Conures Bird Breed Pictures,Characteristics, & Facts

These birds also rank among the best parrots for pets, according to the 8 percent of bird parents who have one. They come in all sizes and colors, from the smaller green-cheeked conure to the larger sun and blue-crowned conures.

Conures are crazy-smart, says Robert Lewis, the outreach director and adoption coordinator at Northeast Avian Rescue (NEAR) in East Greenbush, New York, which can be a plus for pet parents who have time to devote to their birds. Rose Adler of Massachusetts, parent of a green-cheek conure named Dixie, agrees: "You can teach her anything and she picks it up immediately. In the past two months she has learned 12 tricks, and she got them down in less than 15 minutes each."

Like all parrots, conures require a daily routine and quality time, which means one-on-one interactions, Lewis says.

"You can turn just about anything into quality time, including laundry," he adds. “If you've got that bird on your shoulder while you're folding the laundry, he's spending time with you, you're talking to him, and he's doing whatever he's doing."

Also known as:

Conures (though there are many types)

Average lifespan:

Depends on the breed, but these pet parrots can live 20-plus years.

Social needs:

Conures, like most parrot breeds, will consider their humans part of their flock, says Lewis. As long as you can give them lots of love and attention, they are fine alone.

Talking ability:

In general, conures aren't known for their abilities to talk. "There are some that talk, some that talk more than others, and some who never say a word," Lewis says.

Medical concerns:

Avian bornavirus: This virus affects mostly larger parrots, from conures and on up, says Dr. Rolfe, affecting as many as 30 percent of parrots. "It often doesn't cause any symptoms whatsoever, but in some cases it sets up an autoimmune disease where the bird's immune system starts attacking the nervous system of the bird's body," she explains. This can include the gastrointestinal tract, which means the bird has problems digesting food, spitting it back up or pooping it out whole.