The black-capped conure is among the tiniest of the conure parrots, and is one of the most distinct in look, with its brownish-black crown and scale-patterned neck. It can be a slightly shy bird, but once comfortable with its family; the black-capped conure is an inquisitive and loving pet. It has the unique advantage of being a quieter species than the other conures.
Genus: Pyrrhura
Species: rupicola
Size:
25cm (9.75 in)
Weight:
70g (2.45 oz)
Races including nominate:
two: P.r. rupicola, P.r. sandiae
Parrots.org
Origin and History
The black-capped conures are native to areas of South America including Peru, Bolivia, and southwestern Brazil. It resides in moist forest varying from the Amazonian lowlands up to the slopes of the eastern Andes to an altitude of about 6,000 feet. Since much of this bird’s native environment is being disturbed, it is designated as a Near Threatened species.
Size
Black-capped conures are the smallest of the conure species, with adults reaching a length of 9 to 10 inches from the beak to the suggestion of the tail feathers. Adults weigh only about 2.5 ounces.
Typical Lifespan of Black-Capped Conure
Properly taken care of, black-capped conures can live for up to 30 years in captivity.
Character
Known as friendly, easy-going birds, black-capped conures are highly social and highly trainable pets. They take pleasure in engaging with their owners, and they long for daily playtime and attention. They will end up being very friendly with a relative, however, can stay a bit shy with strangers. They do best in a family that is active and busy, as the activity keeps them interested and promoted. Those who want to own a black-capped conure needs to ensure that they have lots of time to mingle and engage with their new pet. A lonely black-capped conure can become depressed and establish both medical and behavioral issues as an outcome.
This is among the quieter of the conure species, however with client training, the black-capped conure can discover a small repertoire of words and expressions.
Why Does Black-Capped Conure Bite Me?
Wild conures do not bite regularly. Birds have a non-verbal language that human beings frequently do not comprehend, resulting in a bite. Conures might likewise bite to elicit a strong reaction from the owners. If the response to biting is to place the conure in their cage, they might begin to bite when they want to return to their cage, or they might start to dislike their cage and associate it with punishment. The best options to unwarranted biting are standing your ground with a firm “no” or neglecting the bird and leaving the room.
Black-Capped Conure Colors and Markings
The black-capped conure is a primarily green bird with an uncommon brown-black cap and whitish scale pattern on the neck and breast. It has touches of red along the leading edge of the upper wing coverts. The green abdominal area is tinged with bluish marking, and the tail feathers have dark gray undersides. The feet, legs, and beak are gray. Males and women are identical in coloring.
One anomaly of this types, called the yellow-sided black-capped conure, has yellow shading on the sides of the head and neck.
Breeding
Black-capped Conures are uncommon in aviculture and special care should be taken in ensuring that the breeding efforts achieve success. Black-capped Conures typically lay four to seven eggs, which they incubate for 23 to 24 days.
Taking Care of the Black-Capped Conure
It’s constantly worth consulting animal rescue organizations and animal adoption agencies if you are interested in owning a black-capped conure; periodically birds are deserted by owners unable to offer their needs. Otherwise, you will likely need to seek a breeder to obtain a bird, as black-capped conures are not frequently offered in pet stores.
A black-capped conure requires a cage big enough to supply space for a day-to-day workout– the tiniest cage appropriate is one with an 18-inch footprint, 24 inches in height. This presumes your bird will get several hours of out-of-cage time for flying and playing. Where this is not possible, the bird must have a bigger cage that supplies sufficient area for legitimate flying and workout.
Provide strong perches within the cage, as well as many chew toys. Changing these often will keep the bird curious and stimulated. These are smart birds that quickly grow tired without stimulation. Likewise, make sure there is an out-of-cage play device (a playpen) for the bird to use throughout its out-of-cage exercise durations.
Like all parrots, black-capped conures are flock birds and will require a considerable amount of social interaction with human caretakers to remain delighted and healthy. In nature, black-capped conures form flocks of about 30 birds, and in captivity, they will do best in an environment with a great deal of sound and activity. Be prepared to provide your conure 2 to 4 hours of out-of-cage time for workout and interaction, and make sure to supervise this time, as this analytical bird can quickly enter into difficulty if not viewed.
Black-capped conures make gorgeous, intelligent, and fun-loving pets for the right individuals. While they do need much attention from their owners, they continuously seem to reward human efforts with their humorous shenanigans. However, even hand-raised parrots can turn down human interaction if ignored, and the same is true for black capped-conures.
