Jenday conures are beautiful, friendly birds and if you’ve been thinking about getting a bird you may be wondering if a jenday conure is a good choice for you and your family. And you’re likely wondering if, and how, they differ from other types of birds.
Jenday conures are often appropriately referred to as “yellow-headed conures” because of their bold yellow head with small orange patches. Their beaks are black and their legs are dark grey. These birds are playful and extremely affectionate and will do anything to spend time with the people they love.
These colorful birds are similar, yet different, to other types of parrots. And if you can put up with their needs and have the right kind of environment for them a jenday conure will be a great addition to your family.
Colors, Origin, and Markings Of A Jenday Conure
Jenday conures are native to the palm groves, woodlands, and denser growth areas of northeastern Brazil. It’s a protected species which means the capture and trade of a jenday conure is prohibited — so this means that luckily there are quite a few of them to be found in these areas.
These amazingly colored birds love to be high up in nests and tree hollows. They do tend to stick with and travel around in smaller flocks than most other types of birds do — groups of 30 birds or less.
Jenday conures are beautifully colored and have a bright red-orange body with a green stripe to mark its back and wings. Their tails generally consist of very pretty iridescent blue feathers that can run up their back slightly.
It’s quite difficult to tell the difference between males and female jenday conures — although their eye colors differ slightly. Females have brown eyes with a greyish white lining, and males generally have darker brown eyes with a white lining. Typically, sexing the birds is the only way you can accurately tell the difference.
Jenday conures are often mistaken for sun conures. The difference between these two birds lays in the wings — as mentioned, jenday’s wings are green while the sun’s wings are yellow.
Temperament of A Jenday Conure
Jenday conures are loyal companions to their owners. And it doesn’t seem to matter if they have one owner or several — they will usually accept anyone they’re around a lot.
They love to play and thrive on a few hours of social interaction and exercise each and every day.
What Costs Are Associated With A Jenday Conure?
Although costs vary due to area and the age of the bird, expect to pay roughly $600 for a jenday conure. You’ll also need to get a good cage, perches, and plenty of toys for your bird. And food, as well as extra toys, will be required on an ongoing basis — which can vary in price depending on where you get your bird supplies.
What to Feed Jenday Conures?
In the wild jenday conures eat nuts, seeds, and whatever fruit they can find. When they are kept as pets, they can continue to eat fruit, nuts, and seeds, but it’s best to supplement this type of diet with specialized pellets and maybe vegetables as well.
And although you will learn to know how many pellets your bird requires if you give them too many, they will not simply gobble them up — they will eat only what they need and leave the rest.
Average Life Span And Health Issues Of A Jenday Conure
Jenday conures will live an average of 25 – 30 years if they’re well taken care of.
In addition to their usual yearly molting proves, it’s not uncommon to see your jenday conure pluck out its feathers on occasion — or even chronically. This could be due to a medical problem that would need to be addressed and treated. Or it could be as a result of boredom or displeasure at something.
If you haven’t been giving them enough attention or their home situation has recently changed that may be a reason for feather plucking — but it’s best to get them in for a complete medical exam to rule out anything more serious.
Jenday conures are also prone to certain other diseases:
Get your jenday conure checked over regularly by a veterinarian who specializes in aviation to ensure your bird is in good health.
Size Of A Jenday Conure
Jenday conures are considered to be small birds and are roughly 12 inches long. However, they do have a long tail which can make them appear to be longer than they actually are.
Exercise Needs Of A Jenday Conure
It’s extremely important for your jenday conure to get enough exercise daily to stay happy and healthy. It’s best if this is a blend of exercise and social interaction.
Letting them out of their cage for a few hours to stretch their wings and have some space to jump and fly around in will give them the physical activity they need. And interacting with them can simply mean putting them on your shoulder or tucked inside your shirt to be close to you while you do your daily chores or simply sit and read or watch TV.
Living Conditions For Jenday Conures
It’s important you set up a safe living and exercise space for your jenday conure before you bring them home.
