Golden Conure

Golden Conure

Scientific name: Guaruba guarouba
Family: Psittacidae
Order: Psittaciformes
Class: Aves

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The Golden Conure may grow up to 36 cm (14 in.). Their feathers are yellow except the flight feathers, which are green. There is a whitish ring around the eye. Their beaks are large.

DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

This species lives in the Maranhao and Para regions of Brazil, where they are nomadic. The Golden Conure prefers upland areas of dry rainforest that protect them from floods. In addition, they avoid deforested areas except while breeding when they wander in the open to nest in trees. Deforestation and floods are a threat to the Golden Conures existence.

BEHAVIOR:

The Golden Conures are sociable. They are family oriented birds that will care for unrelated young. These birds are inquisitive and playful in captivity but may pluck and eat feathers from each other. This behavior could be due to a lack of minerals or protein in the diet or extreme boredom. In captivity, the parents are susceptible to abandoning their young after three weeks.

DIET:

Golden Conures feed on exotic fruits, flower, buds, and cultured maize. In captivity, vegetables, dried shrimp, and exotic fruits are eaten. Assorted seeds such as millet, sunflower, safflower, and hemp are essential to their everyday diet. Salt and other traced minerals are also important to their diet.

REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Golden Conures breed from November through February. Sexual maturity is at the age of three years. The nest is usually in a high tree and it is aggressively defended. They can produce three to five eggs per year. The eggs are 37.1 x 29.9 mm. Communal breeding has been observed possibly including young from the previous year. Males guard the nest during the 30-day incubation period and all adults take turns caring for the young after they hatch. At birth, the Conure is covered with white down. The second week, the down is darker and by the third week flight feathers are developing. The survival rate of the young depends on the dominance status of each nest mate. Juveniles behave playfully but later may turn abusive towards nest mates. In captivity, the parents will reproduce again as soon as their young are taken away from the nest.

CONSERVATION STATUS:

It was noted in 1946 that this species was becoming rare. The Golden Conure has been determined to be endangered, due to increased deforestation and now illegal cage bird trade. In 1973, it was placed in Appendix l of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Locally it is considered a nuisance to agriculture and is used for food or hunted for sport. Golden Conures continue to be smuggled out of Brazil. This species does breed in captivity but the long-term survival of the species will depend on protecting suitable habitat in Brazil.

Wild Population: