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Half-Moon ConureOrange-fronted Conure Family: Psittacidae
A happy little bird, the Half-Moon Conure has a wonderful temperament and is very friendly. They are very popular and fun pets!The Half-Moon Conure is a lively, alert, spontaneous little bird. They will bob their head and even dilate their eyes when they are happy to see you, are showing off for you, or are just plain excited!
Though they can be noisy the Half-Moon Conure has a lower volume to their call. They are considered to be one of the quieter birds in the Aratinga species. They enjoy mimicking a variety of sounds and some, like "Lucky", can even be great talkers. For more information about the care of Conures see:
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Scientific Name: Aratinga canicularis
Orange-fronted Conure Subspecies (3):
- Petz' Conure
Aratinga canicularis canicularis - Half-Moon Conure
Aratinga canicularis eburnirostrum - Aratinga canicularis clarae
Distribution:
Though Half-Moon Conure is native to southwestern Mexico,
the other two species of Orange-fronted Conure range in western Central
America from Sinaloa, Mexico, south to western Costa Rico.
Description:
The Half-Moon Conure has a narrow frontal orange band that
extends down to the lores and a forecrown that is blue. They look very
much like the other Orange-fronted Conures though a tad bit larger than
the Petz' Conure, and they have a brown spot on each side of the base
of the lower mandible. They are also similar in appearance to the Peach-fronted
Conure but have a macaw-like beak that is horn colored.
They have a generally green plumage with a greenish-yellow
underside and yellow to olive-yellow under the wings and tail. The outer
parts of the wings are blue. Like the macaws they have a naked eye ring.
Their eye ring is a dull orange-yellow and the iris is pale yellow. Juveniles
have a brown iris and the orange frontal band is narrower. Females also
have a narrower frontal band.
Like most conures of this size, they have an average life
span of about 30 years and possible longer.
Size - Weight:
These birds get up to 9.5" (24 cm) and 2.6 ozs. (74
g). Generally a little larger than the Petz' Conure which is about 2.5
ozs. (71 g).
Care and feeding:
Half-Moon Conures are not as destructive as many of the others
conures, and can easily be housed is a lighter weight cage such as a cockatiel
cage. A roomy cage is appreciated unless the bird is to be let out for
periods of exercise and play.
In the wild many of the Orange-fronted Conures eat figs,
seeds, nuts, berries, and blossoms, but the Half-Moon Conure has been observed to feed mostly on fruits, so much so that their
feathers are often found to be sticky. In captivity these birds will eat
an avian pelleted diet as well as a wide variety of fruits. They are not
as quick to bathe as most conures. Offer them a bath, or if they are not
interested in that give them a misting of warm water with a spray bottle
or in the shower or sink about every other week.
See About Conures: Housing and About Conures: Care and Feeding for more information.
Social Behaviors:
All Orange-fronted Conures are social birds and live in fairly
large flocks in the wild (up to about 80 birds) for a good part of the
year. During mating season however, they pair up and live alone or with
a few other pairs. They love to play and will preen each other during
resting periods.
Activities:
They love to climb and play. Provide lots of toys. Many birds
can spend most of their time on a play pen or parrot perch.
Breeding/Reproduction:
In their natural environment these birds nest in termite
mounds, digging out a long upward climbing entry that then makes a sharp
turn into a cavity dug out in the middle of the mound. They have been
observed to use the natural hollow of a tree when termite mounds are not
available, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Captive breeding
is a bit more difficult than with other conures because of their preferred
natural nesting place, but they are being successfully bred.
Though these birds will need to be either DNA or surgically
sexed for a certain determination, the females will generally have a narrower
frontal band.
The hen lays three to five eggs, one every other day, which
are then incubated for about 30 days. The female broods the eggs and does
the Initial feeding when the hatchlings are first born. The male then
gradually takes over the feeding. The young fledge (leave the nest) after
about six weeks. A nest box size should be 13" x 10" x 10"
with an entrance hole about 3.25" in diameter.
Potential Problems:
As with many Aratinga species, Half-Moon Conures can be noisy
but are generally considered a quieter conure. Not nearly as noisy as
most of the Aratinga species are.
See About Conures:
Potential Problems for information on illnesses.
Availability:
The Half-Moon Conure is very popular and available from time to
time. Your best bet is to find one at a pet store or a reputable breeder.
(They are very plentiful and readily available to people who live in their
native country Mexico!)
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Comments from people who have kept this pet:
I had a half moon conure named Chip he was the cutest thing ever. He would squeeze through my door in the morning just to get next to my face and wake me up. He absolutely loved hot cheetohs and coffee. He was extremely protective of me and would fly and bite anyone's face who he didn't want near me. The only girl he liked was me. He would sound like a microwave and loved to pretend he was a zipper. We let him fly freely around the house and he was seriously part of the family. Everyone was devestated on 8-21-07 when he was killed by a hawk who pulled half his wing through his cage while he was outside and killed him. This bird and my budggie were the only birds I have ever had that got away outside and always flew back to me. I will definitely miss him.