Cage. You must ensure your jenday conure’s cage is an adequate size for them! Unlike other types of small birds, they won’t feel content in a small cage — they need to stretch and jump around to be happy and feel safe in their cage. You want to look for a cage that’s at least 36 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 24 inches high.
Toys and perches. Put plenty of things for your jenday conure to do in their cage. This includes both wooden and rope perches as well as a bunch of different sized and textured toys they can chew on and tear apart. Make sure you’re replacing these toys regularly as they get ruined and also so your bird doesn’t get bored of them.
You can place a mirror in your jenday conure’s cage but if you start to notice bad behavior take it out and see if their behavior improves.
Environment. Not only does the cage need to be safe and secure for your bird, but you need to set up a safe environment to let your jenday conure out to play in for an hour or two each day. Make sure they have toys in this area and that there’s nothing they can injure themselves on, no escape routes, or anything dangerous or valuable they could chew on.
How To Take Care Of Baby Jenday Conures?
If you find yourself in the situation where you need to play “Mother” to a baby jenday conure you’ll likely want to consult with an avian veterinarian for advice on how you can best help them thrive. You’ll need to use caution when playing with young birds and ensure they have a safe place to jump around and exercise.
Depending on how young they are, you may need to hand feed them a special solution you’ll be able to get from your veterinarian or a pet food store.
Jenday Conure Facts
Jenday conures are fascinating birds who love to be social. A few more interesting facts about them include:
They’re zygodactyls. This means they have two toes in the front and two toes in the back. This helps them to hang upside down — which you’ll likely see them do a lot.
They can learn and do tricks. There are a few special tricks you can teach your jenday conure which will keep everyone entertained for hours. Just a few of these tricks are:
- Dancing
- Bowing
- Playing fetch
- Waving
Jenday Conure Talking Ability
These parrots can learn a few words and short phrases they will repeat on occasion. However, they’re not likely to retain or repeat as many words as some other types of parrots will.
You’ll probably hear them chattering away when they get excited or nervous. And also, if there is another jenday conure to interact with.
Jenday Conure Molting Process
All birds will go through a molting process — and the jenday conure is no exception!
Jenday conures generally molt about once a year, starting around 8-12 months of age. You’ll notice a loss of feathers — sometimes to the point where you will see bald patches of skin.
Molting will typically last a month or two and during this time you may notice your bird nipping or biting at themselves occasionally to relieve the pressure and possible itchiness they may feel. If they seem very uncomfortable or this goes on for some time it’s best to consult with your avian veterinarian.
Are Jenday Conures Loud?
Jenday Conures can be quite loud birds! They will chatter and squawk for just about any reason:
- Happiness
- Excitement
- Anger
- Fear
- Communication
Some jenday conures will scream to get your attention. This can be prevented if you wait to give them attention until they stop screaming. Of course, if you rarely hear your bird scream you should attend to them immediately if they do as they may have a need that you should attend to immediately.
If you have more than one jenday conure they will often make quite a racket communicating with each other!
Jenday Conures Breeding Age
Jenday conures will generally reach sexual maturity around or just before the age of one. If you’re thinking of breeding your bird you should wait until they are at least a year old.
Jenday Conures Eggs
A jenday conure has an average clutch of 4-6 eggs. Their average incubation period ranges from 22 to 25 days.
Are Jenday Conures Good Pets?
Although these are lovely, affectionate birds there are a few questions you should think about to determine if a jenday conure will make a good pet for you and your family:
Do you have enough space in your home? Jenday conures not only need a large cage but they need a safe, large space to exercise in daily.
Do you have adequate time to spend with them? Your jenday conure will likely act out if they don’t get enough attention. Ensure you or a family member can socialize with them for at least an hour — preferably more — every day.
Can you stand the noise? We’ve covered how jenday conures like to chatter, squawk, and make some sounds. If you like quiet then a different bird may be better for you.
Can you take care of them long-term? These birds can live up to 30 years! If you or a family member isn’t committed to taking care of them, or finding alternate care for them, for the extent of their life perhaps you should find a bird or another pet with a shorter lifespan
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