Angel Wings

A monthly journal for human angels who make a positive difference in companion birds' lives.

June 2007
Volume 2, Issue VI

In this month's issue:      Happy 3rd Anniversary ParrotNutz!!      Featured Fid ~ Cherry Headed Conure      The Art of Introducing New Toys to a      'Scaredy' Bird      Kitchen Sink Recipe

The Cherry Headed Conure (aratinga erythrogenys) also known as the red masked conure, average 13 - 15 inches in length from the top of the head to the tip of the tail. They average 164 - 184 grams in weight. The cherry heads are often mistaken for a Mitered, Wagner or Finsch's conure at a young age. It takes about 6 months to notice any red feathers and up to 2 years for the full head of red to become prominent. As they mature, they also get beautiful red on the underside of the wings near the shoulders. The beak is a horned color and quite broad in width.

Cherry Headed Conures are found in the arid zones of western Equador and northwestern parts of Peru. They inhabit open forests or the forest edge and are sometimes found near towns. The Red-Masked Conure breeds readily in captivity, though generally in the hotter part of the year. The female will lay between 3 to 4 eggs which will incubate for about 23 to 25 days. The young will fledge at about 6 weeks and be fully weaned by 11 or 12 weeks.

The Cherry Headed Conure is known for the playfulness just like most other conures. They enjoy a wonderful diet and lots of wood toys to chew on. They are very intelligent and need mental stimulation in order to keep them happy. They love to play on their backs and be comical in order to get a rise from their owners. Just like most other conures, they can be nippy and need proper guidance in order to break the habit and make a wonderful pet.

They are in fact a conure and can be noisy if they choose to be. They are not quite as noisy as the Nanday or Sun Conures but can be heard if they want to! As we all know, each individual bird is different. Their talking ability depends on the bird and their environment. Some can talk rather well and others prefer to just mimic noises and sounds. The Cherry Head needs a good sized cage due to their size and energetic attitude. I would not recommend a cage any smaller than a 24 x 22, preferably bigger if you can.

There is not much information on the Cherry Heads due to their lack of popularity in captivity so I will describe Palli, my Cherry Head. She is a one-person bird, that one person is me. She will tolerate others when I am not home. She is a very comical bird and keeps me laughing from the moment she wakes to the time she goes to sleep at night. She is very affectionate and I can do anything with her. She loves to play on her back in my hands and plays with her feet like a baby does. She enjoys playing in my shirt. I do not find her overly loud. I find she makes a different sound than most conures and the best way to describe it is like a zipper being pulled down really quick.

Palli will be 2 years old in July and is talking rather well. So far she says "step up", "peek a boo", "kiss", "watcha doin", and "I love you". She is trying to learn more but it is not quite clear just yet. She also sneezes and coughs. She does a fantastic imitation also. I am trying to teach her tricks and so far we have her holding a foot up, bobbing and clucking when I ask her to dance. When I say "oh la la" she lifts her wings and shows me the beautiful red. I ask for a kiss and she reaches her beak to my lips. We are presently working on her laying on her back on my forehead for a few seconds. She can be very nippy and with the width and size of her beak, it can hurt. I'm sure in time, that will subside. She is the apple of my eye and my welcoming committee when I arrive home from work.

To sum it up, Cherry Heads are a mid-sized bird full of bird bird attitude. I find they are not too small and not too big, just the right size for cuddling. Most people would end their information saying a hand-raised, hand-fed bird is the best, but that is not always true. Palli has had 3 homes in less than a year and she turned into a wonderful companion for me. Whether you do choose a hand-fed, hand-tame, or rehomed Cherry Head, you will have excitement, fun, companionship and beauty from these wonderful creatures. ♥

Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

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