Moluccan King Parrot: Breeding, Feeding, Cage and Nest Box
Moluccan King Parrot (Mauli), Alisterus amboinensis
Description:
The Moluccan King Parrot, also called the Amboina King Parrot, and its subspecies are among the most colourful parrots in the world. Unlike the Australian King parrot and the Green-wing King parrot, where the pairs are sexually dimorphic, the male and female Moluccan King Parrot are very alike and surgical or DNA sexing[1] is recommended. With both partners being so colourful a pair in an aviary is a sight to behold.
Distribution:
The nominate species is found on the islands of Amboina and Ceram, while the other five subspecies are found on Indonesian islands to the west and east of the western part of New Guinea. In the rest of New Guinea it is replaced by the Green-winged King parrot.
A beautiful and interesting subspecies of the Moluccan King Parrot is found on Halmahera Island in northern Indonesia. It has the green of the nominate species completely replaced with blue. This subspecies does not seem to have been established in captivity.
Moluccan King Parrot In aviculture:
The Moluccan King Parrot is one of those species that will be lost to aviculture unless urgent attention is given to meeting their dietary requirements and nesting and accommodation needs.
Twenty-five years ago, when I had these parrots, I made the same mistake that we all did at the time. I treated them like all other parrots and fed and housed them in the same way. The aviary was 3.6 m x 900 mm x 2m high with a perch at each end and a nest box under the covered section. I reasoned that since the other species bred, why not these?
The King Parrot is different and I had not done sufficient research into their diet, housing, nest selection, and mate selection. The result was no success, although a friend with a similar aviary but 5 m long x 1.2 m x 2 m high, had a pair that bred occasionally.
Feeding Moluccan King Parrot:
They are birds of the dense rainforests and tend to be found in the lower half of the forest canopy. They eat seeds, berries[2], fruits and their kernels, buds, and some flowers[3]. Twenty-five years ago, we made the mistake of feeding mostly dry seed mixes. Successful breeders here, in America, and Europe find that a plentiful supply of fruits and vegetables is essential to successful breeding.
Some examples are apples, pears, grapes, oranges, cucumbers, half-ripe maize, carrots, and green peppers. There is no doubt that there are other items that can be added to the list.
A good quality supplementary food such a Hi performance pro 18[4] mixed with the fruit and vegetables is a must to supply the essential vitamins, calcium and other trace elements. They also enjoy sprouted [5]seeds and some dry seeds.
Clearly, they need extra attention to their diet if we want to keep them in the best health and get them to breed. But that is not all. The hens tend to be the dominant partner in a pair, and they like to select their mate. Because there are a few of these birds in captivity there is little chance of replacing a mate if a pair prove to be incompatible. Successful breeders have found that if they put the pair together at a young age before they reach sexual maturity, they mature together and become compatible.
Nest box:
Because they are birds of the dense forest they will not enjoy being in open, exposed aviaries. We might need to give them deeper shelters or visual barriers to give them the security that they need for breeding.
The hens are also very fussy when it comes to nest selection and successful breeders overseas have found it necessary to give them a selection of nests. Normal nests of about 750 mm deep, then about 1.2 m deep and the “Grandfather clock type” 1.8 m to 2.0 m deep with the base just off the floor.
Once the hen has chosen a nest then the extra nests can be taken out of the aviary. I am told that very often the selection by the hen is a “grandfather clock” type nest in a dark corner at the back of the aviary.
Conclusion:
These are birds for the true aviculturist and certainly are not going to give a quick return, but those who have been able to establish two or three breeding pairs and who are prepared to take the extra trouble to meet their needs, find that the resulting sales of babies repays the aviculturist for the effort. At the same time, the breeder can feel good about what is a true conservation effort.
References
We value truthful content. 5 sources were referenced during research to write this content.
- (n.d.). What does Bird Gender testing involve?. Retrieved from https://www.wwbirds.co.za/dir/what-does-bird-gender-testing-involve/
- (n.d.). Can birds eat Blackberries? Good Complete Priced Advice. Retrieved from https://www.wwbirds.co.za/dir/can-birds-eat-blackberries/
- (n.d.). Can birds eat Hibiscus flowers? Parrots, Budgies, Cockatiels. Retrieved from https://www.wwbirds.co.za/dir/can-birds-eat-hibiscus-flowers/
- (n.d.). Hi performance pro 18. Retrieved from https://boegie.store/bird-food/hi-performance-pro-18-wilhen-avi
- (n.d.). Sprouting seeds for birds. Retrieved from https://www.wwbirds.co.za/dir/sprouting-seeds-for-birds/
