Editing Conure

{{Short description|Group of small to medium-sized parrots}}
{{Paraphyletic group
|image=Birds Sun Conure.jpg
|image_caption=[[Sun conure]] (''Aratinga solstitialis'')
|auto=yes
|taxon=Arinae
|includes=*''[[Aratinga]]''
*''[[Pyrrhura]]''
*''[[Eupsittula]]''
*''[[Psittacara]]''
*{{extinct}}''[[Conuropsis]]''
*''[[Cyanoliseus]]''
*''[[Enicognathus]]''
*''[[Guarouba]]''
*''[[Leptosittaca]]''
*''[[Ognorhynchus]]''
*''[[Thectocercus]]''
*''[[Myiopsitta]]''?
*''[[Brotogeris]]''?
*''[[Rhynchopsitta]]''?
*''[[Pionites]]''?
*''[[Deroptyus]]''?
|excludes=*[[Androglossini]]?
*''[[Anodorhynchus]]''
*''[[Diopsittaca]]''
*''[[Orthopsittaca]]''
*''[[Ara (bird)|Ara]]''
*''[[Primolius]]''
}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2009}}
'''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]]. Most conures belong to the tribe [[Arini (tribe)|Arini]], though ''[[Myiopsitta]]'' is an exception. The term "conure" is used primarily in [[aviculture|bird keeping]], though it has appeared in some [[scientific journal]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.08.007|title=Individual recognition and selective response to contact calls in foraging brown-throated conures, Aratinga pertinax|year=2008|last1=Buhrman-Deever|first1=Susannah C.|last2=Hobson|first2=Elizabeth A.|last3=Hobson|first3=Aaron D.|journal=Animal Behaviour|volume=76|issue=5|pages=1715–1725|s2cid=53165482 }}</ref> The [[American Ornithologists' Union]] uses the generic term ''[[parakeet]]'' for all species elsewhere called ''conure'', though [[Joseph Forshaw]], a prominent Australian ornithologist, uses ''conure''.<ref name="Forshaw78">{{Cite book|last1=Forshaw|first1= Joseph M. |last2= Cooper|first2=William T. |year=1978|title=Parrots of the World|edition=2nd|publisher= Landsdowne Editions|location= Melbourne Australia| isbn= 978-0-7018-0690-3}}</ref>

[[File:NandayConure-Jack.jpg|thumb|[[Nanday conure]]]]
[[File:Pyrrhura molinae - cinnamon mutation.jpg|thumb|Cinnamon [[green-cheeked conure]]]]
[[File:Brown-throated Parakeet (Aratinga pertinax) -pet.jpg|thumb|[[St Thomas conure]]]]
[[File:AudubonCarolinaParakeet2.jpg|thumb|upright|Extinct [[Carolina parakeet]]]]

== Description ==
Conures are either large [[parakeet]]s or small [[parrot]]s found in the [[Western Hemisphere]]. They are analogous in size and way of life to [[Afro-Eurasia]]'s [[rose-ringed parakeet]]s or the [[Neophema|Australian parakeets]]. All living conure species live 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 (gray) or black. Most conure species live in flocks of 20 or more birds. Conures often eat grain, and so are treated as agricultural [[Pest (organism)|pests]] in some places.

Conures are as diverse a group as [[Psittacinae|African parrots]], so trying to characterize them all is difficult and inaccurate. The category ''conure'' is loosely defined because they [[Paraphyly|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". The [[sun conure]] is one of the few species that is regularly called a conure even in scientific texts. (''See below under ''[[#Scientific classification|Scientific classification]]'' for more details.'')
<!-- not encyclopedic how-to for captive birds - replace with wild diet information
== Diet ==
The condition of the individual will dictate the dietary needs. For example, the following activities will cause the dietary needs to vary: activity level, physiological condition, growth, breeding, egg-laying, rearing youth, and molting. Other than pellet mixes and seed mixes there are fresh foods that are acceptable for Conures to consume.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Vriends, Matthew M., Ph.D. |title=Conures|publisher=Barron's|year= 1998|page=29| isbn= 978-0-7641-1038-2}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Category  !! Foods
|-
| Greens || chard, mustard, sorrel, cilantro, parsley, kale, collards, carrot tops, rapini, endive, arugula
|-
| Vegetables ||  pepper, squash, cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, beet, yam, pumpkin, snow pea, broccoli, kohlrabi, potato, cooked beans (e.g., garbanzo, kidney, peas, limas, black-eyed peas)
|-
| Fruits || apple, grape, berries, banana, pear, plum, mango, cantaloupe, melons, papaya, fig
|-
| Pasta || various shapes, whole grain (wheat, spelt, etc.)
|-
| Grains || brown rice, barley, millet, amaranth, quinoa, farina, oats, corn
|-
| Nuts || Brazil nut, almond, walnut, pine nut, filbert, cashew, nut butters
|-
| Protein || tofu, chicken, salmon
|-
| Dairy || yogurt, cheese (small amounts)
|}

