The Blue-throated Conure
by Tariq Abou-Zahr
Veterinary student, University of Bristol
Conures are some of the most popular and widely kept psittacine birds in aviculture. Their relatively smaller size, beautiful colouration, inquisitive personalities and readiness to breed have all contributed to their popularity. What many people fail to realise however, is that the term “conure” is very broad indeed. The difference between a Green-cheeked Conure and a Queen of Bavaria Conure for example is fairly astronomical.
In general, it is perhaps better to think of conures at the genus level, rather than as one big group. There are two main genera: Aratinga and Pyrrhura. The Aratinga conures in simple terms are the larger, noisier birds like the Sun Conure (Aratinga solstitialis) or the Nanday Conure (Aratinga nendaya). The Pyrrhuras are smaller, quieter birds and include species like the Green-cheeked Conure (Pyrrhura molinae) and the Fiery-shouldered Conure (Pyrrhura egregia).