Category: Birds

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Caiques

Although not always known by name, many people can generally guess a caique by its playful, clown-like demeanor. These small parrots are indigenous to the forests of South America, and there are two species popular in aviculture: the White-bellied Caique and the Black-headed Caique. The two species are very similar in temperament, size, and care, and coloration.

While both types have green backs, white chests, and yellow-orange legs, there are a few obvious differences: White-bellied Caiques have beige beaks and an apricot/orange-colored head. The Black-headed Caiques have black beaks and a black head.

These parrots are high energy, and will often be seen playing on their back or wrestling with foot toys. They are also well-known for hopping and jumping to get from place to place instead of flying or walking! Caiques are favored for their personalities more-so than for their talking ability; while they may learn some words, they tend to have a better capacity for learning sounds and whistles.

Because of their excitable nature, Caiques can bite or pinch harder than intended when they are over-stimulated. Over-stimulation can be from lots of playtime or rough-housing, a busy or loud environment, and new toys or people.

On average, the lifespan of Caiques is approximately 35 years. Because they are active, a larger cage outfitted with many types of toys is best. They are not typically apartment-friendly due to their high-pitched squeals and whistling. Males and females look very similar so a DNA test should be done to guarantee gender. Like many other parrots, a pelleted diet is recommended along with fresh fruits and vegetables, which many Caiques seem to readily enjoy.

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Budgerigars

Budgerigars are one of the most popular pets, behind cats and dogs. Also known as budgies, or parakeets, these small parrots are small, fairly quiet, and can have lots of personality. Sometimes they are kept together in large groups in aviaries, but they can make for a very good inside companion! With lots of 1-on-1 time, budgies can be outgoing, social, and males can even learn a large vocabulary.

Budgies are plentiful in Australia, their native country, where they are primarily green and yellow. With so many bred in captivity, they now are available in many color varieties such as violets, blues, greys, yellow, olive, and more.

Budgies can live, on average, from 6 to 12 years or longer with good diet and exercise. It is recommended to keep them on a diet primarily of pellets and fresh foods as they can be prone to fatty tumors if they are over-eaters. Around 10 months, as budgies mature, it can be possible to tell males from females by the color of their cere (the fleshy skin around the nostrils). Males will have a blue cere, and females will have ceres that are tan, brown, or white-ish.

Even if they are not hand-fed, budgies can be easily tamed with time and patience. Although it helps if the bird is young, even older parakeets can be worked with. Because of their temperament, they are great beginner birds.

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Green-winged Macaws

The Green-winged Macaw is the 2nd largest macaw in the world, with 1st place awarded to the Hyacinth Macaw. The Greenwings can weigh in at over 2.5 pounds and measure up to 37 inches long with their beautiful tail feathers. With their large size comes a big personality.

They are a well-rounded macaw with a fair talking ability, a great capacity for learning complicated behaviors, generally affectionate and hands-on, and a strong bond with their owners. Many macaw owners love them for their playfulness and puppy-like demeanor, but just like a puppy, without proper handling, training, and guidelines, they can be a handful.

At a glance, Greenwing Macaws can easily be confused with Scarlet Macaws. Both are primarily red, with blue on the wings and tail, and a white patch of skin on their faces. 3 things will help to identify a Greenwing Macaw.

1. The lines of facial feathers on the white patch of skin are thick and bright red.
2. The central band of color on the wing is green.
3. In a side-by-side comparison, a Greenwing is much larger than a Scarlet.

Green-winged Macaws can be very long-lived, with a conservative life-span of over 45 years. In the wild, they are found throughout the northern and central forests of South America. They are well known for being observed in large flocks at the clay licks with many other species of parrots.

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Halfmoon Conures

Halfmoon conures are small conures from Mexico to Central America, ranging from 8.5 to 9 inches overall. While similar in size to Greencheek conures, they look quite different. In fact, they look very similar to Peach-fronted conures, but you will notice a variation in their beak color. Halfmoon conures will have a tan colored upper mandible (like a crescent moon!), and the Peach-fronted conures have all black beaks.

Although primarily green- they have a striking orange cap and shades of blue on the head, tail, and on the primary feathers of their wings. The males and females will look similar and a DNA test is recommended to determine gender.

In general, conures are not known for their talking ability, but these small conures can pick up a medium-sized vocabulary. They are also playful, curious, and interactive with their owners. When excited, they can make loud noises but they are not typically as loud as the larger Aratinga conures such as Sun conures, or Jenday conures.

The lifespan of a Halfmoon conure is approximately 24-30 years. They should be fed a pellet-based diet along with a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, and seeds as treats.