Foods that must be avoided and are very harmful, possibly deadly, are alcohol, avocado, caffeine, chocolate, cured meats, fatty or oily foods, salty food (including salted nuts), garlic, onion, and sugared products.<ref>{{Cite book|author= Frischmann, Carol|title= Conures|publisher= T.F.H. Publications|year= 2007|pages= [https://archive.org/details/conuresfris00fris/page/51 51, 55]|isbn= 978-0-7938-3770-0|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/conuresfris00fris/page/51}}</ref> -->

== Species ==
Conures, as the term is used by aviculturists, include only the genera ''[[Aratinga]]'', ''[[Pyrrhura]]'', ''[[Eupsittula]]'' and ''[[Psittacara]]'', as well as several single-species genera and one two-species genus. Not all members of these genera are called "conures" with equal frequency; some are more often referred to as parakeets. 
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
* ''[[Ognorhynchus]]'': yellow-eared conure
* ''[[Thectocercus]]'': blue-crowned conure

=== ''Aratinga'' ===
[[Old Tupi]] for "bright macaw", (''ara'' – "macaw", ''tinga'' "bright") the ''[[Aratinga]]'' conures generally seem to have a more mischievous personality than the real little macaws or [[mini-macaw]]s.  Popular as pets, the ''Aratinga'' conures are generally larger than other conure species with brighter plumage and are generally the noisier, more outgoing, and more demanding of the two primary conure genera.  The colorful [[sun conure]] and [[jandaya parakeet]] 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. Their lifespans are 20–30 years.

[[Nanday conure]]s (''Aratinga nenday'') 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. Nandays are often extremely noisy; they are a heavily flock-oriented species, used to making their demands known, calling out warnings for the group, and calling to members of the group that 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 live wild in parts of Florida, notably the west coast, including areas of St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Additionally, flocks of wild Nanday conures live in Siesta Key, Sarasota, Florida.  A large flock of nanday conures lives in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.  They have been in the area for the past several years.

[[Golden-capped parakeet|Golden-capped conures]] (''Aratinga auricapillus'')—also known as golden-capped parakeets—are native to Brazil and Paraguay. Their natural habitats include [[subtropical or tropical dry forest]], [[subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest]], dry savanna, and plantations. The existence of this conure is threatened by habitat loss. However, golden-capped conures are prolific breeders, making them popular birds in aviculture, and hand-fed young are generally available.

Golden-capped conures grow to about {{convert|13|to|14|inches}} in length and weigh about {{convert|150|g}}. Their bodies are mainly green with blackish bills, gray feet, and brown irises. The forehead, the areas around the eyes, and underwing coverts are usually red. The breast feathers are a red and green mix. Their tail feathers are olive green with a bluish tip. The primary feathers, wing coverts, and under wing coverts are blue.

Immature golden-capped conures are mostly green, with some orange around the eyes, above the beak, and on the breast near the wings. Some navy is mixed in with the green of the tail. The birds' full colorations are not seen until they are sexually mature at about two years of age. Their lifespan is about 30 years.

=== ''Pyrrhura'' ===
[[File:Green Cheeked Conure Family.jpeg|thumb|A family of green-cheeked conures]]

''[[Pyrrhura]]'' is the other prominent genus of conures. These conures (with generally more green colors) include the very common [[green-cheeked conure]], maroon-bellied conure, pearly conure, black-capped conure, painted conure, crimson-bellied conure, and a number of other species.  They are usually smaller, have more subdued colors, and are much quieter than the ''Aratinga'' conures. ''Pyrrhura'' species are growing in popularity as pet birds, primarily due to their quiet nature (relative to comparable companion parrots), their affectionate and intelligent personalities, and the increasing number of color mutations developed in several of these species. ''Pyrrhura'' conures typically  live around 20 or 25 years. To reach full maturity, many of them molt to rid themselves of feathers from previous growth stages, and occasionally, young birds pluck their feathers during the winter. These birds in captivity have been observed using their feathers to scratch themselves.

=== ''Psittacara'' ===
Until 2013, all ''[[Psittacara]]'' conures were part of the genus ''Aratinga''.<ref>Remsen, Jr., J.V.; Schirtzinger, E.E.; Ferraroni, Anna; Silveira, Luís Fábio; & Wright, Timothy F. (24 April 2013). ''DNA-sequence data require revision of the parrot genus Aratinga (Aves: Psittacidae)''. [[Zootaxa]] 3641(3): 296–300. [[doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3641.3.9]]</ref> Included here are common pet species such as the [[red-masked parakeet]] (or cherry-headed conure) and [[mitred parakeet]]. All members of ''Psittacara'' are predominantly green parrots, with some species having areas of red plumage.

