Parrot Feather Mailing List

Green-cheek Conure

Common Names:  Green-cheek Conure & Green-cheeked Conure

Scientific Name:  Pyrrhura molinae
Origin:  South America
Relative Size:   Small 90-100 grams
Average Lifespan:  15 – 25 years.

Pet Aspect: The Green-cheek Conure is a popular parrot to keep.  This is mainly due to their natural characteristics such as being cuddly, playful, and outgoing.   These conures always seem to be the center of attention and just watching one will prove it.  Their antics are hilarious.  Watching these creatures climb ropes, swing from toys, or hang around is very entertaining and amusing.

Along with being playful Green-cheek Conures are very affectionate.  They can easily enjoy hours of being petted or enjoy long sessions of snuggling.   Most owners report their Green-cheek Conures climbing through their hair or finding pockets to cuddle in.  

A good number of these parrots enjoy interaction by all family members. These particular conures will easily be content with kids or spouses handling them.  They are not prone to only allowing one person to handle them if proper socialization and taming techniques are used.  These birds are rarely shy and can often be lured to friends or family through food.  

Another reason for their popularity is their trait of not being noisy.  Most owners wish to own a conure; however, many are discouraged because of their shrill calls.  Green-cheek Conures are the alternative to owning a true conure without the noise.  Owning a Green-cheek Conure has all the benefits of conure characteristics and personality traits without the loudness.  Because of this, they can be housed inside an apartment.

Tricks: These conures are great at performing tricks.  There is nothing they cannot do.  They can climb up ropes and rings bells, fly and receive objects, or turnaround.  Simple tricks such as waving, opening of their wings, or dancing can be taught.  The conure’s ability to do tricks is only limited to your imagination.  If you wish to train him use positive reinforcement to mold desired tricks or behaviors.

Talking:  Green-cheek Conures can talk.  Though they do not talk as well as some conure species, they can still learn.  Their voices are gravely and can be difficult to understand.   Most owners report their conures speaking a few words.  

If you wish to train your conure you need patients, repetition, and an enthusiastic attitude.  Once they do learn to speak you need to listen closely and you might hear a few phrases.

Appearance:  Green-cheeked conures are very attractive birds.  The coloring of the bird is made up of many combinations of greens that range from dark to light. The bird has earthy colors and the stomach has red marks on the breast.  A grey bib is around the neck and each feather looks like lace.  It is comprised of light and dark grey.  The cheeks, like the name implies, are green.  Around the eye a white ring can be seen. The tails are maroon and the tips of the wings are blue as well.

This conure is very unique because unlike most conures, it comes in quite a few mutations.  Among the more popular are the Maroon-bellied and Cinnamon Green-cheek Conure. 

Males and females are not dimorphic, which means they look similar.  If you wish to sex your parrot, the only reliable way is through DNA sexing.  Most kits cost as little as 20 dollars and a certificate will be sent to confirm the sex.

Diet:  Your conure’s diet needs to be a mixture of seeds and pellets.  Fruits and vegetables need to be offered on the side daily.  Most Green-cheek Conures will readily eat up cubed apples or sliced bananas.  Tropical fruit such as papaya, mangos, or figs are enjoyed as well.   Offering fresh cuts of broccoli, spinach, kale, or dandelion should be offered too. 

Your parrot needs a source of protein as well. If you scramble eggs or offer cuts of chicken, turkey, or beef; remove it from the cage after an hour.  It can quickly spoil and make the bird sick.

The key is to give your parrot a variety of foods.  If you do this your conure can live 20 or more years. 

Cage:  The cage of your conure needs to be large enough to house his toys, his food bowls, and his perches.  It should be large enough to allow the conure to hang upside down and swing from side to side.   These conures are active and their cage needs to be large enough to accommodate their activity.