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Golden-capped Conure

 (Aratinga auricapillus)

Also known as: Golden-capped Parakeet, Flame-capped Parakeet, Gold-capped Conure, Golden-headed Conure

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Golden-capped Conure
© Nortondefeis [CC BY-SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The Golden-capped Conure is often seen with the more common Peach-fronted Conure (Eupsittula aurea).

Academic Research

Related publications: Aratinga auricapillus

Species Profile

Genus: Aratinga | Species: auricapillus

Size:

30cm (11.7 in)

Weight:

140-150g (4.9-5.25 oz)

Subspecies including nominate:

two: A.a. auricapillus, A.a. aurifrons

Colour Adult:

A.a. auricapillus: Both adults forehead and lores to area around eyes orange/red, yellow forecrown, some birds cheeks yellow as well; abdomen and lower breast red; rump and low back margined red. Bill black. Eye ring grey, eye dull yellow. 
A.a. aurifrons: As in auricapillus, but sides of head, throat and upper breast darker green with no yellow; also rump and low back red absent.

Colour Juvenile:

As in adult but with less evident head markings, in particular the yellow on the forecrown; cheeks deeper green; almost no red on rump and low back; red of underparts on flanks and centre of abdomen only. Eye ring pale grey, eye brown.

Call:

Like A. jandaya; short, quick tweea tweea.

Listen Now

Video Links:

Video 1 | Video 2

More Information:

Avibase

Content Sources:

CITES
BirdLife International
Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Birds of the World
Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World, Juniper and Parr, 1998
ML Media Collection Catalogue 114646, Golden-capped Parakeet Aratinga auricapillus, Remold, Heinz, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Nov. 10 1998, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Site
Parrots: Status Survey and Conservation Plan 2000-2004, Snyder, McGowan, Gilardi and Grajal, 2000.
Parrots of the World, Forshaw and Cooper, 1977. 2010 edition
Parrots of the World, Forshaw, 2006.
Parrots in Aviculture, Low, 1992.
Psittacine Aviculture, Schubot, Clubb and Clubb, 1992.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Golden-capped Conure
© Nortondefeis [CC BY-SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The Golden-capped Conure is often seen with the more common Peach-fronted Conure (Eupsittula aurea).

Academic Research

Related publications: Aratinga auricapillus

Species Care

Captive Status:

Established in the US; less so in Europe.

Longevity:

25-30 yrs

Housing:

Aviary or suspended enclosure, minimum length 2 or 3m (6.5 or 9.8 ft).

Diet:

Fruit such as: apple, pear, orange, cactus fruits, pomegranate, forming about 30 percent of diet; fresh vegetables if taken, such as: carrot, celery, green beans and peas, corn on the cob, green leaves; spray millet, small seed, complete pellet.

Enrichment:

Provide overhead misters or shallow water bowls for bathing; bird-safe, unsprayed flowering, fir, pine, willow or elder branches, climbing toys (ladders, ropes, swings), puzzle toys, wooden block or vegetable tanned leather chew toys.

Nest Box Size:

Vertical box, 12" x 12" x 18" (30.5cm x 30.5cm x 46cm).

Clutch Size:

3 to 5

Incubation Time:

25 days

Fledging Age:

7-8 weeks

Hatch Weight:

Not recorded.

Peak Weight:

Not recorded.

Weaning Weight:

Not recorded.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Golden-capped Conure
© Nortondefeis [CC BY-SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The Golden-capped Conure is often seen with the more common Peach-fronted Conure (Eupsittula aurea).

Academic Research

Related publications: Aratinga auricapillus

Species Wild Status

World Population:

10,000

IUCN Red List Status:

Least Concern

CITES Listing:

Appendix II

Threat Summary:

The species' population is suspected to be in decline due to ongoing habitat loss and some trapping for the pet trade. it is still locally common in Goiás, Minas Gerais and Bahia. It is described as very common along the Rio Grande basin.

Range:

A.a. auricapillus: Restricted to N and C Bahia; birds from S Bahia intermediate between this subspecies and A. aurifrons.
A.a. aurifrons: SE Brazil, from Minas Gerais and southern Goias south to Santa Catarina.

Habitat:

Occurs in forest, forest edge and clearings, including coastal moist evergreen Atlantic forest and deciduous and cerrado-type woodlands of interior. Up to 2180m (7150 ft).

Wild Diet:

Eats fruits and seeds. In populated area NW of São Paulo state, birds foraged on 28 plant species, 16 of them non-native; major food items included seeds of Guazuma ulmifolia, Zea mays, Psidium guajava and Pterogyne nitens, as well as nectar of Ceiba speciosa and fruits of several species.

Ecology and Behaviour:

Gregarious, found in flocks of 12-20, rarely 40.

Clutch and Egg Size:

3 to 5 broadly elliptical eggs, 30.5 x 23.5mm (1.2 x 0.9 in)

Breeding Season:

Possibly October start. Nest type is unknown.

Related Links:

Wikipedia

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Golden-capped Conure
© Nortondefeis [CC BY-SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The Golden-capped Conure is often seen with the more common Peach-fronted Conure (Eupsittula aurea).

Academic Research

Related publications: Aratinga auricapillus

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