=== ''Eupsittula'' ===
As with the ''Psittacara'' species, the parrots now contained within the genus ''[[Eupsittula]]'' - including the familiar [[Eupsittula canicularis|orange-fronted parakeet]] (or half-moon conure) were included in ''Aratinga'' until 2013.

=== Golden conure ===
The [[golden conure]] or Queen of Bavaria conure, ''Guaruba 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 ===
[[File:Patagonian conure.jpg|thumb|[[Patagonian conure]], ''Cyanoliseus patagonus'']]
The Patagonian conure, also known as the [[burrowing parrot]], ''Cyanoliseus patagonus'', is the largest conure. It is found in the [[Patagonia]] region of south-central Argentina and Chile.  Drab on the top, brightly colored underneath, the Patagonian conure has increased in popularity since the 1990s, leading to an increase in illegal importation that threatens wild populations, but they are fairly commonly bred in captivity. Patagonian conures have a reputation for being exceptionally sweet-natured and intelligent, but can be very loud and destructive with their chewing. The greater Patagonian conure (''C. p. bloxami'' or ''C. p. byroni'') is the largest of all the conures. They can learn to talk and they usually bond very well with people, especially if hand-raised, and although not the most colorful bird, they make great pets.

=== ''Enicognathus'' ===
This genus comprises the [[Austral parakeet|austral conure]], ''Enicognathus ferrugineus'', which is native to the southern tip of South America and the [[slender-billed conure]], ''E. leptorhynchus'', endemic to Chile.

=== 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 parrot|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 one of only two parrot species [[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 that originally described members of the no longer used genus ''Conurus'',<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Parrot |volume=20 |pages=863–864 |first=Alfred |last=Newton}}</ref> which included members of ''[[Aratinga]]'' and ''[[Pyrrhura]]''.

The [[parrot]] order, Psittaciformes, is a tangle of genera, many containing only one species. Parrots include about 353 species—generally grouped into two families - the Cacatuidae or [[cockatoo]]s, and the Psittacidae or [[true parrot]]s. The term parrot generally applies both to the entire order and to Psittacidae alone.

All members of the order Psittaciformes 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]]—meaning they have four toes on each foot, two that face front and two that face back.

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 [[Paraphyly|to make them a natural grouping]], the [[quaker parakeet]],<ref>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.</ref> the [[thick-billed parrot]], and ''[[Brotogeris]]''<ref>''Brotogeris'' are not only often counted as conures, but also as [[parrotlet]]s, and  precisely to which one, or both, or neither, they belong is unclear. The tail structure is different from the parrotlets, though the basic body structure is the same in both groups.</ref> should be included, and often are.  [[Neotropical parrot]]s, [[macaw]]s, and other are also candidates potential for inclusion. In this scheme, "conure" comprises members of the genera:
* ''[[Aratinga]]''
* ''[[Pyrrhura]]''
* ''[[Nandayus]]'' (now an ''Aratinga'' species)
* ''Guarouba'' ([[Queen of Bavaria conure]])
* ''[[Cyanoliseus]]''
* ''[[Enicognathus]]''
* ''[[Leptosittaca]]''
* ''[[Ognorhynchus]]''
* ''[[Conuropsis]]''
* ''Rhynchopsitta'': [[thick-billed parrot]]
* ''Myopsitta'': [[Monk parakeet]]

Macaws:
* ''[[Ara (genus)|Ara]]''
* ''[[Anodorhynchus]]''
* ''[[Cyanopsitta]]''
* ''[[Diopsittaca]]''
* ''[[Orthopsittaca]]''
* ''[[Primolius]]''

The [[caique]]s and the [[hawk-headed parrot]] have also been proposed for inclusion, though both have a heavier build and different tail structure from traditional conures.

== Non-native colonies ==
Conures are highly adaptable to urban environments, and several non-native colonies have been observed globally. The exact origins of such colonies are generally unverifiable.

=== Hawaii ===
A colony of [[Red-masked parakeet|cherry-headed conures]] lives around the slopes of [[Diamond Head, Hawaii|Diamond Head]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=10372980 |title=Tracking Oahu's wild parrots – Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL |publisher=Hawaii News Now |date=9 May 2009|first=Howard|last= Dashefsky |access-date=2015-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420184054/http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=10372980|archive-date=2016-04-20}}</ref>

There also appears to be at least one colony living on the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii.

