The exceedingly rare yellow-eared conure or Ognorhynchus icterotis of Colombia and Ecuador was never common in aviculture and has not successfully bred in captivity.

Least Concern (Population stable)

The green-cheeked conure is found in wild in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay, where it inhabits forests and woodland areas.

Green-cheeked conures have “big bird” personalities. They are intelligent, and are capable of learning multiple tricks. They are not especially good talkers, but can learn some speech. Green-cheeked conures are also known for their playfulness and acrobatics.

Birds like green cheek conures only puff their back, chest or perhaps wing feathers to show aggression or perhaps to heat up in the cold. The one and only reason when green cheek conures keep their feathers puffy consistently, is once they are most unwell.

They Give You Kisses Your conure might try to rub its beak on against you, often targeting the face, cheek, and lips. They might impart you with gentle nibbles and sounds as well. Many a conure has learned and adopted the smooch sound that comes with their human’s kisses.

Your green-cheeked conure aggression is likely to be caused by hormone fluctuations. The change between a sweet little bird and a wild parrot can be very sudden with your conure. One moment they’re the perfect companion and the next they’re ready to bite your finger off.

When a green cheek conure bites their owner, it takes concentration. If you notice your green cheek conure biting, or preparing to bite, move your arm a bit to stop biting in it’s tracks. Birds associate being up high with dominating another bird, or in this case, you.

Housed together, the conures can get to know each other. You have a better chance of bonding a pair of conures if they are unrelated and close to each other in age. Keep in mind that bonded conures may become very distressed, sick, and depressed if they are separated, so it is important to always keep them together.

about two weeks

Symptoms of a depressed bird can include:

1. Fluffed-up feathers.
2. Loss of appetite.
3. Change in droppings.
4. Irritability.
5. Feather-plucking.
6. Aggression.
7. Change in vocalizations.
8. Constant head bobbing.

A bonded bird will be excited to see you. She may bob her head, entice you to notice her by jingling toys, call to you, or offer to come to you. More subtle excitement is evidenced by a little feather shake and increased alertness and interest. Some birds may also scold you for leaving by yelling or banging toys.