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Green-cheeked Conure

Yellow-sided Green-cheeked Conure

Family: PsittacidaePyrrhura molinaePhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   "Pooki" is just about four months old and he is so darn playful,... he can't wait to be let out of his cage!

   His new home is with a young girl who is "graduating" from cockatiels to a bit bigger bird. Both she and Pooki are very excited about getting to know each other and getting to play with each other!

For more information about the care of Conures see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Conure

Geographic Distribution Pyrrhura molinae Data provided by GBIF.org Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae

Scientific Name:Pyrrhura molinae

Subspecies:

• Green-cheeked Conure
  Pyrrhura molinae molinae
• Argentina Conure
  Pyrrhura molinae australis
• Santa Cruz Conure
  Pyrrhura molinae restricta
• Yellow-sided Conure
  Pyrrhura molinae hypoxantha
• Pyrrhura molinae sordida
• Pyrrhura molinae phoenicura

Distribution:
   These birds are native to Bolivia.

Description:
   The Green-cheeked has coloring very similar to the Maroon-bellied Conure, but can be distinguished by the reddish upper surface of its' tail feathers. It has a green body with blue primary flight feathers and a maroon tail. The scallop feathers on the chest and upper neck are fringed with white. There is purple on the belly and the beak and the ear covers are brown.

Size - Weight:
   These birds grow to a length of 10 1/2" (26.2 cm).

Care and feeding:
  A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out for extended periods. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play pen or parrot perch. They eat a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, and commercial pellets, as well as the same nutritional foods humans eat.

   See About Conures: Housing and About Conures: Care and Feeding for more information.

Social Behaviors:
   These birds tame very easily and are very sociable. The Pyrrhuras are a quieter conure than the Aratinga species making them an easier pet to live with. However, they are not known to be great talkers. In the wild they are very sociable with other green-cheeks. Often they forage in groups and spend the night sleeping together.

Activities:  Loves to climb and play. Provide lots of toys.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The sex of the Green-cheeked Conure is undeterminable by appearance, though an immature bird will have duller pulmage than the adult, darker irises, and less maroonish coloring on there abdomen. These birds reach sexual maturity around two years of age.    The hen will usually lay between four to six eggs, and the incubation period averages 22 - 25 days.The average clutch is 4–6 eggs. Average incubation is 24 days, varying from 22 to 25 days. They are not too fussy about their nesting box but can use a box about 7" x 7".

Potential Problems:
   This bird is not nearly as noisy as most Aratinga species.
   See About Conures: Potential Problems for more information.

Availability:  This bird is generally available.

Author: Clarice Brough, CAS

Lastest Comments on Green-cheeked Conure View all 89 comments on Green-cheeked Conure Add Your Comment

Negurj - 2012-01-22 I bought a young Green Cheek Conure in September 2008 for my partner which turned out to be a delightful little companion, naughty, inquisitive, not scared of and very curious about everything. Life and working pattern changed and a years later we bought a companion who was not well cared for. They took to each other, the new friend bloomed, learned tricks and became very very tame but unfortunately we found out a few month later that this unscrupulous person sold us a Johnny instead of a Jenny. We had no idea what to do and needless to say that eggs did not survive. It took the pair a few month to calm down and become regular pets again. However, they got frisky again this year and despite of removing the sleeping pouch they made eggs. Again, eggs did not hatch but we both can not stand another episode of becoming pseudo-grandparents....and here is my dilemma. Female bird is already back to her normal mischievous self, out of the cage causing mayhem but the male, usually hand tame and cuddly, this time around is inconsolable if she is not with him. When we leave both out he is chasing her and trying to hang onto her - wing, foot, neck, anything he can get hold of her. They are content in the cage and I know we are the problem but has anyone else dealt with this problem? A friend is ready to take the male but are we doing the right thing in separating them? Alternative is a bird sanctuary where he would be living in a flock...HEEEELP please, our hearts are aching by the thought of doing the wrong thing. Clarice Brough - 2012-01-22 It sounds like you're not wanting to keep going through the breeding stage, where they become less social and may end up with babies. I understand the birds are content in their cage, but out of the cage the male is chasing and hanging on the female - wanting to keep close contact. It's a tough call to decide to separate them. It sounds like they have a good companionship with each other and birds have a very good memory. But most likely the they would adapt to being without a companion again. If you decide to separate them I think the birds would adapt, though it may take some time. Negurj - 2012-01-28 Thank you very much for the encouraging words, we have still not decided what to do but at least there is a silver lining. Amazing how two little birds can run your life.... mark - 2012-05-13 Do not separate them. I made that mistake once and will never do that again. The male became unmanageable for all it's remaining years. Charlie Roche - 2012-05-14 You are not going to do a wrong thing. Your friend can take the male and the male will form a human bond again with a new person. Might take 2 weeks but he will be fine. In the wild they will take other mates and form other bonds. When two parrots are trying to 'do it' for the first time, there is trial and error and more often than not the first few clutches are infertile. There is no FLOCK for them to watch and see how 'it' is done. Many parrots have their hormonal phase in the spring whether mated with another parrot or not. So you can give the male to your human friend and he will bond. You can keep the pair you have and eventually they will figure out how to 'do it'. Many times the hormonal stuff will stop when summer finally comes. If they figure out how to 'do it' you can keep one of the babies for yourself but don't pair it. Example if you put even two males together, frequently one will assume the female role. You can have two conures or a macaw and a conure but don't let them share a cage. Reply

