The native habitat of conures is Central and South America. Most are green, with various shades of blue, red, orange, yellow and black. They are 9 to 21 inches in length from head to tip of tail. Many have been reported to live up to 35 years or more. Depending on the variety, conures reach sexual maturity at the age of 1 to 3 years.
Conures are intelligent birds, with a reputation of being noisy and destructive. However, this does not apply to all individuals. Both sexes are known to talk and perform tricks, and are loving companions when acquired at a young age or if they were hand-fed. Conures are known as "miniature macaws" because of their strong resemblance to these larger birds.
Conure Varieties
Janday (A. jandaya) These birds can be noisy, but they are also extremely affectionate. When gently scratched, their feathers fluff up to make them resemble little "fluff balls." The bird has a yellow neck, head and chest. Some flight and tail feathers are orange. The est of the body is green. They are about 10 inches long from the top of the head to the tip of the tail.
Nanday (N. nendayus) This variety is easy to obtain and inexpensive. Although they are not known for their talking ability their personality is similar to the janday. They can be noisy.
Halfmoon (A. canicularis) This little conure is smart, will talk and do some tricks. It is sometimes called a "dwarf parrot" and is not usually expensive. It can be affectionate but noisy at times. They are about 9 inches long and mostly green in color. There is a small amount of orange feathering above the nose. The upper part of the beak is a horn color while the lower beak is black.
Cherry head (A. erythrogenus) If obtained at an early age it can make a charming pet. Both male and female can talk and learn a few tricks. These birds are not usually expensive, but they are also not always available.
With an oversized, horn-colored beak, a large almost all-red head, a green bulky body and slender tail, this conure appears top heavy. It measures about 13 inches long from head to the tip of tail. Immature birds have no red on the head.
Conure Breeders