While not well-known as talkers, a black-capped conure can discover a couple of words and phrases for owners who spend the time coaching them.
Proper Cage Size for Black-Capped Conure
We suggest a minimum of 18″ x 18″ x 24″, with 1/2″ bar spacing or less. Cage size likewise depends on just how much time the bird will be investing in the cage. A bird that simply sleeps in the cage can be housed in the minimum recommended cage size stated above: however, birds that spend much of the day in their cage would benefit from a cage bigger in size. By doing this a shallow water meal can be put in the cage for taking baths. Always remember to remove right after bathing!
Nest Box Size:
8″ x 8″ x 30″ (20.3cm x 20.3cm x 76cm) vertical box.
Clutch Size:
5-7
Incubation Time:
23-24 days
Fledging Age:
7-8 weeks
Best Cages for Black-Capped Conure
Yaheetech
- SIMPLE CLEANING: Slide-out tray and detachable mesh panel under the quake parrot bird cage can be removed for simple cleansing; mesh panel in between birds and the tray can prevent birds from strolling directly on their droppings, which ensures your pets’ hygiene and the tidiness of the conure bird cage
- SPACIOUS CAGE: Yaheetech big parrot bird cage with 0.6″ bar spacing, provides a large and safe area for your birds to play and rest; 8.5 x 18.4″ door is hassle-free for birds in various sizes like budgerigars, cockatiels, monk parakeets and golden parakeets to entry
- PLAY TOP: A ladder and a wooden perch on the lovebird cage leading offer you a better interaction with your cherished birds; 2 feeding bowls for simple feeding and a slide-out tray to prevent the feeds and droppings from messing yaheetech rolling parakeet bird cage
- SAFE & SECURE: A button lock on the bird entryway can be locked and unlocked by an easy operation; hook locks on the feeding doors for convenient feed replenishment and for safety purpose too; fully painted green cheek conure cage with shiny surface area, polished wooden perches and stainless steel feeders use your lovely birds a safe and healthy environment.
- SIMPLE CLEANING: Slide-out tray and detachable mesh panel under the quake parrot bird cage can be eliminated for simple cleansing; mesh panel in between birds and the tray can prevent birds from walking directly on their droppings, which guarantees your pets’ hygiene and the cleanliness of the cockatiel bird cage.
VIVOHOME
- TOUGH CONSTRUCTION – Made of the highest-quality iron frame with a black powder varnish ensured to make this bird cage strong, durable, even against spirited birds
- MULTIPLE DOORWAYS – Designed with two entrances for your pet birds to go into and exit; The top of the cage opens up and can be propped open with a wood crossbeam for your birds to base on; Traditional doors lie on the side of the cage; Cage features 4 swivel-caster wheels
- SLIDE-OUT TRAY – Equipped with a plastic tray at the bottom of this bird cage that can be eliminated for easy cleaning
- MULTIPLE WAYS TO PLAY – With multiple levels and locations to stand on, this birdcage will a defining function of your feathered buddies’ lives; Includes a swing, multiple bars to base on; Convenient doors so you can change the food without troubling your pets; Locking joints to keep the cage protected; And a cage with little style functions that stick out among the crowd
- EXTRA STORAGE SPACE – Comes with an extra mesh shelf so you can save food and toys out of the way.
ZENY
- ZENY bird cage is made of wrought iron that makes it a tough and durable bird cage.It can last years’ ues.
- Lower Removable Sliding Grate For Easy Cleaning, keep your bird home clean and comfy
- This bird cage has 2 sets down that the birds can sit on and play. It has a flat top with grills all around to offer security. It has four food cups to store food and water. There is a removable pull-out tray to collect wastages.
- This bird cage with stand is the perfect size for Caciques, Conures, Jardine’s Parrot, Meyer’s Parrots, Pionus, Poicephalus, Red-bellied and other similar size birds to perch and live comfortably.
- 4 Strong Swivel Casters Mobility And Stability, 4 Feeder Doors With Locks For Easy Feeding,4 Feeding Cups, 2 Interior Long Wooden Perch For Resting
Feeding the Black-Capped Conure
Nutrition of black-capped conures is the basis for their health and longevity, which means that it is necessary to approach this issue responsibly. Therefore, from an early age, it is necessary to choose the right diet for your bird. Remember that ordinary food from the human table can be not only harmful to birds, but also deadly.
