Conure Parrots

CONURE
Conures may be considered small parrots (Figure 10-8). This group of birds can be divided into pyrrhua (e.g., maroon-bellied, white-eared) and aratinga (e.g., red-masked, jendaya, sun, blue-crowned). In general, the pyrrhura are less noisy and make better companion animals, with the exception of the aratinga blue-crowned conure.

Conures are popular companion avian species because they are beautiful, have “talking” capabilities, are a relatively small group of psittacine birds, and are relatively inexpensive. Unfortunately, because of their relatively low price, many novice bird owners purchase conures without performing the proper research on their new pet. Most conure species have beaks that are large enough to inflict a serious bite injury to the owner. These birds are independent, even when hand-raised, and may bite without any provocation.

The arantinga group can be beautiful (e.g., sun conure, jendaya) but are often so vocal that they present a significant distraction and disturbance to their owners. The exception, again, to the vocal aratinga group is the blue-crowned conure. A blue-crowned conure was used as the bird actor for the movie Paulie. Many conure species successfully reproduce in captivity and are readily available for the pet trade. Conures are small parrots and need adequate cage space and appropriate toys for their powerful beaks. Most conures have an average life span of 20 to 25 years.