Conurus, Khl.

Distinguishing Marks - Habitat - Domestic Character.

This group, which embraces the greatest number of species, may be distinguished by the following marks : A powerful beak, much bent, as deep as it is long, with a shallow groove on the lightly furrowed obtuse ridge, a distinct indentation, broad but slightly curved socket-edge, the lower mandible truncated at the anterior end, and with slightly curved cutting edges; the tongue is thick, fleshy, and smooth; eye cere naked; the lores feathered; the nostrils small, round, set in the narrow cere, which is rarely covered with feathers; pointed wings, longer than the tail; the quills rounded off to a point at the end; the tail is long, ending in the shape of a wedge, each feather decreasing in width symmetrically towards the end, and terminating in a rounded point; the feet are powerful, with strong nails; the plumage is usually hard, and the form compressed. It is about the size of a thrush or jackdaw. In all Conures the plumage of both sexes is alike.

They have their home in South America, especially Brazil, i.e., they extend from Chili as far as South Mexico. Some are found exclusively in the West Indies, and only one species is a native of North America. The hot, damp lowlands along the Amazon River, which are densely covered with primeval forest, are their principal habitation. They live gregariously in more or less numerous flocks, consisting, even in the breeding season, of several species. The nest is built, as in the case of other parrots, in a hole in a tree, and one species builds in the holes of rocks. They are said to lay two or three eggs, but most species probably lay more. Being tree birds, the Conures fly very well and climb rapidly, though rather unskilfully, and on the ground walk awkwardly. Many, or probably all, species migrate from time to time, or wander as birds of passage. We may, without hesitation, assume their food to consist chiefly of seeds, and, in a lesser degree, of fruits and other vegetable substances. They cause immense damage to the crops, inasmuch as, like all parrots, they destroy far more than they consume. For this reason, and also because their flesh is savoury, they are hotly pursued. The Indians take numbers of the young birds from the nests, in order to rear them for sale in the seaports. The old birds are caught in snares, or with bird-lime, and of late in flocks with large nets.

Nearly all the Conures are easily tamed and prove exceedingly hardy in captivity. They are, therefore, seen more frequently, both as regards species and numbers, than most other parrots. Some may be reckoned among the commonest birds in the market, but many kinds, on the other hand, are rare and valuable. At first they seem, especially if old birds, to be shy, stupid, untameable, and far from agreeable, and their piercing cry, which it is impossible to silence, renders them altogether insupportable. But in a short time all, even the wildest old birds, become uncommonly tame and affectionate, and prove capable of high training and of being taught to speak; they cannot, however, in any case, be esteemed clever as speakers, and they never discontinue their harsh cry, even when they are fully tamed. They are chiefly valued as ornamental birds, as they have all more or less brilliant plumage, and attract amateurs by the charm of their comical ways, with their nodding, bowing, erecting their feathers, and the dilatation or contraction of the pupil of the eye, etc, although one must patiently put up with the shrill continuous cry. Only a few species have as yet been successfully bred. The Conures, in point of food, need only seeds - hemp, canary seed, oats - with a little fruit, and biscuit or egg-bread. They should also have a constant supply of fresh branches for gnawing. On account of their small size they are seldom kept on stands, but more usually in cages, which, by reason of their inveterate habit of gnawing, must, with the exception of the perch, be wholly of metal. In aviaries they are, as a rule, very ill tempered and vicious towards other little birds.

Of course I shall speak here of those Conures only which have been proved to possess capacity for speech.