Chapter 19 - CAIQUES

Caiques are small, stout birds of the Par­rot Family, with un­usually striking col­oration. Hand-reared specimens are comi­cal in their actions, and have an aggres­sive tendency towards each other. They have a short tail with point­ed feathers which is less than half the length of the wings. Sexes are alike. Their habitat is in north­eastern South Amer­ica. They are kept as pets in that territory, but are not so gener­ally known in the United States, except in Zoological Gardens.

Representative speci­mens are: BLACK-HEADED  CAIQUE (Pionites m. melanocephala). Body, green; head, black with a patch of green in front and below eyes. The nape is orange, cheeks and throat are yellow, the breast is white. The bill, feet, and naked skin around the eyes is black. The iris of the eye has an inner ring brown, and an outer one red.

WHITE BELLIED or WHITE BREASTED CAIQUES (Pi­onites 1. leucogaster) Body green, white below with orange crown. (Illustrated on page 87.)

CONURES

Conures are close relatives of the Macaws, with pointed faces like them but feathered. Their coloring comprises bright yellow, red and green. They are very hardy in captiv­ity, and when acclimatized may be kept in an outdoor aviary the year round. There are some slight differences in color­ing between the sexes. Conures don't make too good talkers, but are very affectionate. The natives in their habitats often keep them as pets. These birds lay 3-4 eggs in a clutch. A few are:

BLUE-CROWNED CONURE (Aratinga a. haemorrhous). These 8 to 9 inch birds make one of the nicest tame Psittacine Bird pets possible for the small home, apartment or even the bird lover in a furnished room. There are 28 species ranging from Mexico through Central America to Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil. These close relatives of the larger Macaws be­come very much attached to their owner, and learn to say a few words, the Brown-Throated Conure being especially affectionate.

It is when being away all day or when just greeting your Conure in the morning, that the bird's pleasure with your at­tention will be shown. They will learn a wolf whistle. When excited, the pupil of the eye will open and contract as the bird talks and whistles. This action of the pupil when excited is common with most of the larger Psittacines. They are widely kept as pets in their native lands.

Conures come in various shades of green, yellow and or­ange. The flight feathers are often blue, and some species have red on the head and breast. There is some slight dif­ference in coloring between the sexes of some species, al­though others are almost identical to the inexperienced.

In breeding, they should be given the same nesting ac­commodations as that stated for larger Parrakeets. Three to four eggs are laid in a clutch.

FEEDING

Conures require a mixture of Canary, Large Millet, hulled Oats with some Buckwheat. Large Sunflower seed should be given in a separate dish, at times in winter, cracked corn.

Like most Psittacines of their size, they like fruit such as apple, grapes, bananas, etc. and little or no orange. The best greens to give them is a halved cob of fresh corn. A few drops of Cod Liver Oil should be added on the fruit or mixed in the Canary-Millet mixture at the rate of 1 teaspoonful to one pint of seed, this in cold weather.

Some Conures will enjoy bathing in an 8 inch flowerpot saucer. Those that don't should be sprayed with tepid water to bring out the bright green sheen of their plumage.

BROWN-THROATED CONURE (Aratinga pertinax aeru-ginosa) Habitat: Colombia and Venezuela. This species has dull blue over half its head, body light green, yellowish on abdomen and undertail feathers. Blue flight feathers, black bill and speckled brown throat. The sexes are almost indis­tinguishable, although cocks have a slightly longer and mort massive head and bill and can be especially differentiated by a wider and more elliptical white skin patch around the eyes with a thin ringlet of small yellow feathers. Immatures in their first plumage have much speckled brown in their green plumage especially on the abdomen with the green very dark. Even hens will act very affectionate towards each other, so it is difficult to tell them apart by their actions alone.

By first training them to climb on an outstretched stick, they will trust you enough to eventually go on your finger.

GOLDEN or YELLOW CONURE (Aratinga guarouba) Habitat: Northeast Brazil. This beautiful bird is almost all deep lemon-yellow suffused with red on the abdomen and sides of face. The upper wing-coverts are green, flights dark green above, golden-olive below. It requires up to three years for this bird to acquire its full adult golden plumage.

QUEEN OF BAVARIA CONURE. This is the other al­most all yellow species, with bill yellow, feet pinkish, naked skin around eye white. The iris varies from deep orange to brown. Young immatures have the cheeks and upper wing-coverts flecked with green and when real babies, are nearly all green.

GOLDEN-CROWNED CONURE (Aratinga a. aurea) Habi­tat: Guianas, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Body mostly grass green, forehead, crown and face orange. Lores and back of head, dull blue, abdomen, orange-yellow. Bill is black, feet brownish, iris green to brown.

The hen can be distinguished quite easily as she doesn't have the orange face.  Their length is about 9 inches.

WHITE-EARED CONURE (Pyrrhura leucotis) Habitat: Eastern Brazil. This may be the prettiest and most elegant of the Conures. It is mostly green, top of head and nape brownish-black. Forehead, cheeks, shoulders, rump, tail tip and middle of abdomen, deep red. Naked skin around eye, white.

It inhabits the wooded coast region, and they are said to be quite common, and to have bred in captivity.

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