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Blue-crowned
Conure
Common Names: Blue-crowned
Conure, Blue-crown Conure, Blue-hooded Conure, & Blue-capped Conure
Scientific
Name: Aratinga
acuticaudata haemorrhous
Origin: South
America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Paraguay, Uruguay,
and Venezuela)
Relative Size: Medium 160-170 grams
Average Lifespan: 20 – 30 years
Origin & Movies:
Blue-crowned Conures thrive in tropical habitats. In the wild they
live in large flocks and feed from fruit trees. They enjoy grouping
with other conures and other parrots. Like most parrots they are
very noisy in flight. A group of 30 or more conures can easily be
spotted and revealed through their loud shrills. When they are
quiet it can be difficult to spot them due to their coloring.
More recently these conures have been thrust into the media through
the famous documentary called, The Parrots of Telegraph Hill.
The film features many conures, and among them, Blue-crowned Conures
are shown. This was not the only silver screen appearance of this
particular parrot. Another fictional movie called, Paulie
also cast a Blue-crowned Conure.
Description:
The Blue-crowned Conure is not as brightly colored as other
conures. Instead, it has only a few colors softy blended together
to make the conure look distinct. The conure has a light blue hood
that covers the crown, forehead, and the cheeks. Around the eyes a
white ring is present. The body is solid green; however, different
hues of green are visible. When the tail is fanned open red can be
seen. The underside of the wings and tail are also yellow and
red. The beak is multicolored; the upper mandible is beige and the
lower mandible is black. On average these conures are around 14- 15
inches in length.
Pet Aspect:
Blue-crowned Conures make wonderful pets. They are not as prone to
biting as most parrots. If fact, these parrots can be trusted to
interact with family members without being too aggressive. Their
docile, yet playful personalities make them attractive candidates
for first time parrot owners. Another positive trait is their
knack for talking. Unlike most conures who cannot talk,
Blue-crowned Conures can pick up human speech. Though their talking
ability is not as clear as Indian Ringnecks or Quaker Parakeets,
they still are somewhat understandable. Their voices are often
reported as sounding muffled and high. They are fantastic pets, and
if well socialized and tamed, they will gladly bring hours of joy
into your life.
Tricks:
Blue-crowned Conures are great at performing tricks. They are
not shy and will gladly work for praise or treats. These birds
can be taught to pick up coins and place them into a piggybanks, lie
on their backs, ring a bell, or retrieve objects. It is
important to understand tricks are only limited to your imagination.
If you wish to promote tricks then you’re going to have to apply the
techniques of positive
 reinforcement.
Diet:
Because these parrots come from South America, they need to be
provided with fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Tropical fruit is
perfect for conures, especially small chunks of papaya, mango, and
figs. These conures should not be fed avocados or chocolate.
These are toxic substances that will usually result in death if
given. Alcohol beverages should never be given to parrots as well.
Blue-crowned Conures are not picky. Very rarely will these conures
turn down a fresh bowl of fruits and vegetables.
Feed your
conure a stable diet of seeds and pellets. Feeding your conure just
seeds or just pellets can be harmful. They key is to balance
everything in their diet and offer everything in moderation.
Conures have the potential to live 20-30 years. If you meet this
diet demand and take your conure to the vet regularly, you can
prolong your parrot’s life and expect him to reach 20 or more years.
Noise:
Conures are known for being noisy. A conure will easily give a
piercing call to get your attention. Careful techniques should be
used to help minimize this calling. Never yell at your conure for
screaming. This only reinforces screaming and will make it worse.
The best method to help minimize screaming is to totally ignore it.
That means no eye contact and walking out of the room. These are
very social and smart creatures that will quickly mold their
behavior to your liking. You can do this by ignoring unwanted
behavior and praising preferred behavior. Please note that a conure
cannot be training to completely be quiet. They will naturally make
noise during the morning, noon, and before sunset. If you seek a
conure that is considered more quiet, the maybe a Grey-cheek Conure
should be your ideal choice.
Activity:
Your conure should be allowed plenty of exercise. Keeping these
birds confined to cage all day is not advised. They enjoy climbing
and chewing, and as a result, proper hand toys and ropes should be
included into the bird’s cage. A play stand should also be provided
to allow exercise outside the cage.
If you plan to
be away for more then an hour, turn on a radio or TV to help
entertain your conure while you’re out. This will help minimize
your conure’s boredom. |
