Green-cheeked Conures aka Yellow Sided Conures
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I love all Conures but am particularly fond of the Green-cheek Conures.
They have become a favorite in the pet trade because of their sweet personalities and fun disposition. They are playful, affectionate and intelligent, known as having a "big personality in a small body". They can learn to talk, albeit with a limited vocabulary and a gravelly voice. This being said, I have received an e-mail from one web visitor who indicated that her greencheek is a very talented talker, "with an extensive vocabulary and clear elocution." Individual talents will vary.
One of web visitors, Evelyn Blackburn, describes her pet greencheeks as follows:
" ... they both can talk, not real good, but they talk. The male says 'Lokee pretty bird' and the female says her name, Sweet Pea and baby. She can also say '"mommy, daddy, and Max' . She also sings along with a song my husband made for her. It goes Sweet Pea baby bee the bird (all of which she says along in the song in the right spots along with tssking and throwing a kiss). Her favorite word is 'baby' which she can say in several different voices"
They like to be held (although some like it more than others) and can learn tricks such as lying on their backs and "kissing." Along with other Pyrrhura conures, they are only moderately loud, therefore making acceptable pets for apartment dwellers.
Description:
The Green-cheeked Conure or Green-cheeked Parakeet is a small parrot of the genus Pyrrhura. It is primarily green, with a grey breast, dark head, maroon tail and blue flight feathers. Its normal weight is about 70 g; its average length (including tail) is 25 cm (10 inches). They are very similar to the Maroon-bellied Parakeet or Conure (P. frontalis), and can live to 35–40 years.
Potential Problems:
Green-cheeked Conures can be noisy (although less so than other conures). They can be prone to biting, particularly when young, but an owner can cure this behavior with patience and time.
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
Conures, like other parrots, generally present their owners with several challenges, such as excessive screaming or chewing. They do discover their beaks as method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage" and they can generally be somewhat naughty, and it really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. Undisciplined parrots will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. They regard anything in your home as a "toy" that can be explored and chewed on; destroying items that you may hold dear or are simply valuable. Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation.
- Web Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
Distribution:
It occurs in west-central and southern Mato Grosso, Brazil, through northern and eastern Bolivia to northwestern Argentina. Its habitat is forests, where it forms big flocks at treetop level. In the wild, they eat various seeds and fruits and probably other kinds of vegetable matter.
Diet:
They love fruits, especially bananas and raisins*, and sunflower seeds. However, it is advised not to feed them oil seeds such as sunflower because they are addictive and do not contain the proper nutrition. However, a bird-pellet diet with a calcium supplement will give them the proper nutrition. (Adapted from Source: Wikipedia.org)
(*Note: Raisins have the potential of toxicity if fed in too high a quantity. Caution is advised)
Care and Feeding:
Conures love to climb and play and need to be provided with a cage that allows them to move around freely and toys to entertain themselves with. Please refer to the following websites for information:
- Sources for Purchasing or Adopting your Companion or Aviary Birds
- Optimal nutrition to keep your bird healthy
- Housing your bird / Fun & Safe Toys
- Caring for your companion bird
Breeding / Reproduction:
Several beautiful mutations of the green-cheek conure have been bred in aviculture, including the cinnamon yellow-sided and the pineapple -- both of which are featured to the right. Those two mutations are easily confused -- please refer to the insightful article "Is it a 'Cinnamon' or a 'Pineapple'?" Marcy Covaul, President, Pyrrhura Breeders Association, for more information.
They reach sexual maturity around one years of age. Many can be sexually mature earlier - but it is not wise to breed them younger than a year.
The average clutch is 4–6 eggs. Average incubation is 24 days, varying from 22 to 25 days. Sex undeterminable by appearance.
These conures are fairly easy to breed. Below are the dimensions of nesting boxes usually used for these conures. However, the dimensions can vary widely, as they are influenced by the owner's and the birds' preferences. The preferences of the breeding birds can also be influenced by the size and type of nest-box / log in which the bird was hatched and reared.
If space allows, offering a choice of sizes and types of logs or nest-boxes, and placed in various locations within the aviary, can allow the parent birds to make their own choice. Once a pair has chosen a specific nest-box/log and been successful in it, offer that one to them each breeding season. Try and keep that one for their exclusive use. Once a pair has chosen its log or nest-box, the other ones can generally be removed. If the "spare" boxes are to be removed and moved to another flight, ensure the log / nest-box is cleaned to ensure the receptacle has the minimal contamination of mites, parasites and pathogens.
Log / Nest-box:
- Marcy Covault from Feathered Companions Aviary suggests using a deeper box, either a bootbox or a vertical grandfather box (18" - 24" deep). Some conures do accept cockatiel-sized boxes, but using a deeper box will reduce the conures' tendency to remove the shavings and lay their eggs on the bare wooden base.
- Inspection hole: Square or round) 100 mm (or approx 4 inches)
- A Removable top / lid can be a useful access point for inspections and for cleaning.
