Conure
333478
225923824
2008-07-16T01:11:26Z
66.183.73.76
/* Jenday Conure */
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}}
'''Conures''' are a diverse, loosely-defined group of small to medium-sized [[parrot]]s. They belong to several [[genus|genera]] within a long-tailed group of the [[New World]] Parrot subfamily Arinae. The term "conure" is used primarily in [[aviculture|bird keeping]], though it has appeared in some [[scientific journal]]s. The [[American Ornithologists' Union]] uses the generic term "[[parakeet]]" for all species termed conure elsewhere, although [[Joseph Forshaw]], a prominent Australian ornithologist, uses the term "conure".<ref name ="Forshaw78">Forshaw, Joseph M. & Cooper, William T. (1978): ''Parrots of the World'' (2nd ed). Landsdowne Editions, Melbourne Australia ISBN 0-7018-0690-7</ref>
[[Image:NandayConure-Jack.jpg|thumb|[[Nanday Conure]]]]
[[Image:Kids and new apartment 015.jpg|thumb|Cinnamon [[Green-cheeked Conure]]]]
[[Image:Brown-throated Parakeet (Aratinga pertinax) -pet.jpg|thumb|[[St. Thomas Conure]]]]
[[Image:AudubonCarolinaParakeet2.jpg|thumb|Extinct [[Carolina Parakeet]]]]
==Description==
<nowiki>Conures</nowiki> are either large parakeets or small [[parrot]]s that are found in the [[western hemisphere]]. They are analogous in size and way of life to the [[Old World]]'s [[Rose-ringed Parakeet]]s or the [[List of parrots (family)#Tribe Psittaculini|Australian parakeet]]s. All living conure species are found in [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]]; the extinct ''Conuropsis carolinensis'' or [[Carolina Parakeet]] was an exception. Conures are often called the clowns of the parrot world due to their constant attention seeking behavior including hanging upside-down and swaying back and forth or "dancing."
Despite being large for parakeets, conures are lightly built with long tails and small (but strong) [[beak]]s. Conure beaks always have a small cere and are usually horn-colored or black. Most conure species live in flocks of 20 or more birds. Conures often eat grain, which causes them to be treated as agricultural pests in some places.
Conures are as diverse a group as [[List of parrots (subfamily)#Tribe Psittacini|African Parrots]], so trying to characterize them all is difficult and inaccurate. The category ''conure'' is loosely-defined because they do not currently constitute a natural, scientific grouping. The term ''conure'' is now used mostly in [[aviculture]]. Scientists tend to refer to these birds as "parrots" or "parakeets." (''See below under ''[[#Scientific Classification|Scientific Classification]]'' for more details.'')
==Conure species==
Conures, as the term is used by aviculturists, include only the genera ''[[Aratinga]]'' and ''[[Pyrrhura]]'', as well as several single-species genera and one double-species genus*.
These other genera are listed below:
*''Conuropsis'': [[Carolina Parakeet]] (extinct)
*''Cyanoliseus'': Patagonian Conure
*''Enicognathus'': Austral and Slender-Billed Conures
*''Guarouba'': Golden or Queen Of Bavaria Conure
*''Leptosittaca'': Golden-Plumed Conure
*''Nandayus'': Nanday Conure
*''Ognorhynchus'': Yellow-Eared Conure
See also: Wikispecies [http://species.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aratinga taxonomy.]
===Aratinga===
Latin for "little macaw," (ara - macaw, tinga - diminutive) the ''[[Aratinga]]'' conures generally seem to have a more mischievous personality than the real little macaws or [[mini macaws]]. Popular as pets, the ''Aratinga'' conures are generally larger with brighter plumage and are generally the noisier, more outgoing, more demanding of the two primary conure genera. The colorful [[Sun Conure]] and [[Jenday Conure]] are among the species of conures more commonly kept as pets. Many of the Aratinga species can be quite loud but otherwise can make very good pets for responsible owners. Some species, such as the Dusky Conure, Brown Headed Conure, Peach front Conure, and Half Moon Conure, are among the quieter Aratinga species, though they may still be loud at times. Lifespan is 20-30 years.
See [[Red-masked Parakeet|Cherry-headed Conure]], [[Blue-crowned Parakeet|Blue-crowned Conure]].
===Jenday Conure===
The [[Jenday Conure]] or Jandaya Parakeet (Aratinga jandaya) is a bird of the parrot family native to northeastern Brazil.
While the Jenday has a very loud shrill call they may not have the high pitch of a Sun Conure.
Like most conures, Jendays are also known for their sociable disposition and playful behavior. These small parrots are highly intelligent, and can often learn several words and phrases, but are not known for their talking ability. Jendays often enjoy learning tricks, and should be handled frequently.
jenday conures are very closly related to the sun conure, they look almost exactly the same. The only difference is that jenday conures have very dark green wing and back feathers with blue tipped wings and tail feathers. it is hard to tell the diference when they are young because the sun has the same green as jendays before their first molt.
