The conure is a family of American parrots that includes about 45 different species. These birds are characterized by their slender build and long tails, resembling parakeets. A popular pet for birdkeepers, there’s plenty of information available for care, habitat, diet, and temperament.
Whether you own a conure or you’re thinking about getting one, there are a lot of fascinating facts you may not know, like the common trait shared by all species in this family or their favorite treat. Take a look at these 18 fascinating and fun conure facts you never knew.
The 18 Fascinating Conure Facts
1. Conures are often regarded as “real parrots” in the pet trade.
That’s compared to popular species like cockatiels and parakeets.
2. Conures are New World parrots.
They originate in Central and South America.
3. They have complicated communication methods.
Though they don’t often imitate their owners, conures have highly developed communication in wild colonies and mimic flock members’ individual calls.
4. The Carolina parakeet has gone extinct.
The Carolina parakeet is a conure species native to the U.S. Unfortunately, this species was hunted to extinction in the early 20th century.
5. There are many wild colonies of conures in the US.
The U.S. is home to many wild colonies that live in urban areas of California, specifically in San Francisco.
6. Conures have white eye rings.
All conure species have white rings around their eyes known as a “naked eye ring”.
7. There are four common types of conures.
The most commonly kept species include the sun, jenday, maroon-bellied, and green-cheek conures.
8. Conures are very loud.
Conures emit an ear-piercing shriek that can be heard for miles.
9. Conures can mimic certain sounds.
Captive conures don’t usually mimic, but when they do, they choose ambient sounds like doorbells and telephones.
10. Some conures have a soft spot for peanuts.
Most birds have a natural diet of seeds and nuts, but many captive conures love peanuts as a treat.
11. These birds have natural camouflage.
Conures nest in tall treetops and have camouflage to protect them from predators. Because of this, its own natural predators are birds of prey and the false vampire bat.
12. Several conure species are endangered from deforestation and harvesting for the pet trade.
The green-cheeked conure is one of the few listed as a “Least Concern” species on the IUCN red list of threatened species.
13. Conures are pretty healthy but are prone to some diseases.
Though generally healthy, conures are prone to chlamydiosis and psittacine beak and feather disease. Fortunately, these can be prevented with proper care.
14. The hit comedy film “Paulie” starred a conure.
To adjust to the filming schedule and the demands of the role, 14 blue-crown conures were trained in verbal commands and hand signals. Other conures were used for the supporting bird roles, including the South American nanday conure, the jenday conure, and the cherry-headed conure.
15. Known for playfulness, the conure has a reputation for being a sharp dancer.
Many owners report their pets bobbing their heads and dancing to music. Ironically, studies have shown that birds have diverse music tastes, but don’t usually like dance music.
16. Some conure species ingest mineral-rich soils from clay as a supplement for minerals and digestion.
In captivity, a proper diet eliminates the need for eating clay.
17. Conures are playful and quirky.
Some species enjoy hanging upside down, which comes from an instinct to forage on the underside of branches in the wild.
18. Brazilians want the golden conure species to be the national bird.
This is thanks to its coloration of golden yellow with green and resemblance to the Brazilian flag.
Final Thoughts
Conures are amazing birds and can make fantastic pets if you have the know-how and the right conure-appropriate setup. Did you know any of these facts about this bird before reading the article? Which one did you find the most interesting?
You may also want to read:
Featured Image Credit: Rutpratheep Nilpechr, Pixabay