This article will discuss the basic proper feeding of the black-capped conures, which will ensure its longevity and health. These are grain mix, greens and sprouts, porridges, vegetable and fruit components, twig food and drinking. By combining these products and offering the pet a varied menu, owners can meet the birds’ needs as much as possible.
Grain food
The daily diet of black-capped conures should include a grain composition. This is the foundation without which it is difficult to imagine a complete diet. When to fill the feeder (once a day the daily amount or several times a day to add food) – does not matter very much, the main thing is that parrots always have food in sufficient quantity, because they can do without food no more than 24 hours.
There is a wide variety of grain mixes available in pet stores, ranging from the diet of a black-capped conure to large feathered birds. The composition of the food varies according to the size of the bird and its natural habitat. When buying make sure that the grain food is hermetically sealed and the expiration date is not expired. Before pouring it into the bird’s feeder, carefully inspect the grain to make sure it does not contain any foreign impurities.
The diet of black-capped conures or other species of these birds can be diversified by sprouting grain mixture. Sprouts are a treasure trove of vitamins for parrots, which will have a beneficial effect on the whole body of your pet. Please note, if you don’t wait for the sprouts to fully sprout (up to the grass state), but give lightly sprouted sprouts, such feeding provokes sexual behavior in birds. In addition to very young shoots, the feathered bird also needs common greens (nettles, lettuce, willow tea, dandelion). Greens from oats, wheat, and lettuce can also be grown on your windowsill.
Fruits, vegetables and berries
If you have black-capped conures at home, care, maintenance, feeding it, as well as other types of birds, should be carried out according to certain rules and accustomed to them from an early age. Fruit and vegetable supplements must be in the menu of the bird. If the bird refuses to eat a healthy product, the owner’s task is to convince it otherwise, for example, by offering the parrot nicely sliced carrots. Be creative and give the bird food in different shapes and decorations! Be patient and don’t give up.
Despite all the usefulness of fruit fruits, the right question for the owner will be: Which fruits are allowed to parrots and which are not? It will be useful to include in the pet’s diet: apricot, cherry, pineapple, plum, apple, pear, peach.
Feeding conures can be supplemented with berries and citrus fruits such as: oranges, watermelons, gooseberries, pineapple, cranberries, cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, kiwi, red and black currants, tangerines, kiwi. For every occasion it is better to remove the peel from citrus products, and from such fruit crops as cherries, apricots and plums it is worth removing the pips. Berries collected in summer can be frozen and offered to parrots in the defrosted form in winter.
Useful vegetables for parrots are carrot, pumpkin, zucchini, tomato, cucumber, pepper, zucchini and rutabaga. Cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, broccoli, beets, turnips and green peas can also be given to feathered birds, but they must first be blanched (scalded and left in boiling water for several minutes). Some owners of birds know what vegetables are allowed to parrots, but before putting them into the cage, they boil them. It is better to offer them fresh, as boiled vegetables will lose all useful vitamins and trace elements.
Exercise
All conures are active birds, and this is particularly true of the black-capped conure. Your pet will need at least 2 hours of out-of-cage time every day in a safe, monitored play area. Ensure your pet has a variety of chew toys, which will both exercise its jaw muscles and supply it with mental stimulation. Numerous perches of various diameters will assist keep your parrot’s feet limber.
Common Health Issues
The conures, in general, are amongst the hardier of parrot species, and numerous owners may never experience a significant health problem. However, like other conures, the black-capped conure can be prone to feather selecting, which is typically an indication the bird is bored and in the requirement of more attention and stimulation.
Infrequently, a conure might suffer from proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), psittacine beak and feather disease, psittacosis bacterial infection, beak malocclusion, or aspergillosis fungal infection.
Have an avian vet check your bird regularly to spot these issues in the early phases.
Common Names
The black-capped conure is also referred to as the rock parakeet, the black-capped parakeet, the rock parakeet, or Sandia conure.
Scientific Name
The black-capped conure’s taxonomical name is Pyrrhura rupicola. There are two identified subspecies:
- Pyrrhura rupicola rupicola, belonging to central Peru. This is the nominal species that is usually sold as a pet.
- Pyrrhura rupicola sandiae, native to central and southeastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and southwestern Brazil. This subspecies has narrower pale edges on the breast and tail feathers.
Used sources: thesprucepets.com/black-capped-conures-390573, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_parakeet
