Crimson-bellied Conures
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The Crimson-bellied Conure or Crimson-bellied Parakeet (Pyrrhura p. perlata) is also often referred to as "Pearly Conure" resulting in confusion with the Pyrrhura lepida lepida - the true Pearly Conure. The reason for this confusion is that the scientific name " Pyrrhura perlata" is now applied to Crimson-bellied Parakeet.
In 1824, Spix misidentified skins of immature birds belonging to the former species "Pyrrhura rhodogaster" necessitating reclassification. Recent field studies have confirmed a conspecific relationship (of, or belonging to, the same species) between Pyrrhura rhodogaster and Pyrrhura perlata, thus they are classified here together as one species.
The Crimson-bellied Conure forms a parapatric species pair with the Pearly Conure (Pyrrhura lepida), with which the Crimson-bellied Conure is sometimes considered conspecific (of, or belonging to, the same species)..
Distribution / Range:
The Crimson-bellied Conure is endemic to the subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests in the south-central Amazon Basin in in Cumã Bay, Maranhão west to Belém and Rio Capim, Pará in northern Brazil south of Amazon between Madeira and Tapajós Rivers and Bolivia. At this point in time, it is considered common in its natural habitat; however, its numbers have been declining.
Status:
Crimson-bellied Conure (lepida) - nominate species featured on this page - marked population decline
Pearly Conure (perlata) - common
Miritiba Pearly Conures (coerulescens) - uncertain, possibly already extinct because of extensive deforestation / habitat loss
Neumann's Pearly Conures (anerythra) - only common in localities
Description:
The plumage is mainly green with a narrow reddish-brown frontal band. The most distinguishing features of this conure are the bright crimson-red colored lower breast and abdomen - and that color can also be seen on the bend of wing and under wing-coverts. The forehead, crown and back of the head are dull brown, each feather edged with whitish-brow. The forehead has a pale-blue tinge. The feathers on side of neck, throat and upper breast are brown each feather being broadly edged with whitish to dull yellow.
Adults have a blue collar on the hindneck in varying thicknesses. The brown cheeks are washed with a dull blue. The lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird's head) and cheeks yellowish-green becoming pale blue on lower cheeks. The ear coverts (feathers covering the ears) are off-white / cream-colored. The brown breast is barred off-white and dark brown. They have a brownish-red tail with a green base. The bill is dark grey and the feet grey. The eye rings are bare and off-white, and the eyes dark brown.
Immature birds look like adults, but they have a duller plumage, green abdomen and dark irises. They have variably mixed blue and a few red-edged feathers - some young fledge with adult plumage.
- Sexing: Undeterminable by appearance. Males & females look alike. DNA or surgical sexing is recommended.
- Length: 9.5 inches or ~24 cm
- Weight: 2.8 oz. (79 grams)
- Average Lifespan: 20 years.
Sub-species ID:
- Pearly Conure (lepida)
- Looks in many ways like the Crimson-bellied Conure, except the lower breast, abdomen and thighs of the Pearly Conure are mostly green. The edging to the breast feathers is also narrower than that of the Crimson-bellied Conure.
- Miritiba Pearly Conures (coerulescens) (possibly extinct species)
- Both male and female look like the nominate species (lepida) featured above, but the forehead is without blue tinge and the breast is grey-brown with regular narrow edging and with a strong blue wash reaching up to the throat. The under tail-coverts usually blue. It averages 24 cm or 9.5 inches in length.
- Neumann's Pearly Conures (anerythra) (uncommon)
- Slightly larger than the nominate species featured above. Adults look like the nominate species, but the lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird's head) and upper cheeks are green, turning blue on the lower chest. Adults lack the blue wash on the breast that can be seen on the other sub-species. The green bend of the wing and underwing coverts are green with minimal or entire lack red markings. They have green underwing coverts and leading edge of wing as opposed to the red that can be seen in the other sub-species.
Personality / Pet Potential:
Crimson-bellied Conures are generally quiet and they are usually only vocal when excited. They quickly grow confiding. These are lively and active conures that enjoy flying about, so plenty of space should be provided. They tend to be hardy and are not as susceptible to diseases as some other bird species are, especially when provided good nutrition and suitable environment. They enjoy bathing often. The chewing requirement varies from pair to pair. It is important to provide a regular supply of fresh branches to satisfy their chewing urges as well as to provide entertainment. They are not usually aggressive to other birds.
