Conures are one of the most delightful parrot species around. They are charming, curious, smart, and absolutely gorgeous birds. Many conures also learn to speak fairly well.
Think of a conure as having a “big bird personality” in a little bird body. These parrots are relatively small, but they have enough spunk and charisma for birds twice their size.
Look out for the Beak!
As charming as they are, conures have a powerful beak and are known to bite. The key is to teach your conure that biting is unacceptable.
The History of Conures as Pets
Ever since the nineteenth century, conures have been popular pets. During the late 1980’s their popularity soared.
Hand-fed conures easily bond with their human caretakers. They are extremely affectionate birds who can wiggle their way right into your heart. In a lot of ways, conures are like toddlers. They’re a bundle of mischief, fun and excitement. They love to get into everything and make a healthy mess.
Natural Habitat
Conures originate from Central America, South America, Mexico and some of the Caribbean Islands. In the wild, they live in the mountains, jungles, forests and farmlands of their native countries. They band together in flocks of about 20 birds, and live peaceably together. They feed on a variety of foods including fruits, berries, bugs and crops, which makes them a nuisance to local farmers.
Some conure species have extremely interesting breeding habits. Only one species, the monk parakeet, actually builds a nest like a normal bird. The other species raise their young in rocks, crevices and tree hollows. Some even nest in termite holes. In the case of termite holes, interestingly enough, the termites don’t seem to mind at all. They simply allow the conures to occupy a certain space in their home until the chicks are hatched and the conure family moves on.
Conure Species
There are five distinct groups of Conures. Most of these birds are so similar to one another it is difficult to tell them apart. They tend to have thick green plumage, long tail feathers, hooked beaks and a ring of featherless skin around the eyes. Unfortunately, due to heavy trapping in their native countries, many conures are now on the endangered species list.
Species Overview
- Cynoliseus conures are the largest birds in the conure family, ranging from 17-18 inches in length.
- Encognthus conures are natives of South America and are rarely seen in a domestic setting.
- Nandays conures are known to be loud screechers with a harsh voice, making them unattractive as pets.
- Aratingas conures closely resemble the Macaw, both in personality and color. They are among the largest and the loudest of the conures. They can also be exceptionally sweet and cuddly. The most popular species in this category is the Sun Conure. These are beautiful birds with dazzling feather colors. Despite their propensity to be loud and noisy, Sun Conures are popular pets.
- Pyrrhus conures are small, but don’t let their size fool you. These birds are remarkably bold and aren’t afraid to challenge birds who are twice their size. They are also a bit quieter than some of their conure cousins. The Pyrrhus Breeding Association offers a great overview and pictures of the various types of Pyrrhus conures.
Personality & Disposition
Conures are noisy. They are extremely vocal and regularly communicate through delightful squawking, screaming and hollering. Their voices are exceptionally loud and can sometimes even be deafening. So if you can’t stand noise, don’t purchase a conure. You can minimize a conure’s incessant screeching by providing an abundance of toys. Conures love to play and will act like a child in a toy shop when given an abundance of colorful items to playwith. Swings and hanging toys are great for conures. Many hanging toys have a variety of different textures and play items attached, which will provide your conure with lots of mental stimulation and fun. Conures love to swing and will screech in delight as they swing back and forth.
A playstand is a must for any conure. Birds need time outside their bird cage to explore their environment and interact with people. Your conure is no exception. A playstand will allow your conure to be with the family when you are watching TV, making dinner or just hanging out in the living room.
Bringing Your Conure Home
One of the most important decisions you will make for your conure is regarding his bird cage. You should invest in a cage that suits your conure’s needs. This involves more that just grabbing the cheapest bird cage at a local pet shop. While there are some excellent cheap bird cages on the market, you still need to do your research before purchasing one.
Invest in the largest parrot cage you can afford. Conures need room to stretch, fly and play. As a result, an aviary or flight cage is ideal for conures. This allows them to exercise their wings, fly from perch to perch and have ample space to move around.
The bird cage should be large enough for your conure to fully extend his wings without touching either side of the parrot cage. A conure cage should be at least 36″ x 36″ x 24″.
Cage Location
When setting up a bird cage for your conure, location is an important factor. Conures are extremely sociable creatures who like to be part of the hustle and bustle of everyday activity. You can’t place your parrot cage in an isolated room and expect your bird to be happy. It’s best to place your Sun Conure cage right in the center of daily commotion, such as the living room or dining room.
Conure cages are relatively easy to find and come in several varieties. Be sure to purchase a bird cage that is large enough for your conure to move around and play with his toys.
Stop that Noise!
Since conures love to talk, squeal and squeak almost incessantly, it might be a good idea to invest in a cage cover. During bedtime, a cage cover will help your conure understand that its time to be quiet and fall asleep.
A cage cover will help your bird get a good, healthy night sleep free from, lights, noise and distractions. It might even encourage your conure to sleep in, instead of waking up at first light. This will give you a few more hours of peace and quiet in the early morning before your bird starts exercising his vocal cords.
Dark cage covers, such as the ones offered by Custom Cages, are ideal. Although you may be tempted to purchase a brightly colored, decorative-looking cover for your birdcage, this is counter-productive. Conures tend to become over stimulated towards bright colors, which may actually increase, not decrease their noise level.
These dark cage covers are made out of durable, light-weight non-toxic poly cotton fabric. They are machine washable and custom made to fit your bird cage. So you don’t have to worry about trying to drape a sheet or blanket over your parrot cage each night plus try to figure out how to keep it from falling off. These commercial covers also include a unique flap door, which is secured with Velcro on each side. The Velcro allows you to easily lift the flap to open the door if needed, without removing the entire cover. After all, you don’t want to awaken your sleeping conure if you don’t have too!
Resources:
The International Conure Association
www.conure.org
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