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- The best places to find or adopt a conure
- The gear you need to make sure that your conure settles in at home
- Feeding, grooming, and training tips to keep him healthy and happy
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Meet the Conure
Parrots have long been favorite pets among birdkeepers, and conures are among the most popular parrots. These companion birds are well known for their exuberant, playful personalities and clownish antics, and some species of conure are among the most spectacularly colored parrots available. When properly trained and cared for, a conure can make a delightful addition to a household.
Appearance
Ranging 8–18" (20–46 cm) in size from the beak to the tip of the tail, conures have a slender and light bone structure. The area around the eyes (known as the eye ring) is without feathers and is usually white. The nostrils are always visible, even if feathered. The most prominent characteristic of the conure is the rounded bill, which curves back toward the body.
Most of these birds are predominantly green with red or another color on the wings, under the wings, and on the tail feathers. However, there are several different species of conure that vary in size, general appearance, and even temperament.
Conure Genera
Scientists divide conures into two main genera: Pyrrhura and Aratinga.
- Pyrrhura: Attractive and inquisitive, these birds are 9–11" (23–28 cm) in size. Small, with moderate voices for parrots, these conures can make excellent pets. There are 16 species in this genus, and nine of them are regularly available as pets.
- Aratinga: These birds are 9–14" (23–36 cm) in size. Members of this genus typically have louder, harsher voices than members of the Pyrrhura genus. There are 21 species of conure within this genus.
There are also two conure species, Nandayus nenday and Cyanoliseus patagenus, outside these genera. Both of these species also make suitable pets. (For more information on the most commonly available conure species, see Conure Varieties.)
Temperament and Behavior
Although conures can make good companions, they are far different from most domestic animals. Until they undergo training and socialization, these birds make no attempt to please their families. However, like other parrots, they are social animals who are most comfortable in flocks, which is why they chatter so frequently to their human keepers.
Intelligent and playful, conures can be very entertaining pets once they are tame and comfortable in the presence of their owners. They are also active, clownish, messy, and occasionally moody birds, but each individual also has his own unique personality, and species can differ among one another in terms of temperament.
| Text & Photos Copyright © 2007 TFH Publications, Inc. | Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
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