The vividly colored Crimson-bellied Conure is a playful bird, and can easily be trained to do tricks and maybe even to speak a few words. Even though Crimson-bellied Conures are comparatively quieter than other conures, they are still noisier than say a cockatiel or budgie - as is the case with any conure.
Owners report that they are smart and interactive, but are also more prone to behavioral problems than are cockatiels or budgies - but this would be the case with any conure. They all require a committed owner who will work with their pets to guide their behavior, while cockatiels and budgies are "beginner birds."
They are cuddly birds.
However, individual differences do exist, as some conures will accept cuddling only on their terms. But these are the exception to the rule. Most seem to thoroughly enjoy cuddling whenever their favorite human is available.
They love to play!
They are very active parrots that like to play, explore and chew. Lots of toys are recommended to keep their beaks from "getting busy" on your furniture.
- Toys can be home-made or purchased online or are available at your local bird store.
- Toys can also be things that I bet you never thought were toys at all! Please refer to the foraging page for easy, inexpensive or FREE tips to entertain your pet.
They are Smart!
Most will hold their own with any of the mid-sized or medium-large parrots in terms of smartness. They can be taught simple tricks pretty easily and more complicated tricks with some training.
How much attention do they need?
Like all parrots, they are social birds. They do require daily interaction with their social group, entertainment, things to do -- or else they will become bored and develop behavioral problems. In the wild, they would never leave the company of their flockmates. In a captive pet situation, a hand-fed conure requires the same social interaction from you and your family.
If you have little time to give, a parrot would not be a good choice for you. You would need someone at home several hours a day at a minimum, preferably someone should be home most of the day. I would recommend that there be people at home, with the bird, for at least several hours every day or the majority of day.
It's best to keep your pet conure where the center of activity is, usually the family room, and leave the cage door open or allow your pet to be on a playpen whenever someone is at home. During this time some direct interaction should be provided, such as talking to your pet, petting it, or placing it on your shoulder while you surf the internet, watch tv or go about your other activities. My parrot even joins me in the gym!
Do they make good family pets?
In general, conures make good family pets as long as they have been well socialized. They don't mind a lot of activity - in fact, the more "fun stuff" is going on, the more entertained and happier they tend to be. They usually get along well with all family members, although they are likely to eventually choose a favorite; but as long as they are exposed to, and socialized by, other family members, they should maintain their friendliness with the others. Conures love to be touched and handled - another reason why they often do well with kids.
However, they go through nippy phases that can be hard on children as well as on adults. Teaching the child appropriate handling of the conure will help prevent some painful experiences - however, it will never entirely eliminate them. The tamest pet bird gets startled and bites - without this being a true reflection on its personality. It's a natural reaction. Experienced pet owners learn to read the body language of their pets and can avoid most of these "accidental encounters." Training is important to prevent an accidental bite from turning into a behavioral problem.
It is difficult to instruct smaller children on proper parrot handling, and their interactions with the conure should always be supervised. But children who have learned to handle the conure gently and confidently usually don't have a big problem with aggression. How well the child-parrot interaction goes really depends on the maturity level of the child, as well as the proper socialization-level of the parrot. Admittedly though, some genetics come into play as well. Some individual parrots are more aggressive than others. Often this is a family trait and one parrot pair produces sweet babies, while others produce nippy offspring. Sweet babies can turn nippy, if not socialized well, and nippy (usually nervous / fearful birds) can be taught to be good family pets. Birds do pick up on stress and anger that we humans may feel and this can impact their personality and likelihood to be aggressive towards us. It is always best to approach a bird calmly and focus on, and enjoy, the interaction with the parrot rather than reflecting on problems in your life. Doing so will actually be conducive to your own health, as it will help you relax.
There never will be a guarantee that a meaningful relationship between the children in the family and the pet parrot develops and if things don't go well, the conure may end up being a pet for the adults only. For this reason, it is not recommended to buy a parrot as a pet for the kids - this needs to be a family pet, with the adults taking on most of the responsibility.
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
Conures, albeit their smaller size, do present their challenges, and they are not the best "starter" birds, although some species are easier to keep than others. It really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established.
Conures are known for their loud and harsh calls, which is a natural way of communication and social interaction and shouldn't be "trained away" -- however, they can develop into excessive screamers, which really requires early intervention.
Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation. Behavioral challenges that conures present include:
- Chewing: Any parrot will chew. In nature, they use their beak to "customize" their favorite tree, to enlarge the size of their nest in a tree hollow. Doing this keeps their beaks in good condition. The problem is excessive and undesirable chewing. Undisciplined conures will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. The owner needs to provide plenty of "healthy" chewing opportunities (bird toys, natural wood branches, etc.) and training is necessary to teach your pet what is "off-limits."
