As a result of a request one of our readers posted in a comment, the next two parrot species we will discuss here at Parrot Facts have jumped the line a bit – the first one is the Green Cheek Conure.
The Green Cheek Conure is a small parrot of the pyhrrura genus that is native to the inland forests of South America – Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina.
Green Cheek Conure – Pyrrhura molinae
This tiny parrot is mostly green with a grey head, leading to its Brazilian Portuguese name of “dirty-faced pyrrhura”.
The Green Cheek Conure is one of the smallest conure species, and also a popular bird in aviculture, as they are handsome, playful and intelligent. They are also very affectionate, and if you don’t have enough time in your hands to deal with their desire of attention you should strongly consider getting a pair. They can be loud, although not as loud as for example a Sun Conure, but for that reason they shouldn’t be kept in apartments.
If you’re considering purchasing a Green Cheek Conure at a pet store, you should make sure you’re buying what you’re looking for. A young Green Cheek Conure may be confused with a young Maroon Bellied Conure (Pyrrhura frontalis), a close relative, leading to mislabeling at general pet stores. What does a Green Cheek Conure look like and how can you tell the difference? They’re both the same size and they’re both primarily green with several other colour similarites. However, the Green Cheek Conure is generally brighter in color than the Maroon Bellied, and they have gray barring on their chest which fades into a reddish belly. Buying your bird from a breeder will help to ensure you’re getting the parrot you want.
Green Cheek Conure video
Green Cheek Conure facts
Binomial name: Pyrrhura molinae
Scientific classification:
Family: Psittacidae
Sub-Family: Arinae
Tribe: Arini
Genus: Pyrrhura
Subspecies: six currently identified, one of those comparatively recent (1998)
molinae (Massena & Souance, 1854)
phoenicura (Schlegel, 1864)
australis (Todd, 1915)
restricta (Todd, 1947)
sordida (Todd, 1947)
flavoptera (Maijer, Herzog, Kessler, Friggens & Fjeldsa, 1998)
Conservation status: least concern
Diet: mainly seeds and fruits
Natural habitat: forests and woodlands of inner South America
Sexual dimorphism: none, only through DNA sexing
Size: around 30cm
Average lifespan: about 20 years
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