• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). Furthermore, the population size is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
Recent surveys and estimates indicate that the population of Eclectus polychloros remains large. The species remains common, and in places abundant, throughout the New Guinea mainland, West Papuan Islands, Bismarck Archipelago and many of the Solomon Islands, although it is however, regarded as uncommon on Guadalcanal and the Kai Islands (Collar et al. 2019). The above population estimates were derived from Bell (1982) and Marsden and Symes (2006) population density estimates of 10 individuals/km² and 11.3 inds/km² in the lowland rainforest and hillforest of mainland New Guinea respectively, and assuming only roughly 10-15% of the mapped range is occupied.

Trend justification
It is likely that the population of E. polychloros is displaying a decreasing trend as a result of habitat loss from deforestation and hunting and trapping for the wildlife trade (Collar et al. 2019). Large-scale clearance of lowland forest throughout the Solomon Islands has had a significant impact on the natural habitat of E. polychlorosi, forcing it into cultivated lands as a result (Collar et al. 2019). A steep decline in individuals has also been witnessed over the last 30 years throughout northern Australia, attributable in large part to illegal trapping and trade of the species (Collar et al. 2019). As a result of the witnessed increases in habitat loss, it is reasonable to infer that the population of E. polychloros is declining but that the overall rate of decline is unlikely to approach the threshold for listing as threatened.

Eclectus polychloros includes the fours subspecies E. p. aruensis, E. p. biaki, E. p. macgillivrayi and E. p. solomonensis and together, they exhibit an extremely large range extending from the west Papuan Islands, (including Gebe [Rothschild and Hartert 1901] and Gag Island), Kai Islands, Aru Islands and Biak (all Indonesia), throughout lowland New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea), the Admiralty Islands and the Bismarck Archipelago (both Papua New Guinea) and the Solomon Islands (except St Matthias, Nissan and Rennell) to the extreme north of Queensland, Australia (Collar et al. 2019).

The Papuan Eclectus occupies the canopy of all wooded habitats. It is most common in primary lowland forest but is also found from coast to mid-montane areas, including mangroves, nypa forest, freshwater swamp, dryland forest, coastal scrub, denser savanna woodland, parkland, plantations, secondary growth and garden areas. The species becomes much rarer above 1000 m but has been encountered up to 1900 m. Transect evidence from the Solomon Islands suggests that E. polychloros may be a lowland species within that region (Collar et al. 2019). Typically feeds on fruits - particularly fig-like fruit on the Solomon Islands - seeds, nuts, leaf-buds and blossoms (Collar et al. 2019). Generally breeds between August and September, possibly January, April to August in the Solomon Islands, but is very likely at any time of the year. Nests in holes high up on tree, generally in a clearing or at forest edge, with up to eight birds attending each nest. Deciduous trees are greatly preferred in Australia (Collar et al. 2019).

The two largest threats faced by E. polychloros are habitat loss, a direct result of increased deforestation, and hunting and trapping for the wildlife trade (Collar et al. 2019).  Large-scale clearance of lowland forest throughout the Solomon Islands has had a significant impact on the natural habitat of E. polychlorosi, forcing it into cultivated lands as a result (Collar et al. 2019). A steep decline in individuals has also been witnessed over the last 30 years throughout northern Australia, attributable in large part to illegal trapping and trade of the species (Collar et al. 2019). Both habitat loss and trade have resulted in a notable decline in the species population but not to a sufficient degree to classify E. polychloros as threatened (Collar et al. 2019).

Large; male green; upper mandible yellowish red, lower black; flanks and underwing-coverts red; leading edge of wing blue; primaries with deep blue; tail has yellow tip with increasing blue suffusion laterally, below brownish black, tipped yellowish white both sides. Female red, darker on back and wings; bill black; lower breast to abdomen, underwing-coverts and band across mantle blue with small amounts of purple; leading edge of wing blue; primaries with deep blue; tail above tipped orange-yellow, below dark red becoming orange-pink distally with red undertail-coverts. Immature resembles adult of respective sex, bill greyer. E. p. biaki is smaller than average; E. p. aruensis tail more broadly tipped yellow in male, brighter blue in female. E. p. macgillivrayi larger. E. p. solomensis smaller with smaller bill, males more yellowish.

Text account compilers
Butchart, S., Everest, J., Ekstrom, J., Martin, R.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Papuan Eclectus Eclectus polychloros. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/papuan-eclectus-eclectus-polychloros on 29/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 29/11/2024.