- Biting: Conures can become nippy. Like most parrots they are likely to discover their beaks as a method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage." It really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established.
- The "Noise" Factor: Along with other Pyrrhura conures, they are only moderately loud, therefore making acceptable pets for apartment dwellers for the most part. However, these conures can still be noisy enough to potentially upset the neighbors of apartment dwellers or annoy those that are sensitive to noise. Like other conures, they tend to express excitement with a series of loud, shrill screams.
Training and behavioral guidance will help your pet be the kind of companion you want it to be ...
- AvianWeb Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training. If you found a way to resolve a "parrot behavioral issue" please share it with others.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
If you are considering a conure as a pet, the following web resources might be of interest:
- Procuring your Parrot
- Breeders:
- Click here for a listing of breeders by state / country. Do you breed this species and would like to be listed? Click here to see your options.
- Housing & Caring for Your Conure: Conures love to climb and play and need to be provided with a cage that allows them to move around freely and toys to entertain themselves with. Please refer to the following websites for information:
Natural diet: Their main diet consists of fruits, flowers, seeds, berries and nuts. They regularly visit barreiros (places where mineral-rich soil is available) to feed.
Captive Diet: They should be provided with plenty of fruit, vegetables and greenfood; as well as a regular supply of branches with flowers and buds. A good quality seed mix of safflower, oats, some sunflower (also sprouted), hemp, buckwheat, millets, canary seed and rowan berries should be available at all times. They also enjoy millet spray and should have access to mineral and vitamin supplements.
- Click here for more information on bird nutrition.
Crimson-bellied Conures are rare in aviculture and difficult to obtain. Breeding the Crimson-bellied Conure is more difficult than the other sub-species as they often produce infertile eggs and the hatching success is very low, as they are prone to mutual disturbance; therefore, it's best to isolate pairs during breeding.
These conures are generally quiet and they are usually only vocal when excited. They quickly grow confiding. These are lively and active conures that enjoy flying about, so plenty of space should be provided. They tend to be hardy and are not as susceptible to diseases as some other bird species are, especially when provided good nutrition and suitable environment. They enjoy bathing often. The chewing requirement varies from pair to pair. It is important to provide a regular supply of fresh branches to satisfy their chewing urges as well as to provide entertainment. They are not usually aggressive to other birds.
Though they may breed all year, the main breeding seasons are from August to November and the second usually starts in April and goes on until June -- probably depending on the availability of food and favorable conditions.
They lay about three to six eggs measuring 1.01 x 0.83 ins or 25.8 x 21.0 mm. These eggs are incubated for 23 to 26 days. The young fledge when they are about 50 days old. Two breedings a year are possible.
These active conures should be provided a spacious aviary. The minimum dimensions of which should be 9 x 3 x 6 ft or 3 x 1 x 2 m (or larger). They should be protected from temperatures below 50°F or 10°C. In colder climates, a heated shelter needs to be provided.
Below are the dimensions of nesting boxes usually used for these conures. However, the dimensions can vary widely, as they are influenced by the owner's and the birds' preferences. The preferences of the breeding birds can also be influenced by the size and type of nest-box / log in which the bird was hatched and reared.
If space allows, offering a choice of sizes and types of logs or nest-boxes, and placed in various locations within the aviary, can allow the parent birds to make their own choice. Once a pair has chosen a specific nest-box/log and been successful in it, offer that one to them each breeding season. Try and keep that one for their exclusive use. Once a pair has chosen its log or nest-box, the other ones can generally be removed. If the "spare" boxes are to be removed and moved to another flight, ensure the log / nest-box is cleaned to ensure the receptacle has the minimal contamination of mites, parasites and pathogens.
Log / Nest-box:
- A nest box should be provided all year long. Marcy Covault from Feathered Companions Aviary suggests using a deeper box, either a bootbox or a vertical grandfather box (18" - 24" deep). Other breeders provide nest box with the following dimensions: 8 x 8 x 30 inches or 20 x 20 x 70 cm. Some conures do accept cockatiel-sized boxes, but using a deeper box will reduce the conures' tendency to remove the shavings and lay their eggs on the bare wooden base.
- Diameter of entrance hole: approx. 3 inches ( ~70 - 80 mm)
- Inspection hole: Can be square or round. Diameter: ~4 inches (100 mm)
- A Removable top / lid can be a useful access point for inspections and for cleaning.
