Pyrrhura molinae
The green cheeked conure is becoming increasingly popular due to its manageable size, affectionate nature and widespread availability. Native to the tropics of South America, the green cheek is one of the smallest of the conures and measures just 25cm in length.
In the wild, this species will generally travel in small flocks of between 10-20 birds. Coming from the dense rainforests and marshy wetlands of Brazil and Bolivia, they will nest very high in the trees and feed primarily on fruits, seeds, buds, blossoms and the occasional insect. These birds generally live between 10 and 15 years in the wild, although some captive green-cheeks have been known to live into their 30s.
As a well-socialised and affectionate bird in the wild, green cheeks can be extremely charismatic pets that will actively develop a bond with their owner. Of course, this also means they are only appropriate for keepers who have a lot of time to dedicate to them and will choose to have them outside of their cage most the time. This obviously creates mess and requires consistent attention to the animal, but for the right person, the mischievous nature of this parrot is the epitome of what many bird enthusiasts look for in a pet. It also means that green-cheeked conures will generally do very well in pairs. This is absolutely no substitute for training and devoting lots of time to the animal, but it does mitigate some of the risks of keeping other species together.
Conures are notorious for being loud. However, the green cheeked conure is possibly the quietest of all the species. This does not mean they are silent and as with any pet parrot, can be extremely vocal at inappropriate times. Conures are not prized for their ‘talking’ ability, but it has been recorded that this species can learn a handful of words with some training.
There are six subspecies of green cheeked conure, with the most popular species being P. molinae australis. Having been well-established in the aviculture hobby for some years now, various colour morphs are available too including ‘pineapple’, ‘cinnamon’ and ‘turquoise’.