- Location and height of log / nest-box = in a sheltered part of the aviary and at about 1.5 - 1.8 metres height, but not too close to the roof to cause heat problems in the hotter months
- Angle of log or nest box = 45 degrees through to vertical. Most boxes are vertical.
- Nesting log / nest-box material: Decomposed non-toxic saw dust, wood shavings or other suitable material/s.
- Incubation: Hen / cock / both share in incubating the eggs.
Nest inspection is generally not tolerated. If nest inspection is necessary, wait till both parents have left the nest. They can be aggressive and protective of the nest area when breeding.
For additional breeding-related information, please visit this website.
Genus: Scientific: Pyrrhura ... English: Red-tailed
Conures ... Dutch: Roodstaartparkieten ... German: Rotschwanzsittiche ... French: Perruche à queue rouge 
Species: Scientific: Pyrrhura molinae molinae ... English: Green-cheeked Conure, Molina Conure ... Dutch: Groenwangparkiet ... German: Grünwangen Rotschwanzsittich, Molinasittich ... French: Perruche molinea Sub-Species: molinae, phoenicura, sordida, restricta, australis CITES II - Endangered Distribution: Highlands of Eastern Bolivia
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots ... Riley the Green Cheek Conures ... Yellow-Sided Conures ... The FeatherTree: Yellow-sides Green Cheeks
Sub-species:
Argentinia Conures: Description: As Greencheek above, but breast feathers more olive; green to lower breast and flanks slightly duller; reddish colour to abdomen stronger and more extensive; under tail-coverts with less blue.
Immature characteristics as nominate type ...
Genus: Scientific:
Pyrrhura ... English: Red-tailed Conures ... Dutch: Roodstaartparkieten
... German: Rotschwanzsittiche ... French: Perruche à
queue rouge Species: Scientific:
Pyrrhura molinae australis ... English: Argentinia Conures,
Southern Green-cheeked Conures ... Dutch: Argentinië
Groenwangparkiet ... German: Argentinien Grünwangen
Rotschwanzsittich ... French: Perruche molinea d'Argentin CITES
II -
Endangered Distribution: Tarija, Southern Bolivia, North-western Argentina
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please go to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
Crimson-tailed Conures: Description: As Greencheek above, but green to base of tail upperside is extensive and not completely concealed by upper tail-coverts; on average smaller. Length: 24 cm (9.5 ins) ... Genus: Scientific:
Pyrrhura ... English: Red-tailed Conures ... Dutch: Roodstaartparkieten
... German: Rotschwanzsittiche ... French: Perruche à
queue rouge Species: Scientific:
Pyrrhura molinae phoenicura ... English: Crimson-tailed
Conure ... Dutch: Schlegels Groenwangparkiet ... German:
Schlegels Grünwangen Rotschwanzsittich ... French:
Perruche molinea Schlegel CITES II - Endangered Distribution: West-central Mato Grosso, Brazil, North-eastern
Bolivia
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please go to no. 3 - click on link to view photo.)
Sordid Conures: Description: As Greencheek above, but generally paler; cheeks in some birds faintly tinged with blue; breast dull brownish-white with indistinct pale edging; red to abdomen less prominent.
Immatures with little red to abdomen; generally much duller and less striking. Length: 26 cm (10 ins) ... Genus: Scientific: Pyrrhura ... English: Red-tailed Conures ... Dutch: Roodstaartparkieten ... German: Rotschwanzsittiche ... French: Perruche à queue rouge Species: Scientific:Pyrrhura molinae hypoxantha aka Pyrrhura hypoxantha / Pyrrhura molinae sordida ... English: Sordid Conure, Yellow-sided Conure ... Dutch: Geelborst-Groenwangparkiet ... German: Mato Grosso Grünwangen Rotschwanzsittich ... French: Perruche molinea Bolivia CITES
II - Endangered Distribution: Urucúm and Corumbá, South-western
Mato Grosso, Brazil
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please go to no. 4 - click on link to view photo.)
Santa Cruz Conures: Description: As Greencheek Conures above, but cheeks, band to nape, sides of body, under tail-coverts and some of upper wing-coverts suffused with blue; on average smaller.
Immatures with less red to abdomen and except for cheeks without blue tinge.
Length: 24 cm (9.5 ins) ...
Genus: Scientific:
Pyrrhura ... English: Red-tailed Conures ... Dutch: Roodstaartparkieten
... German: Rotschwanzsittiche ... French: Perruche à
queue rouge Species: Scientific:
Pyrrhura molinae restricta ... English: Santa Cruz Conure
... Dutch: Palmarito Groenwangparkiet ... German: Palmarito
Grünwangen Rotschwanzsittich ... French: Perruche
molinea Todd CITES
II - Endangered Distribution: Palmarito, Chiquitos, Bolivia
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please go to no. 5 - click on link to view photo.)
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with web visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the webmaster.
Photo contributions are welcome!