- Location and height of log / nest-box: Install in a sheltered part of the aviary at about 5 feet (~1.5 - 1.8 meters) height, but not too close to the roof to cause heat problems in the hotter months.
- Angle of log or nest box: 45 degrees through to vertical. Most boxes are vertical.
- Nesting log / nest-box material: Add about 2 inches of decomposed suitable nest box litter to the bottom of the box to help stabilize the eggs and absorb the droppings from the chicks.
Options for suitable nesting material are decomposed non-toxic saw dust, corn cob, shredded newspaper, clean straw / dried grass or wood shavings (i.e., Aspen shavings or wood chips). The larger wood chips the better, so the parents don't feed it to the babies or the chicks accidentally ingest it.
Please note that some wood shavings - such as pine, cedar and redwood - give off aromatic hydrocarbons (phenols) and acids that are toxic and can cause dermatitis, allergic symptoms and irritation of the digestive tract. They should not be used in cages, aviaries, or nestboxes. - Incubation: Both hen and cock share in incubating the eggs.
Nest inspections are generally not tolerated. If nest inspection is necessary, wait until both parents have left the nest. They can be aggressive and protective of the nest area when breeding.
For additional breeding-related information, please visit this website.
Taxonomy:
Genus: Scientific: Pyrrhura ... English: Red-tailed Conures ... Dutch: Roodstaartparkieten ... German: Rotschwanzsittiche ... French: Perruche à queue rouge
Nominate Species and Sub-Species: lepida, coerulescens, anerythra, perlatal ... CITES II - Endangered
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots
Sub-species:
Miritiba Pearly Conures (P. coerulescens - Neumann 1927): Please scroll up for additional information - German: Miritiba-Blausteisssittiche
Description: Both male and female look like the nominate species (lepida) featured above, but the forehead is without blue tinge and the breast is grey-brown with regular narrow edging and with a strong blue wash reaching up to the throat. The under tail-coverts are usually blue. This conure averages 24 cm or 9.5 inches in length.
Distribution: Miritiba, near the Coast of Northern Maranhao - narrow coastal area in northern Maranhão, Brazil ... Endangered, approaching extinction, possibly already extinct because of extensive deforestation.
Genus: Scientific: Pyrrhura ... English: Red-tailed Conures ... Dutch: Roodstaartparkieten ... German: Rotschwanzsittiche ... French: Perruche à queue rouge
Species: Scientific: Pyrrhura perlata coerulescens ... English: Miritiba Pearly Conure ... Dutch: Miritiba Parelparkiet ... German: Miritiba Blausteißsittich ... French: Perruche Miritiba
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 3 - click on link to view photo.)
Genus: Scientific: Pyrrhura ... English: Red-tailed Conures ... Dutch: Roodstaartparkieten ... German: Rotschwanzsittiche ... French: Perruche à queue rouge
Species: Scientific: Pyrrhura perlata lepida ... English: Wagler's Pearly Conure ... Dutch: Waglers Parelparkiet ... German: Waglers Blausteißsittich ... French: Perruche de Wagler
Distribution: Belém and Capim River, Pará, East to Cuma Bay, Maranhao ... CITES II - Endangered
Neumann's Pearly Conures (Pyrrhura p. anerythra - Neumann 1927) - German: Neumanns Blausteisssittiche
Description: At an average of 25 cm or 10 inches in length (including tail), the Neumann's Pearly Conure is usually slightly larger than the nominate species featured above.
Adults look like the nominate species, but the lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird's head) and upper cheeks are green, turning blue on the lower chest. Adults lack the blue wash on the breast that can be seen on the other sub-species. The green bend of the wing and underwing coverts are green with minimal or entire lack red markings. They have green underwing coverts and leading edge of wing as opposed to the red that can be seen in the other sub-species.
Distribution: Their native habitat can be found in the lowland rain forest areas and secondary vegetation in Rio Fresco (tributary of Rio Xingú), Rio Pracupi and around Arumattra on left bank of Rio Tocantins, Pará, in Brazil.
Outside the breeding season, they are often seen in groups of 3 to 8 birds perching in high branches of trees. They prefer dense primary and secondary vegetation and are usually well hidden in the foliage. They are cautious and watchful and, if disturbed, they chatter loudly. They visit water courses and rivers to bathe, and are often seen together with Painted Conure (Pyrrhura picta) - particularly at barreiros.
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