15 Types of Conure Parrots to Keep as Pets (With Pictures)

Conures are a large group of diverse birds that fall under the category of parrots. For parrots, they’re small to medium-sized, generally between 10 and 20 inches in length.

Many Conures are extremely loud, others are quiet and docile. They come in a variety of bright colors, spanning nearly every color of the rainbow. But it’s their loving and affectionate nature that make them great pets.

There are many different species of Conure to choose from if you’re looking for a new feathered friend. So, which ones make the best pets? Let’s take a look at 15 Conures that make the best companions.

The 15 Types of Pet Conure Parrots

1. Green-Cheeked Conure

Green-Cheeked Conures have some of the shortest lifespans in the parrot world, expected to live just 15 years. They’re also pretty small, topping out around 10 inches in length.

But they make excellent pets due to their spunky nature. They’re lots of fun and full of energy, always looking for a way to entertain their family. These are some of the quieter Conures, so if you’re not looking for a screeching alarm clock or you live close to other people, then the Green-Cheeked Conure is a good choice.

2. Jenday Conure

Brightly colored and beautiful, the Jenday Conure has distinct bands of color that run the length of its body. Red belly feathers are topped by orange and yellow heads with bright red ringing the eyes. Green wings and blue tail feathers complete the rainbow, making them one of the most ornamental birds you could keep.

These are affectionate and playful Conures that want lots of attention. In fact, they’ll be very demanding about your time, and they’ll make sure their displeasure is heard! They’re also quick learners, so you can easily train your Jenday Conure.

3. Sun Conure

This bird is a sight to behold. They’re a bright rainbow of feathers, with hues of red, green, yellow, and orange all coalescing on each other. On average, they’re roughly 12 inches long and can be expected to live 25-30 years. They’re very social, constantly looking for more social interaction.

Your Sun Conure can even learn to perform tricks. They’re excellent guards as well, releasing a piercing scream to alert you whenever someone is at the door.

4. White-Eyed Conure

The White-Eyed Conure only lives about 20 years, but they make some of the best pets of any type of Conure. This is because of their docile nature that makes them more well-behaved than other parrots. If you take care to socialize your White-Eyed Conure, you can expect it to make an excellent companion. It is both entertaining and affectionate.

5. Queen of Bavaria Conure

If you’re looking for the rarest and most unique parrot you could find, then the Queen of Bavaria Conure certainly fits the bill. Also called the Golden Conure, this bird is a sight to behold. It’s covered in bright golden feathers from crown to foot, which makes it an instantly recognizable bird.

Of course, part of their charm is their rarity. They’re extremely expensive, but you can find them available as pets. And luckily, they do make excellent companions! People who own these birds fall in love with their upbeat, affectionate nature. They’re entertaining and fun, but not everyone can afford such an exotic parrot.

6. Red-Masked Conure

Though their bodies are almost entirely bright green, you can easily pick out a Red-Masked Conure because of the bright red feathers that cover their entire face, creating a red “mask” from which they take their name. They’re medium-sized birds, though large for Conures, that reach 13 inches and can live over 30 years.

Talking birds are wildly popular, and the Red-Masked Conure is one of the parrots that can easily learn to talk. They’re very vocal by nature, so they’ll likely naturally start to mimic your words. But like many parrots, they can be very loud at times, so they may not do well in apartments.

7. Nanday Conure

Though physically plain and drab compared to some of the more colorful Conure species, the Nanday Conure makes up for its appearance with a larger-than-life personality. They love to play and always want to be the center of attention, constantly seeking your affection.

But if you don’t provide enough of that much-needed attention and stimulation, you can expect your Nanday Conure to become very noisy and even start displaying destructive behaviors.

8. Patagonian Conure

While most Conures are brightly colored, usually green but often displaying rainbows of colors, the Patagonian Conure has a more subdued physical appearance. This species is mainly a dark olive color, though it has small patches of orange and red on its legs.

Patagonian Conures are the largest Conure species and can reach 20 inches in length when fully grown. They’re affectionate and loving, though they can be quite loud as well.

9. Half-Moon Conure

Much quieter than many of the other Conure species, the Half-Moon Conure is still quite vocal. However, their calls are much lower in volume than other Conures, which makes them attractive as potential pets.

What else makes these little Conures attractive is their lively personality. They will show their emotions plainly, getting very excited to see their family, bobbing up and down in a show of enthusiasm.

10. Mitred Conure

Bright green with a red forehead and accents, the Mitred Conure is an adorable parrot. They can learn quite a few words, becoming good talkers with practice. They’re also very curious, always wanting to explore a new area.

One thing to keep in mind with Mitred Conures is that they can be a bit temperamental. They’ll scream if they don’t feel like they’re getting adequate attention and can even start nipping. They’re not a great choice for novice bird owners or apartment dwellers.

11. Austral Conure

Native to Chile, the Austral Conure is the most southern-reaching of all parrot species. This is a lesser-known species of Conure, though one of its sub-species is well-known; the Chilean Conure. But these days, Austral Conures are being successfully bred in captivity, so they’re becoming more available as pets.

12. Dusky-Headed Conure

These Conures aren’t quite as visually impressive as others, though they’re excellent pets because of their personalities. Still, they’re beautiful birds, despite being not as bright as many other parrots. Their feathers are dull green with a grey head from which the Dusky-Headed Conure takes its name.

What makes these Conures great pets is that they’re much less demanding. They’re naturally loving and sweet and even make good pets for children. Plus, they’re pretty quiet compared to other Conures.

13. Blue-Crowned Conure

As you might guess from the name, the Blue-Crowned Conure features blue feathers atop its head. The rest of its body is primarily bright green, except the underside of its tail which ranges across hues of red or pink.

This is a smart and sweet species of Conure, making them excellent pets. They’re very playful and eager to learn, so you can teach your Blue-Crowned Conure tricks and words and they’ll pick them up quickly.

14. Golden-Capped Conure

Named for the golden plume on their heads, the Golden-Capped Conure is a very popular pet that does well in captivity, though their population in the wild is threatened by deforestation and habitat loss.

These birds love attention. They’ll scream loudly when they don’t get it, or when they’re excited, or when you come home, or pretty much whenever they want. They’re not great for apartments for this reason. However, they’re very trainable and can even learn to speak a few words.

15. Peach-Fronted Conure

The Peach-Fronted Conure has a bright orange forehead that makes it look similar to other Conures, though it can be differentiated by the black beak. They’re cuddly and loving, which makes them excellent choices as pets. Moreover, they’re very quiet for Conures and can even do well in apartments with neighbors close by.

Conclusion

As you can see, there’s no shortage of diversity among the Conure family. Whether you want a brightly colored bird with just as colorful of a temperament, or you want a more subdued bird with a calmer demeanor and less vibrant colors, you’re sure to find the right Conure to fit your personality. Hopefully, we’ve helped narrow down the choices so you know which Conures to start researching more in-depth before you add a new member to your family!

You may also want to read:

• What’s the Optimum Age to Bring a Conure Home?
• 18 Fascinating & Fun Conure Facts You Never Knew

Featured Image Credit: Lukas Budinsky, Shutterstock