Green-Cheeked Conure

The Green-Cheeked Conurealso known as the ‘Green-Cheeked Parakeet’or ‘Green-Cheek Conure’is a species of small parrots native to the forest regions of South America. Belonging to the genus Pyrrhurait is a part of the parrot subfamily of the new world ‘Arinae’having long tails.

Green Cheek Conure

Description

Size: Measuring from the beak to the tip of the tail feathersthe length of the green-cheeked conure is typically 25-26 cm (approx. 10 inches). They measure 5 to 5.5 inches during wingspan.

Weight: These parrots weigh from 60 toat the most90 grams.

Feather and Color: The plumage of these birds is very colorful. The feather on their head is dark-gray to blackishor brown. Their cheeks are greenas their name suggests. They have a brown. The color of their feet is also dark gray. Their tail feather is completely maroon in color.

Tail: They have a long tail of about 4 to 6 incheswhich is gradually tapering at the tip.

Green Cheeked Conure Images

Bill: Their bills shape like that of the other parrot species and are gray in color.

Eyes: These birds have white eye rings.

Feet: The foot color of the conure is dark gray.

Subspecies

The green-cheeked conure has been classified into 6 subspecies:

• P. m. molinae(Massena & Souance 1854)
• P. m. phoenicura(Schlegel 1864)
• P. m. hypoxantha,(Salvadori 1899)
• P. m. australisTodd 1915
• P. m. restrictaTodd 1947
• P. m. flavopteraMaijerHerzogKesslerFriggens & Fjeldsa 1998

Color Mutations

In addition to the natural color formscolor mutants have been selectively bred in aviculture:

• Turquoise: The conures having a body with green or blue-green feathers are the turquoise green-cheeked conures. They have grayish breast feathers with a gray tail.

Turquoise Green Cheeked Conure

• Yellow-sided: The conures with a bright yellow breast with tinges of orange to red are identified as the yellow-sided green-cheeked conures. Both their two sides are also of bright yellow color.

Green Cheeked Conure Yellow Sided

• Cinnamon: Cinnamon green-cheeked conures have a lighter to pale-color plumage. They are lime green. Compared to the normal conuresthese conures have a tan color headwith tail feathers being lighter maroon.

Green Cheeked Conure Cinnamon

• Pineapple: The combination of the cinnamon and the yellow-sided is pineapple green-cheeked conure. Like the cinnamonthese birds also have a bright-color breasta tan head and lime green feathers on the back. Their tail feathers are the same as a yellow-sidedwhich shows a halo effect.

Green Cheeked Conure Pineapple

Distribution

These South American birds are mainly found in the west-central and southern regions of Mato Grosso in Brazilnorthern Paraguayand northern and eastern Bolivia extending till northwestern Argentina.

Habitat

Green-cheeked conures mainly inhabit the woodlands and the forest regions.

Green Cheeked Conure Habitat

Behavior

• Amongst the conuresthey are the quietest by nature. Although they have a comical and affectionate personalityyet they are one of the shiest of the conures.
• In the wildthey live in flocks of up to 10 individuals.
• They prefer living in forest areas and on tree tops.
• They love chewing their foods before consuming.
• As petsthese conures often try to draw the attention of its owner by hanging upside downor dancing around on their perchesor even by hiding under papers. Pet conures would spend time with lots of bird toys in the cageentertaining themselves on their own. Howeveronce the owner is aroundthey need lots of time interacting with its owner.

What do Green-Cheeked Conures Eat

In the wildGreen-cheeked conures have almost similar diet like other parrot species. They consume seedsvegetablesfruitsand occasionallyinsects too.

Green Cheeked Conure Eating

Sounds and Calls

Green cheeked conure parrots are quietbut at timesthey can be very loud and noisy to such an extent thatthey might even cause trouble to the owner’s neighbors.

Howeverthat is much lessas compared to other conure parrots.

Adaptations

Green cheeked conure birds mostly dwell in the forests and woodlands. The shades of green in their plumage help them well to camouflage from other birds of preyas they can hardly be tracedwhen perching on green treetops.

These parakeets prefer living in taller trees since it makes it tough for its predators to kill or eat them. Alsothis behavior makes it hard for the predators to reach up to their eggs.

Predators

The green-cheeked parrots have a very few predatorsbecausefor natural reasonsmost attack attempts on these birds remain unsuccessful. A type of batthe false vampireat times poses threat to the conures. The only time when these birds are vulnerable to these mammals is at night time. Howeverit is again tough for the bats to get its preybecause the conuresbeing diurnalare hardly found hopping around in the night.

Yet another predator of these parrots is the ornate hawk-eagle.  These eagles are birds of prey. Neverthelessit’s tough for these birds too to hunt down these parrots. The Green Cheeked conures live next to other birds as well.

