The Green-Cheeked Conure is a small parrot that makes a wonderful pet as it’s always full of silly antics. This bird is native to heavily forested and woodland areas of Paraguay, Argentina, and parts of Brazil. While Green-Cheeked Conures can be outgoing and funny, they also can be a bit shyer than other conures. This parrot is popular among bird lovers because of its small size, pleasant temperament, and relatively low noise level.
A normal Green-Cheeked Conure has gray chest feathers, bright green cheeks, green wing feathers, and a red tail. Over the years, several color mutations have occurred in captive populations including the following six Green-Cheeked Conure mutations.
Included with the mutation descriptions, is some general information about each mutation so you can learn more about each bird.
The 6 Green-Cheeked Conure Mutations
1. Cinnamon Green-Cheeked Conure
A Cinnamon Green-Cheeked Conure mutation features plumage that’s mostly lime green with a lighter, almost pale coloration of the feathers. This bird has a mostly tan head with light maroon tail feathers. The eyes of the Cinnamon mutation are ruby red and tend to fade over time due to exposure to UV light.
This bird has an independent personality and may be shy and standoffish around people it doesn’t know. Instead of wanting to be outside its cage now and then like a normal Green Cheeked Conure, the Cinnamon would rather stay in the cage and be left alone.
2. American Dilute Green-Cheeked Conure
The plumage of this conure is a light beige or cream. This mutation looks a lot like the Cinnamon except the bird has a dark bluish-colored beak and dark feet. The eyes of the American Dilute are dark and the hatchlings are covered with a beautiful white fluff.
The American Dilute is a friendly, fun-loving bird that enjoys playing with toys. This bird is gentle and affectionate too, making it a good choice for a first-time bird owner.
3. Yellow-Sided Green-Cheeked Conure
When viewed from the back, many people mistake the Yellow-Side Green-Cheeked Conure mutation with the original, wild Green-Cheeked Conure. But this bird is different because it has a bright yellow chest and a tail that is maroon or light red. The feet, beak, and eyes are dark.
The later generations of these conure mutations have lighter-colored beaks. Like the American Dilute, the hatchlings of Yellow-Sided Conures are covered with white fluffy down.
The Yellow-Sided enjoys clowning around as much as it likes to snuggle up with its owner and take a nap. This is a gentle, fun-loving bird that’s a joy to have around. You’ll never get bored with a Yellow-Sided as this bird is full of antics!
4. Pineapple Green-Cheeked Conure
This bird is a visual combination of the Cinnamon and Yellow-Sided as it has a light-colored head like the Cinnamon and the yellow sides of the Yellow-Sided. This bird has a brightly colored chest. The back feathers are lime green, just like the Cinnamon mutation. The eyes of this bird are ruby red and it has pale tail feathers.
A Pineapple is bred from a Cinnamon and Yellow-Side Green Cheeked Conure, resulting in a bird that’s fun-loving and always willing to play. This bird can be a little shy at first, but it won’t take long for it to warm up to a stranger.
5. Turquoise Green-Cheeked Conure
This mutation has resulted in the conures being larger than the original wild Green-Cheeked Conures. As the name suggests, this bird has mostly bluish-green plumage with gray tail feathers. The head of this bird is a glowing blue-dull color as is the beak. This mutation gets its name from the bird’s turquoise green cheeks.
Of all the Green Cheeked Conure mutations, the Turquoise is by far the most independent bird. This bird is known to be standoffish but it also is known to give plenty of snuggles to people it knows.
6. Muted or Ghost Green-Cheeked Conure
The Muted Green Cheek Conure mutation features muted mint plumage with a light blue head, chest, tail, stomach, and wings. People like this mutation because of the bird’s muted mint feathering color that covers its entire body.
This conure mutation has an affectionate personality and is loved by many due to its gentle nature. A Muted Green-Cheeked Conure mutation will become attached to its owner. One downside to this mutation is that these birds tend to pluck out their feathers when stressed or bored.Â
Final Thoughts
All the Green-Cheeked Conure mutations listed here are gorgeous birds that make great pets. Like all pet birds, Green Cheeked Conures can nip and be uncooperative at times, but generally, they’re easy-going and not difficult to keep.
Related read:
- How Much Does a Green Cheeked Conure Cost?
- How Long Do Green Cheek Conures Live? Average Lifespan, Data & Care
Featured Image Credit: Jida Xiu, Shutterstock
