Information
The Patagonian Conure also goes by the name of the Burrowing Parrot. These types of parrots are social creatures that tend to live in flocks. The bird comes from the Cyanoliseus genus of birds, which is part of the Psittacidae family of parrots. Originally the Patagonian Conure is from the region it is named after, which is the Patagonian region of South America. This encompasses the central part of Argentina as well as small pockets of Chile. Their natural habitat is made up of open grassland, shrublands or steppe type landscapes. There are estimated to be around 90,000 Patagonian Conures in the wild and they are not a threatened species of animal. The average size for a Patagonian Conure is 45 cm and their average weight is 250 to 350 grams.
There are 4 subspecies of Patagonian Conure:
- Cyanoliseus patagonus patagonus (Lesser)
- Cyanoliseus patagonus conlara
- Cyanoliseus patagonus andinus
- Cyanoliseus patagonus bloxami (Greater, formerly called byroni)
Facts
| Names | Patagonian Conure, Burrowing Parrot |
| Scientific name | Cyanoliseus patagonus |
| Colors | Mostly dull green and grey, yellow and red chest, blue wing tips |
| Size | Around 45 cm (18 inches) |
| Weight | Approximately 250 to 350 grams (8.8 to 12.3 oz) |
| Lifespan | 30 years |
| Price | $500 to $1000 |
| Conservation Status (IUCN) | Least Concern |
| Distribution | Argentina, Chile |
| Habitat | Steppe, Shrubland, Savanna |
| Food | Fruits, seeds, crops |
| Personality | Friendly, social, attention loving |
| Intelligence | Medium |
| Noise levels | Very loud |
| Talking ability | Basic mimicry |
| Sub-species | 1. Cyanoliseus patagonus patagonus (Lesser) 2. Cyanoliseus patagonus conlara 3. Cyanoliseus patagonus andinus 4. Cyanoliseus patagonus bloxami (Greater, formerly called byroni) |
Behaviors
These birds can be very loud and noisy, so this is a major consideration when thinking about the personality of the bird. If you can get over this issue then you’ll find the Patagonian Conure to make a very friendly, social and playful pet bird. Their clown-like personality needs a fair amount of attention and they have quite a bit of energy. Because they are social creatures they should be kept with other birds or be owned by someone that works at home or spends a large amount of time at home. They do like to nip away and chew on items but their beak won’t be able to break thick cage wiring or bars. Because they are friendly, trusting and social, they can be kept at home with people that have children, although keep an eye on your children if they are very young. You can train your Patagonian to mimic a few words, play games with you, step up and down, plus a few other simple activities.
Care
A Patagonian Conure needs plenty of space in its cage so it can stretch its wings and also house all of the accessories needed to keep the bird hygienic and entertained. To reduce the sounds caused by these birds, you could consider getting a soundproof bird cage, see our full guide here for details. These birds should be kept at a room temperature of around 21 degrees celsius, similar to the climate in which they are originally from.
Included inside their cage should be toys, perches, swings, foraging items, bathing bowls, and removable trays to get rid of waste. Each day the bird should be let out of its cage for several hours so that it can interact with you, exercise and stretch its wings.
Supplies
Colors
Most of the feathers of a Patagonian Conure are dull green coloring with parts of it being pale yellowy green. A grey color makes up their chest feathers along with a grey coloration on their forehead. They have blue colors on the ends of their wing feathers and the yellow is more pronounced on the lower parts of their body and legs. Beneath their chest and next to their feet they have a red set of feathers. Males tend to be larger than females and DNA testing may be required to determine gender since appearances can be similar. Unique to this species of parrot is that they have a small set of eyelashes. To see the bird in action, check out the video below:
The Conlara subspecies tend to have darker chest feathers, the Andinus has duller colors with smaller amounts of yellow under feathers. The Bloxami birds have brighter yellow, red and white feathers and are larger.
Sounds
These birds can be very noisy and careful consideration should be taken if taking on one of these birds because they are so loud. In particular, you shouldn’t have one if you live in an apartment. Some of the typical sounds these birds make include shrieking, squawking loudly and contact calls. These birds can be trained to talk and mimic a few words but they are not that good at it. To hear these birds in action, click on one of the audio files below:
Calls
Flight Calls
Singing
Noises
Lifespan
On average, a Patagonian Conure is likely to live to around 30 years old. A bird in captivity may be able to live slightly longer than this if they are looked after properly with plenty of attention, correct diet, and a spacious cage.
Prices
These are not as common as other pet birds in aviculture but are found more frequently in the lower part of South America, where they are native to. You can expect to pay $500 to $1,000 to own a Patagonian Conure. Factors influencing this price include age, unique marks, the breeder, your location, and genetic lineage. You’ll also need to pay for cages, toys, perches, foods and medical costs.
Breeding
When breeding this bird, they’ll normally lay around 3 eggs, which will take about 3.5 weeks to incubate, after which they fledge in 2 months. In the wild, this season normally happens from October/November to March/April.
Diseases
A disease you need to look out for with Patagonian Conures is Pacheco’s disease. This is a type of herpes virus causes a very short illness which then can lead to death.
As Pets
The major downside to taking on one of these birds is that they are so loud and noisy. This means you definitely shouldn’t own one if you live in an apartment building. If you can get past these noise issues then Patagonian Conures can make great pets. Just ensure when you get one that you have all of the supplies needed to properly care for your pet bird.
