The Green-Cheeked Conure (AKA Pyrrhura molinae and the Green-Cheeked Parakeet) is a small mostly-green parrot that is native to South America (specifically the forests in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay) and currently a popular companion bird.

Green-Cheeks are, as you can guess by the name, recognized by their eponymous green cheeks. Their heads are usually topped brown or gray with gray or tan collars, their bodies are green (brighter green on the wings and duskier on the bellies), and they usually have reddish spots on their bellies, as well as maroon tails and blue primary flight feathers. They typically have dark beaks (gray or black) and they always have white eye-rings. Green-cheeks are about ten inches long, and live on average for about fifteen years.

Unlike some other species of conure, Green-Cheeks are known for being (relatively) quiet. Oh, don't get me wrong, if they want to be loud they can be damn loud, but they don't constantly vocalize like some other species do, and when they do vocalize, their voices are typically softer than that of a Sun Conure. Instead of screeching, they tend to sort of chatter to themselves or whistle. Green-Cheeks can learn to talk, but they aren't as good at it as some of their cousins are; their voices are low and gravelly and they have poor enunciation. They (like most conures) are highly social, and in the wild they live in flocks of 10-20 birds. They are playful and clever and need near-constant attention either from a human or from another bird-- which is actually a good rule of thumb for any parrot: don't leave them alone. At best you'll have a depressive, destructive, screeching, anti-social monster who'd gladly lop off a few of your fingers and at worst you'll have a dead bird.

Their diets are the usual sort of parrot diets: fruit, veggies, seed, pellets. But they also really really like whatever it is you're having; these birds are (as mentioned) highly social and part of socializing is sharing food. If you eat near one chances are it's going to hang around you, looking pleading until you share your food. Feeding them table scraps works the way it would with any animal-- namely do it in moderation and don't give them caffeine, chocolate, or avocado, and don't let them drink soda or Gatorade or pretty much anything that isn't water.

There are six subspecies of Pyrrhura molinae \, all of which I know nothing about.

There are four known mutations for Green-Cheeked Conures:

Turquoise: A recessive mutation that have the body being predominantly turquoise. The head and underside of the flight feathers are dark gray, as is most of the bird's chest. Beaks are black, and the green cheeks are a darker shade of green.

Cinnamon: A sex-linked mutation where the green feathers are a bright lime color with beige undersides, and the rest of the colored feathers are more muted. The head is a lighter tan color, and the bodies in general will be much paler.

Yellow-Sided: A sex-linked mutation that is known for having lots of yellow in the breast and brighter reds in the face and chest. Color intensity varies bird to bird, and yellows can range from a pale not-white to lemon, and reds can go from the more typical maroon to bright, cherry red. Wings are typically the usual green color, and the tails are brighter red.

Pineapple: My favorite mutation. It is a mix between the Cinnamon mutation and the Yellow sided mutation resulting in a bird with pale beige or light gray coloring on its head and neck, but with a really bright red and yellow chest and lime green wings.

There is also a thing called a "red-yellow factor" which makes yellows and reds even more vibrant than usual in Cinnamon, Yellow-Sides, and Pineapples, and makes the red spread up to the bird's face.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.