The conure group covers over 40 species across two genera, Pyrrhura and Aratinga, ranging from the compact 10-inch green cheek to the loud, brilliant sun conure at 12 inches. Green cheek conures have become the default recommendation for keepers who want parrot-level personality without apartment-breaking noise levels.
Our pet bird guides address the full spectrum, but conures are worth separate attention because the species choice matters as much as the care.
Sun conures can sustain 120 decibels of contact calling, comparable to a chainsaw. Green cheek conures top out around 65-75 decibels and are workable in shared housing.
If you're considering a conure, know which species you're getting before you commit.
Conure Species: Green Cheek, Sun, Jenday, and Nanday Compared
Green cheek conures (Pyrrhura molinae) are the apartment keeper's conure. They're 10 inches, maroon-tailed, mostly green with a red belly patch, and come in mutations including cinnamon, turquoise, pineapple, and yellow-sided.
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Their noise level is manageable, their playfulness is constant, and they're the species we recommend by default for first-time conure keepers.
Sun conures (Aratinga solstitialis) are visually stunning, bright orange and yellow at maturity, but their call is loud and their contact screaming is frequent. They suit keepers in houses rather than apartments and those willing to work consistently on noise management.
Households stepping down from conure noise levels often consider cockatiels next, and our cockatiel care guide shows how the experience differs.
Blueberries are a top training treat for conures and our article on safe berry treats for birds explains how to incorporate them into the diet.
| Species | Size | Noise | Talking | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Cheek | 10 in | Low-Medium | Fair | Apartments, beginners |
| Sun Conure | 12 in | Very High | Limited | Houses, experienced keepers |
| Jenday | 12 in | High | Limited | Houses, social environments |
| Nanday | 11 in | High | Fair | Houses, active households |
| Blue-crowned | 14 in | Medium-High | Good | Experienced keepers |
Conure Personality: High Energy, Cuddly, and Attention-Hungry
Conures are the clowns of the parrot world. They hang upside down from toys, roll onto their backs for belly scratches, and wedge themselves into pockets, hoods, and sleeves.
This contact-seeking behavior is constant and endearing but requires that you be present and interactive for several hours daily.
Green cheeks are particularly known for their cuddling behavior and their stubborn independence. They'll demand head scratches for 20 minutes and then nip your finger when they've had enough.
Reading their body language, specifically the eye pinning (rapid pupil dilation and contraction) that signals high arousal, prevents most bites.
Conure keepers who want a more advanced parrot project sometimes graduate to grey parrots, and our african grey parrot guide details the larger commitment involved.
Conures develop a respectable vocabulary in many cases, placing them on our best talking birds list among the medium-parrot category.
Conure Cage and Housing: Space for an Active Bird
Green cheek conures need a minimum cage of 24 x 24 x 30 inches with bar spacing of ⅝ to ¾ inch. Sun conures and larger species need at least 30 x 30 x 36 inches.
Conures are more destructive than cockatiels or budgies and will shred soft wood toys within a day. Budget for toy replacement as an ongoing expense.
Position the cage at eye level against a wall corner, giving the bird two solid sides and reducing exposed-perimeter stress. Include a hanging tent or cozy hide inside the cage; conures sleep better when they have a covered spot, and it reduces night disturbances.
Mini macaws and conures overlap in size and personality, so reading our macaw care guide helps clarify whether the full-size species suits your space.
With the right research, some conure species suit first-time keepers, and our best birds for beginners guide notes which ones are most forgiving.
Conure Diet: Feeding a Mid-Sized Parrot Correctly
Conures eat more than budgies or cockatiels by volume and have slightly different nutritional needs. A quality pellet formulated for small-to-medium parrots should make up 65-70% of the diet.
Fresh vegetables are the primary supplement, offered daily. Seeds are treats only, used for training or enrichment.
Conures readily accept warm food and are often easier to introduce to vegetables than smaller species. Offering a small amount of warm cooked sweet potato or brown rice mixed with chopped kale tends to get even resistant birds eating vegetables within a few weeks.
Conures love soft fruit and banana is a crowd pleaser, but portion size matters, so check our guide on banana for pet birds before serving.
Apple slices are a reliable enrichment food for conures, and our article on apple for birds walks through seed removal and safe serving size.
- Pellets: Roudybush or Zupreem Natural small-to-medium size, 65-70% of diet
- Vegetables: Sweet potato, kale, broccoli, carrot, snap peas, bell pepper
- Grains: Cooked brown rice, quinoa, or whole grain pasta 3-4x per week
- Legumes: Cooked lentils or black beans (no salt) 2x per week
- Toxic foods: Avocado, onion, garlic, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, raw dry beans
Conure Health: Proventricular Dilatation Disease and Common Issues
Conures are prone to several conditions that warrant annual avian vet checks. Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), caused by avian bornavirus, is particularly common in the Pyrrhura and Aratinga genera.
It causes progressive neurological damage and weight loss despite eating, and there's no cure. Minimizing stress and providing good nutrition support quality of life in affected birds.
Conure bleeding syndrome is another species-specific concern. Pyrrhura conures occasionally present with spontaneous bleeding episodes, possibly linked to vitamin K deficiency or capillary fragility.
Green cheeks are the most commonly affected. Ensure vitamin K-rich vegetables like kale and broccoli are regular dietary components.
Whole grapes can be a choking concern for some conure sizes, and our article on grapes for birds covers how to serve them correctly.
Parrotlets are sometimes compared to small conures in personality, so our parrotlet care guide helps clarify which temperament suits your household.
- PDD: Weight loss, undigested food in droppings, regurgitation, neurological signs
- Conure bleeding syndrome: Spontaneous bleeding from feather follicles, requires vet care
- Psittacosis: Respiratory symptoms, lethargy, watery droppings
- Aspergillosis: Fungal respiratory infection from damp or moldy bedding
Training Conures: Talking, Tricks, and Managing Biting
Conures are smart enough to learn a range of tricks: spin, wave, step up, fetch, and target training all work well. They respond to positive reinforcement with food rewards consistently and lose interest quickly in sessions longer than 10 minutes.
Keep training short and end on a success.
Biting is the most common behavioral complaint in conures. The majority of conure bites are communication attempts, not aggression: the bird is saying it's overstimulated, wants to move, or doesn't want what you're offering.
Watch for eye pinning, feathers slicked down, and tail fanning before a bite lands.
Conures enjoy tropical fruits and watermelon is one of the safest high-water options, confirmed in our guide on watermelon for birds.