The Socorro Green Conure (Aratinga holochlora brevipes) is endemic to the island of Socorro off the West Coast of Mexico.
Description
The Socorro Green Conure averages 34 cm or 13.5 ins in length, including its long tail. Its wings are 162-174 mm or 6.3 – 6.85 inches long.
This conure looks like the nominate “Green Conure” (Aratinga holochlora), except it is a little larger and has a darker, less yellowish plumage to the breast and abdomen. Also, the tenth primary wing feather is shorter than the seventh, whereas in other subspecies the reverse is the case.
Conures as Pets (Suitability, Personality, Pros and Cons, Care Requirements)
Diet:
These conures feed on seeds, various fruits, and corn. They are, at times, considered a crop pest.
Captive birds should be fed a healthy and balanced diet consisting of a high quality dry food mix of sunflower, safflower, paddy rice, wheat, oats, groats, canary grass seed and various millets; dried shrimp; as well as various fruit and vegetables (particularly carrots and apples) as well as half-ripe maize; rose-hips; rowanberries and greenfood should be provided. During the breeding season, wholegrain bread and biscuit for feeding the young will be helpful to the parents. Provide a vitamin / mineral supplement as needed.
Breeding / Reproduction:
The breeding season between February and May. They typically nest in woodpecker holes, other tree cavities, arboreal termite mounds or crevices in ruined or old buildings. Each egg measures 29.9 x 24.7 mm (1.17 x 0.97 ins).
Captive breeding occasionally achieved. It’s best to isolate pairs for breeding. The average clutch consists of 3 to 5 eggs which are incubated for about 23 days. The young fledge when they are about 50 days old. A diagonal nestbox 25 x 40 x 30 cm (10 x 16 x 12 ins) with an entrance hole 7 cm (3 ins) wide seems to work fine for this species. It’s best to position the nest box in a dark corner. It may take years before breeding activities commence.
This is generally a noisy conure and a hard chewer and requires a regular supply of fresh wood to satisfy its strong urge to chew. It enjoys bathing and should be provided a shallow bathing dish. This species is generally shy and are slow to grow confiding with their keeper. They are robust and hardy once acclimatized and, outside the breeding season, tolerates other species of similar size.
It needs a spacious flight: 3 x 1 x 2 m (9 x 3 x 6 ft) with adjoining shelter. As this is a heavy chewer, metal construction is necessary. It needs to protected from any frost and a roosting box should be available all year around.
Ideally, if space is available, it is recommended to offer boxes of various sizes and types of logs or nest boxes, and place them in different locations within teh aviary to assess which nest box and what area in the aviary are preferred by the parent birds. Once the pair has decided on one particular box / log, all the others can be removed, sanitized and used elsewhere.
Conure Log / Nest-box / Nesting Peferences
Additional Bird Breeder Resources
Taxonomy / Other Names:
Genus: Scientific: Aratinga … English: Conures … Dutch: Wigstaartparkieten … German: Keilschwanzsittiche … French: Aratinga
Species: Scientific: Aratinga holochlora brevipes aka Psittacara h.breviceps / Aratinga brevipes … English: Socorro Green Conure … Dutch: Socorro Groene Aratinga … German: Socorro Grünsittich … French: Perruche du Mexique Lawrence
Aratinga Conure Info … Aratingas as Pets … Aratinga Conure Species
Conure Info … Index of Conure Species … Photos of the Different Conure Species for Identification … Conures as Pets … Common Health Problems of Conure … Conure Nutrition / Foods
