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The Green-cheeked Conure is a favorite of bird owners
everywhere because of their sweet personalities and exquisite coloration!
The Bolivian Green-cheeked Conure is an intelligent, playful
bird who can be taught to say simple words and phrases! Although they can
screech very loudly, they usually are one of the more quiet varieties of
Conure. Green-cheeked Conures should be kept in as large a cage as
possible- the minimum is 18 inches by 18 inches by 22 inches. They need
lots of sunlight, fresh air, and time out of their cages for playing and
cuddling with you! Green-cheeked Conures also love bathing, and will enjoy
showering with you provided the water is not too hot! Apart from a bathing
pan, Green-cheeked Conures need fresh water in their cages at all times.
You should feed them a good pellet diet and/or fortified seed-mix
supplemented with a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and legumes. It is
also very important that your Green-cheeked Conure has a nesting box in
his cage, so that if he feels stressed he can lay low for a while! Conures
also enjoy sleeping in the dark, quiet security of their nesting boxes.
They love to chew and need lots of sturdy toys. Green-cheeked Conures are
very affectionate birds who will form very strong, loving bonds with their
keepers. They are also quite good with children.
At maturity, Green-cheeked Conures are generally around ten
inches in length. Their feathers are predominantly green, although the
secondary and primary flight feathers are blue. A frontal band is present
and it is narrow and mahogany colored. The nape, throat, and upper breast
are all greenish brown, but the nape may include some pretty blue
feathers. Each feather on the Green-cheeked Conure's nape, throat, and
upper breast is edged with a dull yellow-gray, giving the feathers
definition and having the effect of scales typical to Conures. The ear
coverts, forehead and back of the head are all brown, and the abdomen is
mahogany in color. The tail underside is also mahogany, and the upperside
has feathering of the same color over a green base. This is largely hidden
by the Green-cheeked Conure's tail-coverts. The undertail coverts have a
blue hue to them. Green-cheeked Conures have the white skin around their
periopthalmic ring that is typical to Conures, and their irises are brown.
Their bills are gray, and they have a generally lovely appearance. There
are at least two popular color mutations for the Green Checked Conure,
these are the Fallow Green Cheeked Conure, and the Yellow Sided Conure.
Green-cheeked Conures are native to eastern Bolivia's
highlands. Because they are wild birds, many places require a license to
keep them. Remember that on the whole, captive-bred birds will make better
pets than wild-caught birds. Green-cheeked Conures were first recorded by
Massena and Souncé in 1854. They are known as
Gruenwangen-Rotschwanzsittich in German. |