot Eclectus roratus (prev. E. roratus roratus)

Unusually for parrots, the male and female Eclectus look totally different, so much so that people used to think (and some still do) that they are different species. The name comes from eclectic (varied). Moreover, unusually for birds, females are more colourful than males. Until 2019, the Eclectus was grouped as one species and there were considered nine living subspecies in different regions. In 2019, these were reclassified into four living species (and one extinct), fully accepted by main authorities in 2023.

The Moluccan Electus male has gold-orange irises (unlike the Papuan which has red). The variation in plumage of the males among the species (and subspecies) is slight. It is native to the Moluccan Islands of Indonesia and has two living (and one extinct) subspecies: the Grand, E. r. roratus, and Vosmaer's, E. r. vosmaeri.

The Grand, native to Ambon, Buru, Seram, others, is ironically one of the smallest at 30-32cm long. It has two races with similar plumage but differing size - the Ambon Grand being larger than the Seram Grand. The female Moluccans (both subspecies) have red plumage with a dull mauve-purple pinafore front. The Grand has dark maroon wings and a dark red tail with a light red band at the tip.

Vosmaer's subspecies, E. r. vosmaeri, is native to northern Maluku. The female also has red plumage with a dull mauve-purple pinafore, with blended rather than defined borders, but is brighter and has a bright yellow-tipped tail and yellow vent. (The only other species whose female has a yellow band at the end of her tail is Tanimbar/Riedel's but she has an all red body with no mauve/purple/blue).