===Pyrrhura===
[[Image:Green Cheeked Conure Family.jpeg|thumb|220px|A family of Green-cheeked Conures]]
''[[Pyrrhura]]'' is the other large genus of conures. These generally greenish conures include the very common [[Green-cheeked Conure]], as well as the maroon-bellied conure, pearly conure, black-capped conure, painted conure, crimson-bellied conure, and a number of other species. Usually smaller, duller-colored, and much quieter than the ''Aratinga'' conures, the ''Pyrrhura'' conures contain almost every conure species with a [[hyphen]] in the name. Pyrrhura species are growing in popularity as pet birds, primarily due to their quiet nature, their friendly, affectionate, and intelligent personalities, and the increasing number of color mutations being developed in several of these species. They are known to be nippy or territorial birds on occasion; most juveniles go through a nippy stage. Lifespan is 20-25 years.
===Nanday Conure===
[[Image:Nandayconures.jpg|thumb|220px|Pair of wild Nanday Conures]]
The [[Black-hooded Parakeet|Nanday Conure]], ''Nandayus nenday'' is the most commonly kept pet conure species outside of the two main genera. Some experts believe that Nandays should actually be grouped with the Aratinga genus, since they are cross-fertile with such species as Jendays and Suns. Nanday Conures have a distinctive black head, and wings and tails tipped with dark blue feathers. They have a light-blue scarf and bright orange feathers on their legs and around their vents. The maturity of a Nanday can be told by the edges of its black hood: if the hood has a ragged edge of brown, then the bird is over a year old. Although Nandays are often said to be extremely noisy, it might be more accurate to say that they are a heavily flock-oriented species, used to making their demands known, calling out warnings for the group, and making inquiries about other members of the group who are out of sight. They are also extremely social and intelligent birds, capable of learning tricks, mimicking sounds, and learning a decent vocabulary. At least one report suggests that they are highly adaptable to human encroachment on their territories, but the exact status of the species in the wild is unknown.
Flocks of '''Nanday Conures''' have been seen living wild in parts of Florida, notably the west coast including areas of St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
===Golden Conure===
The [[Golden Conure]] or Queen of Bavaria Conure, ''Guarouba guarouba'' (recently reclassified from ''Aratinga guarouba'') is, as the name implies, covered all over with bright yellow feathers, except for the green wing-tip feathers and the greyish-horn-colored beak. Golden Conures are among the most expensive conures both to purchase and to care for, although many owners feel that the benefits outweigh the cost. It is one of the rarest conures in the wild in addition to the pet trade. Many experts believe that these birds should not be kept in captivity unless in a breeding program.
===Patagonian Conure===
[[Image:Patagonian conure.jpg|thumb|[[Patagonian Conure]], ''Cyanoliseus patagonus'']]
The Patagonian Conure, also known as the [[Burrowing Parrot]], ''Cyanoliseus patagonus'', is a large conure found in the [[Patagonia]] region of south-central Argentina and Chile. Drab on the top, brighly colored underneath, the Patagonian Conure has increased in popularity since the 1990s, leading to an increase in illegal importation which threatens the wild populations; however they are fairly commonly bred in captivity. Patagonian conures have a reputation for being exceptionally sweet-natured and intelligent conures, but can be very loud and destructive with their chewing.
===Enicognathus===
The Greater Patagonian Conure is the largest of all the Conures. They learn to talk and they usually bond
very well with people, especially if hand-raised.
===Golden-Plumed Conure===
The Golden-plumed Conure, also called the [[Golden-plumed Parakeet]], ''Leptosittaca branickii'', is a small Andean conure not found in aviculture and endangered in its own habitat.
===Yellow-Eared Conure===
The exceedingly rare '''Yellow-eared Conure''' or ''Ognorhynchus icterotis'' of [[Colombia]] and [[Ecuador]] was never common in aviculture and has not successfully bred in captivity.
===Carolina Parakeet===
''Conuropsis carolinensis'', the '''[[Carolina Parakeet]]''', was the only parrot species [[endemism|endemic]] to the United States in recorded history. The Carolina parakeet was a remarkably social bird, living in vast flocks. American bird hunters reported that Carolina Parakeets would return to mourn dead members of the flock, making themselves easy targets. Considered a pest, popular in the pet trade, and bearing plume feathers valued for hats, this species was hunted to extinction around the beginning of the 1900s.
==Scientific Classification==
The word ''conure'' is an old term and was originally used as a descriptive name for the members of the no longer-used genus ''Conurus'', which included the members of ''[[Aratinga]]'' and ''[[Pyrrhura]]''.
