Hey! We are the bright and beautiful Sun Conures. We are found only in a small region of South America, yet we are famous worldwide.
Have a look at some important points about us:
- We are first described by Swedish Zoologist Carl Linnaeus in the early 18th century.
- Unlike many parakeets, we are quiet birds. We do make loud noises but only when we fly.
- Do not get confused! We might look similar to the Jandaya conure and Sulphur-breasted parakeet, but we differ from them if you observe properly.
- We are a very famous aviculture bird. Different breeding techniques helped humans to make more yellow sun conures as well as more red sun conures. These are called Super Sun Conures.
- We are not migratory, but we travel a lot. We cover a large distance in a single day foraging for food.
- Like many other parakeets, we are smart and often kept as pets.
- We have the ability to mimic human voices and voices in surroundings, intelligent enough to learn tricks and solve puzzles.
- We are highly social birds and we often feed, preen (clean) and bathe one another.
- Many call us as “sunny”!
SOME QUICK FACTS ABOUT US:
Our Scientific Name: Aratinga Solsitialis Solsitialis.
Identification: Bright yellow and orange colored medium-sized parrot.
Our Habitat: dry savannah woodlands, coastal and humid forests.
Our Range:
Food Habits: Omnivorous; feed on seeds, nuts, berries, blossoms, small insects, fruits, beans, grass seeds, vegetables, chickweed, dandelions, corn, millet, and other foods.
Breeding Period: Starts in February.
Number of eggs laid: 3-4 eggs.
Incubation period: 23-27 days.
Lifespan: 25-30 years
IUCN red list status: Endangered.
CITES: Appendix II
Indian Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule IV.
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Superfamily: Psittacoidea
Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Arinae
Tribe: Arini
Genus: Aratinga
Species: A. solstitialis
Subspecies: A. S. solstitialis
COMPLETE DETAILS ABOUT US FOR ANIMAL ENTHUSIASTS:
We are the famous sun conures also called sun parakeets or sun parrots due to our bright color. Let us tell you more about our species.
We are scientifically called as Aratinga Solsitialis Solsitialis.
HOW WE LOOK:
We are a species where both male and female look the same. We have a yellow crown, mantle, and nape. Most of our wings are also yellow in color. Our face and belly are orange in color with our ears having red borders. We have a black bill and grey legs.
We are about 30 cm long and weight around 110 gms. The young look similar to adults with small size and dull color feathers.
WE ARE FOUND IN:
We prefer living in tropical regions with dry savannah woodlands, coastal and humid forests. Our range lies in a small region of South America that includes North Brazilian state of Roraima, southern Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.
WHAT WE EAT:
We are omnivores and have different feeding habits in wild and in captivity.
In wild, we eat seeds, nuts, berries, blossoms, and small insects.
While in captivity, we feed on fruits, beans, grass seeds, vegetables, chickweed, dandelions, corn, millet, and other foods.
OUR REPRODUCTION:
We are social beings and live in a large flock of about 20-30 individuals. We are monogamous in nature which means we only have one companion/ pair for the rest of our lives. Fertility of female is really high and the female lays 3-4 eggs. The incubation period is 23-27 days. Incubation is done by female alone while male protects the nest and female.
The young are taken care of and fed by female alone. The male protects the female and the young from predators aggressively. The young leave the family after 7-8 weeks. The lifespan of our species is 25-30 years.
MORE ABOUT US:
We are quiet birds, but we shout and make loud noises while we fly.
We can travel a lot of distance in a single day.
Our capability to learn tricks and ability is moderate.
We look similar to Jandaya parakeet as well as sulphur-breasted parakeet.
OUR CONSERVATION:
We are currently listed as “endangered” species in the red list of IUCN; this is due to habitat loss, hunting, and pet trade. We are also listed in CITES Appendix II and protected under Schedule IV of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
