Male-Female Conure Behavior Differences
Photo by Photo Credit: thawats/iStock/Thinkstock
There’s a vast range of parrot-family. birds that are called conures, so it’s almost impossible to make sweeping statements about the behaviors of male and female birds. Some species of conures are generally curious and adventurous, while others are known to be especially affectionate—and these traits can be more pronounced in males or females.
Each bird’s unique demeanor can depend on several factors, including whether they’re male or female, their species, their individual nature or personality, and how you interact with them in your home. Let’s explore some of the key differences between male and female conures, in general, and those found within the two most popular genera: Pyrrhura and Aratinga conures.
Key Takeaways
- Aratinga conures, especially females, tend to be affectionate, though males can be more territorial around their cage and humans.
- Pyrrhura conures are curious, and both males and females use their beaks to explore the world—though males tend to be more adventurous.
- Female conures, in general, tend to be more cuddly and quiet than their male counterparts.
- Male conures of all species are typically more vocal, which can be positive if you want to teach your pet bird to talk.
Pyrrhura Conures
Within the Pyrrhura conures, such as the green-cheeked conures, black-capped conures, and painted conures, they’re generally all a delightful combination of “sugar and spice.”
Pyrrhura conures are generally a curious bunch. The males may be more into exploring their whole world, but I have also known female conures who go on dramatic searches into the great unknown.
Both male and females Pyrrhura conures are busy-bodies that like to use their beak and tongue to touch everything and learn everything about what there are touching. This makes these little birds a bit “beaky,” but their need to check everything out with their beak is not aggressive.
If the little pinches to your fingers are annoying, find a bird toy to stick in their beak instead of your fingers. A knotted leather strip usually works well for this purpose because it has texture that they usually like to check out.
Aratinga Conures
The best known group of conures is the Aratinga conures. There are just over 20 species of Aratinga conures, with a few of the best known being the blue-crowned conure, cherry-headed conure, sun conure, jenday conure, and gold-capped conures.
I have the most experience in working with blue-crowned conures and find the males and the female to be equally delightful.
Sun conures are one of the most beautiful of all parrots with their bright yellow, orange, and green colorations. I have met many sun conures and will make a generalization about those that I have worked with, but I know that there are definitely exceptions. The female sun conures I have known are generally sweet, very cuddly and quiet–yes, I said quiet!
All of the female Aratinga conures I have known well are happy to hang on their favorite person’s shirt, usually inside with their heads popping out at the collar.
Male Aratinga conures are more likely to be a bit territorial around their bird cages and their favorite people.
I think the male sun conures generally give the sun conure such a reputation for being loud screamers but that seems to be tied to their intense need to protect their territory.
Although sun conures are not know for talking, I would guess that the males are probably better talkers because they are usually more vocal, but I doubt if this is always true.
Other Conure Species
There are other birds with great differences that are classed as conures, such as the Patagonian conures, slender-billed conures, Austral conures, and the amazing golden conure, that is endangered in the wild. Last year, I had the opportunity to visit Nancy Speed at the P Patch in Mississippi. She has golden conures, Queens, as she calls them (because they are also known as Queen of Bavaria conures).
She has a colony of about 100 golden conures in one building. Ear protection is needed to be able to stay in the building. The noise the each golden conure makes blends together to make an other-worldly sound that could be used as a soundtrack for a alien-invasion movie. Just about all conures have a reputation for noise making but I had never heard anything like this.
People often state that Patagonian conures are a misplaced cockatoo species because they are so cuddly. I have generally found this to be true with both males and female Patagonian conures.
One of my favorite birds of all time is my slender-billed conure, Twiggy. More than any other bird I have met or lived with, she is a happy conure. Her sounds are happy, her play is happy, and she greets her food bowl with happy sounds. In talking to others who are lucky enough to live with these unusual birds, the males seem to be the same way.
Male and Female Conures
Generally, in some conure species, the males tend to be more territorial and, therefore, a little bit more likely to be on guard for changes and intruders. This can make some males of some conure species more aggressive under certain situations.
In my experience, male conures of all species tend to be more vocal, which can be a positive if they’re talking—and a negative if they’re screaming. A knowledgeable caregiver can work with the screaming and channel it into talking or another more positive vocal trait.
While there are always exceptions, female conures tend to be more affectionate and cuddly than their male counterparts. My guess is that males can be just as affectionate if their pet parents work to develop that characteristic in them.
All in all, if asked if someone should adopt a male or a female conure, I’d say that either can be a very rewarding companion. In general, conures make great family pets.
FAQs About Male and Female Conures
Can male conures be territorial or aggressive?
Male conures tend to be more territorial about their cages and their favorite people, but it tends to manifest in males being louder, more vocal, and a bit more “beaky” than their female counterparts.
Are female conures more affectionate and cuddly than males?
Yes, female conures of all species are naturally more inclined to be affectionate and cuddly but these characteristics can be encouraged and developed in a male conure. Every pet bird is an individual with its own personality.
Which types of conures are the prettiest?
Sun conures, with their bright yellow, orange, and green feathers, are one of the prettiest parrots—and the females of the species are typically sweet, affectionate, and quiet.
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