About Sun Conure (Click-Readmore)
 Sun Conure
Scientific name: Aratinga solstitialis
Family: Psittacidae
Order: Psittaciformes
Mass: 100 – 120 g
Length: 30 cm
Conservation status: Endangered (Population decreasing)
Description
On average, sun conure weigh around 110 g and around 30 cm. long. The adult male and female are similar in appearance, with predominantly golden-yellow plumage and orange-flushed underparts and face.
Distribution and habitat
Sun conure live in a relatively small region of north-eastern South America: the north Brazilian state of Roraima, southern Guyana, extreme southern Suriname, and southern French Guiana.
Behaviour
Like other members of the genus Aratinga, the sun conure is very social and typically occurs in large flocks of 20 to 30 individuals. They rarely leave the flock, but when they get separated from the group, they squawk and scream in a high-pitched voice which can carry for hundreds of yards, allowing individuals to communicate with their flock and return to them. Flocks are relatively quiet while feeding, but are known to be very vocal and make loud noises when in flight. They can travel many miles in a single day, and they are fast, direct flyers.
Diet
In the wild, sun conure mainly feed on fruits, flowers, berries, blossoms, seeds, nuts, and insects. They feed on both ripe and half-ripe seeds of both fruits and berries. In captivity, their diets may include grass seeds, beans, and nuts, fruits (apples, papaya, and bananas)
Reproduction
Young sun conures form monogamous pairs around 4 to 5 months of age. Fertility rate of sun conures is relatively high. Typical clutch size is three or four white eggs, and they may be laid in two- to three-day intervals. Females are responsible for the entire incubation period from 23 to 27 days, and only leave the nest for short feeding periods. Males aggressively protect the nest from potential predators. The young depend on their parents for 7 to 8 weeks after hatching, and only become independent after 9 to 12 weeks. |
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