The Sun Conure

Facts 

The Sun Parakeet or Sun Conure (Aratinga solstitialis) is a medium-sized brightly colored parrot native to northeastern South America. The adult male and female are similar in appearance, with predominantly golden-yellow plumage and orange-flushed underparts and face. It is commonly kept in aviculture. The species is endangered, threatened by loss of habitat and trapping for the pet trade.

On average, Sun Parakeets weigh approximately 110 g (4 oz) and are around 30 cm (12 in) long.[1] They are sexually monomorphic.

Adults have a rich yellow crown, nape, mantle, lesser wingcoverts, tips of the greater wing-coverts, chest, and underwingcoverts. The face and belly are orange with red around the ears. The base of the greater wing-coverts, tertials, and base of the primaries are green, while the secondaries, tips of the primaries, and most of the primary coverts are dark blue. The tail is olive-green with a blue tip. From below, all the flight feathers are dark greyish. The bill is black. The legs and the bare eye-ring are grey, but the latter often fades to white in captivity (so using amount of grey or white in the eye-ring for determining "purity" of an individual can be misleading). It is easily confused with the closely related Jandaya Parakeet and Sulphur-breasted Parakeet, but the former has entirely green wing-coverts, mantle and vent, while the latter has green mottling to the mantle and less orange to the underparts. The Sun Parakeet is also superficially similar to the pale-billed Golden Parakeet.

Juvenile Sun Parakeets display a predominantly green plumage and resemble similar-aged Sulphurbreasted Parakeets. The distinctive yellow, orange, and reddish colouration on the back, abdomen, and head is attained with maturity.

The Sun Parakeet is noted for its very loud squawking compared to its relatively small size. It is capable of mimicking humans, but not as well as some larger parrots. Sun Parakeets are popular as pets because of their bright coloration though they have a very limited ability to talk. Due to their inquisitive temperaments, they demand a great deal of attention from their owners, and can sometimes be loud. Like many parrots, they are determined chewers and require toys and treats to chew on. Hand reared pets can be very friendly towards humans that they are familiar with, but they may be aggressive towards strangers. 

The term conure readily identifies the bird as one of the species of small to medium sized parrots with a long tail of the tribe Arini, that are mainly endemic to South America. They reach sexual maturity at around 2 years of age, and can live for 25 to 30 years. The hen lays a clutch of four to five eggs, with an incubation period of 23 days.

Care and Feeding 

Specialized pelleted diets are highly recommended and should consist of 60–70% of the diet; use fortified seeds in moderation as they are higher in fat and less nutritious than pellets.

Diced fresh fruits (apples, grapes, pomegranates, and dark orange-colored fruits) and chopped dark green or orange vegetables; raisins. Do not feed birds fruit seeds, avocados, chocolate, alcohol or caffeine as these can cause serious medical problems.

If your bird is used to a seed diet, convert to pellets gradually. Fresh pellets or seeds and fresh, clean, chlorine-free water should always be available. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be given daily; discard when not eaten within 24 hours; Conures appreciate quality and variety in their food.

Birds acclimate well to average household temperatures; be cautious of extreme temperature change; cage should be placed off the floor in an area that is well-lit and away from drafts. A cage approximately 18" W x 18" D, with metal bars spaced no greater than 1/2" apart, makes a good home for your Conure; as with all animals, it is best to provide the largest habitat possible; a flight cage is strongly recommended.

Perches should be at least 9" long and 1/2" in diameter; a variety of perch sizes to exercise feet and help prevent arthritis is recommended. A metal grate over the droppings tray will keep the bird away from droppings; line the droppings tray with cage paper or appropriate substrate for easier cleaning. To avoid contamination, do not place food or water containers under perches.