I had purchased a half moon conure a month ago. He was 4 months old. He was slow at weening, so I wasn't able to bring him home until just yesterday. I took him to the vet for a check-up, as required by the store's health guarantee. Bloodwork was part of the routine check-up. He was taken to a back room. When he came out he didn't look right. He was very wobbly. The vet took him in the back again. When he came out he seemed better. 3 hours later he died in my hand at home. I have been searching for answers and I think the same thing happened that happened to Alvaro Gonzalez in his post on 7/10/07. Everybody please be aware of this. We found out the hard way.
I was brought up with parakeets, but two weeks ago I bought my first half-moon conure. He was about 12 weeks old and was hand fed as a baby. It was love at first sight. He let me hold him and play with him in pet shop for almost an hour before we took him home. 'Banjo' loves attention and would rather be with people more than on his play area. He already is letting me scratch his head and will lay on his back for a tummy scratch. He lets me pick him up and will come up near the side of my face to cuddle. First thing in the morning and when I return home after work, he makes all sorts of noise to get my attetion so I will talk to and play with him. Can't wait to see what he does after some real training!
I have a half-moon conure named Pumpkin but he seems to respond better to "NO" or "QUITO". He will be 3yrs old february 25th. He is so smart and he loves to shower every day, right under the faucet in the laundry room. He does not have a cage, he's well behaved and stays on his gym, but most of the day he is on my shoulder. A little too spoiled, if you do not pick him up he walks over to you and climbs up your pants and gives you a kiss. He is the best. I have never had a pet as loving and affectionate as Pumpkin. It is amazing, and he gets jealous if somebody hugs me, very protective my little guy... -Jen
My Orange Fronted Conure died yesterday, his name was Polly and he was very special to me and my Family. It was an unexpected death and I wish I knew why he passed. He was very overprotective of me and he didn't like anyone to get near me especially not my boyfriend, he always gave me lots of kisses and showed me lots of love. He was a very special part of all our lives. He use to sleep, eat, play, and even take showers with us. I honestly think he thought he was a human. He will truly be missed. R.I.P. Polly
I would like to give a warning to half-moon conure lovers. My baby died a couple of weeks ago at the hands of a competent vet where I live, Miami, that as a part of a yearly checkup drew blood from her. By doing that he somehow caused her to have an internal blood hemorrage. She died a couple of minutes later. She was perfectly healthy and didn't need to go see the vet, but I loved her so much I took her in to make sure everything was all right. If I would have ever been told or read somewhere that small birds can experience something like this, I never would have taken the chance. Her death has totally devastated me and changed my life forever, not to mention the emptiness I feel at all times. I suppose only an owner and lover of this bird knows what I mean. So please warn all those that own half-moon conures that there is always a possbility that when they take their beloved birds to the vet, and have him draw blood, that the bord might just die.
Some of the coolest comments:
We adopted Joshua at 3 months - and little did we know what a ball of fire we got! He's now 3 1/2 years old and talks no-stop; people will ask how many words he knows, and I just say as many as he wants! When not at home we let him and our little Shih-Tzu, Dixie watch cartoons; so now he's picking up some of their words, the latest being "Okey, dokey, dokey," & we are are saying it too! Bad enough when your pets imitate you, but worse when you find yourself imitating them! We had Dixie for 3 years prior to getting Joshua, she was not thrilled when he came in, but, for him, it was instant love. He loves that little dog and throws her carrots and green beans all day...he tells her to go "Pee Pee" and then says "Good Girl" afterwards! When she comes in he asks if she wants a "Cookie or a Carrot." She in turn, tolerates him now, after all, Joshua is a good food source! PROS for having a Half Moon: Intelligent, will reward you 10-fold if you take care of them. They are family friendly with us, love me the most and my husband second,(of course, after Dixie!). Beautiful little birds. Loves to ride on my shoulder all day. Will stay on perch without wondering. Definite talkers! And looove you so... CONS - if spoiled, they will call (or yell) for you by name until you pay attention. Can be loud, & nippy. One thing we hate is that while Joshua lets us kiss him, play bite, and steps up, he won't let us touch his body with fingers or be picked up. Having spoken with several other Half Moon folks, found out that they have the same problem. Don't know if it's breed characteristic, or just coincidence. After 3 years of trying, he now lets us touch his back (if we do it quick!). All in all, they are definite keepers and worth a little noise & nip for all of the love you get.
I have a wonderful Half-Moon conure named Frankie. He is incredibly intelligent, happy, outgoing and a great talker. He is not yet 6 months old and says the following phrases, already: Whatcha-doin? Hello Frankie Pretty Bird Such a Pretty Bird Good Boy Step Up Ouch (which he learned to say when he would nip my finger) He whistles the "cat call" sound and is beginning to whistle the Andy Griffith Show song! He's a great little bird, allows me to scratch his cheeks and head and loves attention. I'd recommend this species to anyone who is interested in a pet bird.
Author: Clarice Brough, CAS
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