Blue-crowned Conure

The Blue-crowned Conure, also known as the Blue-crowned Parakeet, is a sizeable South American parakeet with predominantly bright green plumage set off by a distinctive powder-blue crown and forehead that fades into the green of the nape.

Appearance

• Overall green body plumage, slightly paler and yellower on the underparts
• Pale to deep sky-blue forehead and crown, the feature that gives the species its name
• Long, pointed tail tipped with a maroon-brown wash
• Pale, horn-colored bill and a bare whitish eye-ring

Key field marks

• Blue wash restricted to the forehead and crown, rather than covering the whole head
• Long, sharply pointed tail, longer in proportion than many other conures
• Pale bill and whitish eye-ring standing out against the green face

Similar species

The Green-cheeked Conure is much smaller with a dark maroon tail and scalloped grey chest, lacking any blue crown. Mitred and Red-masked Parakeets show extensive red on the head rather than blue. The Nanday Conure has a solid black hood covering the entire head rather than a blue patch limited to the crown.

Range

Widely distributed across central South America, including parts of Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, and northern Argentina, with a disjunct population in Colombia's Caribbean lowlands.

Habitat

Inhabits dry woodland, cerrado savanna, palm groves, and scrubby forest edge, generally favoring open or semi-open habitats over dense rainforest; it is largely sedentary but may wander locally for food.

Behavior

Gregarious and often seen in noisy flocks that can number from a dozen to over a hundred birds, particularly outside the breeding season.

Voice

Gives loud, harsh, screeching calls typical of larger conures, often given in flight and at communal roosts.

Feeding

Forages in trees and on the ground for seeds, fruit, berries, and blossoms, and will feed on cultivated crops such as maize and sorghum near farmland.

Nesting and breeding

Nests in tree cavities and sometimes in arboreal termite mounds, laying a clutch of several white eggs that the female incubates.