The parrot order [[Psittaciformes]] is a rather confusing tangle of genera, many containing only one species. [[Parrots]] or Psittacines (order Psittaciformes) includes about 353 species of bird which are generally grouped into two families: the [[Cacatuidae]] or cockatoos, and the [[Psittacidae]] or true parrots. The term parrot is generally used for both the entire order as well as for the Psittacidae alone.
All members of the Psittaciformes order have a characteristic curved beak shape with the upper mandible having slight mobility in the joint with the skull and a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. See [[Parrot]].
The conures and all other New World parrots are often placed in a subfamily or tribe [[Arinae]]. Internal relationships of conures are poorly understood though it seems evident that, to make them a natural grouping, the [[Quaker parakeet]]<sup>1</sup>, the [[thick-billed parrot]], and ''[[Brotogeris]]''² should be included, and often are. [[Neotropical parakeets]], [[macaws]], and other are also candidates potential for inclusion. In this scheme, "conure" would comprise members of the genera:
*''Aratinga''
*''Pyrrhura''
*''Nandayus''
*''Guarouba''
*''Cyanoliseus''
*''Enicognathus''
*''Leptosittaca''
*''Ognorhynchus''
*''Conuropsis''
*''Rhynchopsitta'': Thick-billed parrot
*''Myopsitta'': Quaker parakeet
Macaws:
*''[[Ara (genus)|Ara]]''
*''Anodorhynchus''
*''Cyanopsitta''
*''Diopsittaca''
*''Orthopsittaca''
*''Primolius''
In addition the [[caique]]s and the [[hawk-headed parakeets]] have also been proposed for inclusion. Both the caiques and the Hawk-headed parakeets have a heavier build and different tail structure from traditional conures.
<sup>1</sup>The Quaker or [[Monk parakeet]] is technically a conure by almost anybody's definition, but due to its popularity in aviculture and its uniqueness, it is generally considered in a category of its own.
²''Brotogeris'' are not only often counted as conures, but as [[parrotlet]]s as well, and it is not clear precisely which one, or both, or neither, they belong to. Certainly the tail structure is different from that of the parrotlets, although the basic body structure seems to be analogous with both groups.
==Trivia==
A Blue-Crowned Conure was the star of the family movie [[Paulie]].
==Nonnative Conure Colonies==
Conures are highly adaptable to urban environments, and several nonnative colonies have been observed globally. The exact origins of such colonies are generally unverifiable.
===Seattle, WA===
A conure colony has taken up residence in [[Seward Park (Seattle)|Seward Park]].
===San Francisco, CA===
There is a colony of Cherry-headed Conures living in [[Telegraph Hill, San Francisco]]. They were the subject of the film [[The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill]].
===Los Angeles, CA===
There are multiple colonies of Cherry-headed Conures in the San Gabriel Valley (the suburbs northeast of Los Angeles). Subtropical U.S. cities like L.A. are great environments for tropical birds because of all the tropical plants that are cultivated as ornamentals, providing them with their natural food supply. Flocks of fifty or more descend on fruit trees during their bearing season, staying for a few days and making a deafening racket. During mating season they build nests in the palm trees that line many streets in the region. A baby cherry-head fell out of the tree in front of our house in the early 1990s. Our gardener took it home, hand-fed it, and kept it as a pet. Ironically this may have completed a cycle that started with the bird's ancestors flying out of human homes. It is widely speculated that the reason there are so many feral conures is that they make too much noise for many pet owners, who "accidentally" leave their flight feathers untrimmed.
Three species of conures (genus Aratinga)have formed non-native colonies in California, and these are documented by the California Parrot Project in affiliation with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and in cooperation with the Pasadena Audubon Society. http://www.californiaparrotproject.org/id_guide.html
===Long Beach, CA===
A colony of [[Orange-fronted Parakeet|Half-moon Conures]] has been observed in the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach, CA since the late 1980s.
==See also==
*[[Sun Conure]]
*[[Golden Conure]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
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{{sisterlinks|Conure}}
{{commonscat|Psittaciformes}}
{{Wikispecies|Psittaciformes}}
{{portalpar|Birds}}
*[http://www.freeparrots.net/ FreeParrots] Conservation, welfare, and ecotourim opportunities on behalf of wild parrots
*[http://www.birdadoption.org/groups.htm Parrot Rescue, Adoption & Sanctuary Groups]
*[http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Parrot 1911 Britannica article]
*[http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/ The Parrot Society UK]
*[http://www.xoparrots.com/ XOParrots] Forum specializing in parrots. Runs raffles and holds donation drives to help parrots in need.
*[http://www.conurecrazy.com/ ConureCrazy] A conure specific discussion forum, dedicated to care, behavior, advice, and more.
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