Soas these eagles target for an attackthe flock of birds dispersesleaving the predator to be aloneand eventuallyno conures to be hunted down.

Lifespan

The green-cheeked conures can live up to 30 yearseven in captivity. Howevertheir lifespan has typically come down to 10 years on an average due to the neglect of their owners.

Green Cheeked Conure Pictures

Pet Care

Green-cheeked parrots are highly popular pets. They get tamed and trained easily and can get affectionate with their owners by attention and interaction.

Cage: The cage of the green-cheeks needs to be enough spacious for house feeding bowlsperchestoys etc.  The cage should be large and big enoughso that the conures can swing from side to side and can hang upside down. Green-cheeks are very active by natureand henceneed space where they can accommodate their activity.

Food and Diet: Pet green-cheeks shouldn’t be served the same kind of foods frequently. To keep them healthy and fitdifferent kinds of diets should be served at intervals like fruitsvegetableslegumeshealthy pellets etc. Amongst fruitsthese birds specially prefer bananas and raisins. Howeverthey also love other fruits like applesespecially if cubed or diced. Seeds like sunflowersafflower and hemp seeds are also their favoritesince these seeds are all found naturally in their dwelling environments. Tropical fruits like papayamangos and figs are also in their favorite list.

Being flock animalsgreen-cheeked parrots love eating with their family and share table food with their owners. They can eat vegetables like carrotspotatoesas also cornpopcornpasta or bread. Howeverexcess of high-fat foods and seedslike sunflower seedcan make them overweight. Fresh cuts of spinachbroccolidandelionor kale can also be served to these birds. As sources of proteinnon-vegetarian foods like turkeychickenpork or scrambled eggs can also be servedbut should be removed from the cage within an houror elsethis might get spoilt quickly and can make the birds sick.

Exercise: Because caged conures don’t get to fly hundreds of miles per day like their wild counterpartsthey need some physical exercise to stay healthy and happy. Owners can give them about two hours of time per day dedicatedly for this purpose.

Training:These birds have a limited vocabularywith extensive trainingand can learn tricks easily. Conures can learn ringing bellsclimbing up ropesturnaroundflying and receiving objectsand so onas much the owner can teach them. Other simple tricks like opening of their wingswavingdancingand even self-defense like staying away from objects of danger like sources of electricityor pet cats and dogs can be taught easily.

Diseases and Vet Care

Infectious diseases like psittacine beak and feather diseaseand alsochlamydiosis are quite common among green-cheeked conures. These parakeets can also be the asymptomatic carriers of Pacheco’s disease virus. If such diseases contractthe bird should be taken to the vet without delayor elsethe disease might even affect other pets and even its owner.

Non-infectious health conditions like internal papillomatosis and traumatic injury can also affect the conures’ health. Alsothe owner should take their parrots to a vetexperienced in parrotsfor early check-upsas alsofor clipping the wings.

Nesting and Breeding

In the wildgreen-cheeked parrots live and sleep in their nests inside tree trunks. Howeveras petsa wooden nest is not necessary for these parrots. For making a nest for these birdsa simple cardboard box with dimension 15×15 inches and the opening flaps taped shut is enough.

Just a holehaving a minimum diameter of 5 inches on the opposite end of the box should be made. This box must be fixed tightly with strings inside the cage so as to keep it in place. After matingthe female would lay around 4-6 eggs at a timeafter their incubation time of 22 to 25 days are over.

Green Cheeked Conure Breeding

Baby Conure

The baby green-cheeked conure parrots look almost similar to the adultsexcept that their plumage is faderespecially with very little burgundy part in chest featherand eyes having darker irises.

These baby parakeets reach their age of maturity by 1 to 3 years of age.

Baby Green Cheeked Conure

Green Cheeked Conure Babies

Talking

The green-cheeked conures can talk. Howeverthey are not known to be good talkers. Their talking ability is moderate. These parrots can learn to talkif taughtbut with a limited vocabulary and a grating voicewhich might not always be understandable. But there is no guarantee thatthey will learn to talk.

Green Cheeked Conure Flying

Conservation Status

In 2012green-cheeked conure has been listed by the IUCN 3.1 as “Least Concern” due to its increasingly high population.

Interesting Facts

• For their intelligenceabilitiesaffectionbondingbehavior and other characteristicsthis parrot is often described as ‘a big bird in a little bird’s body’.
• The male and the female green-cheeked conure have an identical external appearance. Gender can only be determined by sexing.
• With each generationgreen-cheeked parakeets get more intense in color.
• A conure affected by boredom out of same boring foods or less attention might screech louder and more often as protest
• Green-cheeked conures are very strong-willed and stubborn kind of parrots.

Green Cheeked Conure in Flight

Source: Shane Tiff

Green Cheeked Conure Photos

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