Angela Wyse - 2012-04-28 Can you help our conure has started ripping the newspaper at the bottom of the cage, this morning the paper has been pushed to one end and it's staying at the bottom of the cage, not sure if it's male or female hense the name Bobbie, are they nesting? Please help. Charlie Roche - 2012-04-28 I have no way of knowing if your conure is trying to build a nest, however, they do chew up paper into little bitty pieces. I buy my conure whole tablets to chew up in little pieces and keep the tablet on his perch. That way he doesn't chew up the paper in the bottom of the cage. Good luck. Reply

Celynne - 2007-10-25 My GCC, Peabody, is my first parrot. I had a few budgies (parakeets)before, but never a parrot. Peabody was four months old when I bought him. I thought he would be a lot like a budgie, silly me. Tiny little bird that he was, I found myself 'bird proofing' my home. I couldn't believe his deductive reasoning. It would take more space than I have here to explain what he would do, but it amazed me. I am a high school teacher, and this little bird had more critical thinking skills than many of my students. He talks... A LOT! His favorites are 'Whatcha' doing', 'Get the baby!', 'Whaz up, Nut', and my favorite is when I take him for a ride in the car ... 'Wheeeeeeee' and 'Zoom, zoom, zoom' (from the TV ads on tv). One thing he does that I have never seen or heard of about GCCs is he PURRS! I don't have cats, so he can't have learned it from a cat. He crawls into my lap in the evenings for his scratch and purrs! You can hear it and feel him vibrating as he purrs. Has anyone ever had a purring conure? Anyway, he's six years old now. A happy, healthy bird raised by a totally inexperienced parrot person. paul - 2012-04-16 Yeah my green cheeked conure purrs as well. I can't move without him following me everywhere I go. He wants cuddling all the time. He's like a baby and starts crying for me for attention if I am out of the room. I love him very much. Reply

sue makin - 2012-03-25 I have a green cheeked conure parrot, donot know the sex, it is 18 weeks old and is bonding with me very easily, when I give it a scratch around its his head and neck it of course loves it, then I will stop for a minute and sometimes it will turn around and kinda push its bottom (I suppose you call it that) right up against my hand which is resting on the table and its tail feathers are up above my hand and then it gives a little wiggle and shakes its little wings, kinda like a little flutter and then a little wiggle again, do you know what it is doing? Reply

jude silver - 2011-06-13 I have an egg in my nesting box. I would like to know if I need to remove the egg. Cause of the male but I only have one egg not more if anyone knows I would apperciate it if someone could get back with me and let me know? thanks Charlie Roche - 2011-06-13 Leave the egg in the nesting box. The female will start to sit the eggs when she lays all the eggs - usually 2 or 3. Reply

order tramadol - 2012-01-31 so what do we do now? Charlie Roche - 2012-01-31 If you want just the one - then give the male to your friend. The Male Johnny I am sure will bond with a human companion. They will adjust. Try and look at it this way - they had a teen romance - now it's time to grow up, be companion, be loved, be fun and when they really grow up and it is time for them to Marry - say 20 years old or older - then they can think about it again. Reply

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