About Sun Conures

Sun conures are small, colorful birds from South and Central America, usually found in large flocks. They are a bright yellow-orange color with red, blue or green accents. Many people adore these friendly birds as pets, which can live from 25 to 30 years provided they are properly cared for.

  1. Personality

    • The sun conure is known for its playfulness and inquisitive nature. Its curiosity is what helps to make it a very intelligent pet, and it can even mimic sounds to learn words. You may notice your bird screeching to say "hello" to you. As they naturally live in large groups, conures are also very active and can easily get bored.

    Food

    • In the wild, sun conures eat fruit, seeds and insects. Fresh vegetables should make up about half of the bird's diet. The rest can be given as seeds from pet supply stores and protein in the form of meats, nuts and kidney beans. Give fruit as an occasional treat, and remember to provide the conure with fresh water daily

    Care

    • Some conures will use their water dish to bathe. As this creates a mess and tends to use up their drinking water, use a water bottle gun to gently mist your bird. This helps to keep it clean and keep its plumage in good condition. You might also choose to clip the bird's primary flight feathers to prevent it from flying away when it first comes home. If you feel uncomfortable doing this, have the vet clip the feathers during a routine visit.

    Entertainment

    • If the sun conure gets bored from lack of attention, it can become noisy or, even worse, pluck its feathers to let you know it is dissatisfied. This spirited bird will need toys to chew, ladders to climb on and a perch from which to view the area. Better toys will include a mirror or bell for the bird to interact with.