=== Seattle, Washington ===
A conure colony lives in [[Seward Park (Seattle)|Seward Park]].

=== San Francisco, California ===
A colony of cherry-headed conures lives on [[Telegraph Hill, San Francisco]]. They are the subject of a film, ''[[The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill]]'', based on a story by [[Mark Bittner]]. Flocks of conures can be seen and heard in many other areas of San Francisco such as the [[Tenderloin, San Francisco|Tenderloin]] district and [[Alamo Square]].<ref name="fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us">{{cite web |url=http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/sfparrots.htm |title=Feral Parrot populations in San Francisco |publisher=fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us |date=1998-03-12 |access-date=2015-02-14 |archive-date=2016-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502042003/http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/sfparrots.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Santa Clara County, California ===
Multiple colonies of cherry-headed and/or [[Mitred parakeet|mitred conures]] thrive in and around [[Santa Clara County, California|Santa Clara County]]. In particular [[Sunnyvale, California|Sunnyvale]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://conurecommunity.com/images/cherryheaded/cherryheads.jpg |title=Cherry Heads Image |work=Conure Community |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905070201/http://conurecommunity.com/images/cherryheaded/cherryheads.jpg |archive-date=September 5, 2014 }}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/AEctNrEQhFM Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20151219004055/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEctNrEQhFM Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEctNrEQhFM |title=Wild parrots of Sunnyvale |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-08-03 |access-date=2015-02-14}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=fed4dadc-1954-4c37-8fd4-0df9eb8fa17a |title=GC1V23Z Wild Parrots of Sunnyvale (Traditional Cache) in California, United States created by GoGoJo |publisher=Geocaching.com |access-date=2015-02-14}}</ref> [[Cupertino, California|Cupertino]] (especially around the [[Apple Infinite Loop|Apple Campus]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/schwa23/4172322574/ |title=Wild parrots in Cupertino. &#124; Flickr – Photo Sharing! |publisher=[[Flickr]] |date=2009-12-09 |access-date=2015-02-14}}</ref> and [[Palo Alto, California|Palo Alto]].<ref name="fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us" />

=== Los Angeles, California ===
Multiple colonies of cherry-headed conures live in the [[San Gabriel Valley]] (the suburbs northeast of [[Los Angeles]]). Subtropical U.S. cities such as Los Angeles 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 50 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.

Three species of conures (genus ''Aratinga'') have formed non-native colonies in California. These are documented by the [http://www.californiaparrotproject.org/id_guide.html California Parrot Project] in affiliation with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and in cooperation with the Pasadena Audubon Society.

=== Long Beach, California ===
A colony of [[Eupsittula canicularis|half-moon conures]] has been observed in the Belmont Shore area of [[Long Beach, California]], since the late 1980s.

=== Delray Beach, Florida ===
A least one wild pair of nandays has been spotted in downtown [[Delray Beach, Florida]]. The total number of birds in the colony is yet undetermined.

=== Quakers ===
The Quaker (which may or may not be a conure) can be found in many states.  Quakers are also [[Monk parakeet#As pets|illegal to own]] in many US states, as they are known to build very large nests on powerlines (Quakers are the only parrots that build nests).<ref>{{cite web|title=Why Does The Quaker Parrot Get Such A Bad Rap?|url=http://www.birdchannel.com/media/bird-magazines/bird-talk/2010-november/bird-talk-persecuted-quaker-parrot.aspx.pdf|work= Bird Channel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412205127/http://www.birdchannel.com/media/bird-magazines/bird-talk/2010-november/bird-talk-persecuted-quaker-parrot.aspx.pdf|archive-date=2016-04-12
|first=Anastasia |last=Thrift|date= September 28, 2010}}</ref>

== In media ==

<!-- notable? * Jacques, a green-cheeked conure, makes appearances on the YouTube channel JonTronShow.
* Ari, a turquoise conure and Tofu, another conure, make appearances on the Youtube channel [[TheOdd1sOut|JaidenAnimations]] -->
* A blue-crowned conure was the titular star of the family movie ''[[Paulie]]''. The film used 14 different birds.<ref name="humane">{{cite web |title=Paulie (1998) |url=https://humanehollywood.org/production/paulie/ |website=Humane Hollywood |access-date=4 January 2023}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
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{{Portal|Birds}}
{{Sister project links|Conure}}
{{Wikispecies|Psittaciformes}}
* [http://www.conure.org/ International Conure Association] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126153129/http://www.conure.org/ |date=2021-01-26 }}
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[[Category:Psittaciformes]]
[[Category:Aviculture]]
[[Category:Bird common names]]
[[Category:Parrots]]