Red-masked Conure
2 Photo Gallery
1 Red-masked Conure Breed Overview
The Red-masked Conure (Aratinga erythrogenys), also called the Red-costumed Parrot, Red-headed Parakeet, or Red-head, has a face made mainly of red feathers and a mostly green body. In the wild it eats mainly seeds and fruit and is usually seen in pairs. It is mainly distributed in western Ecuador and Peru.
Chinese Name: Red-masked Conure
Chinese Aliases: Red-costumed Parrot, Red-headed Parakeet, Red-head
English Name: Red-masked Conure
Binomial Name: Aratinga erythrogenys
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Tribe: Arini
Genus: Aratinga
Species: Aratinga erythrogenys
Distribution: Western Ecuador and northwestern Peru
2 Physical Characteristics of the Red-masked Conure
The ideal adult body length is about 33 cm, weight 165-200 g. This parrot is very conspicuous because it is quite noisy, especially in flight.
This parrot has a large red area on the head; the body is green with some yellow-green on the chest and lower belly; the forehead, crown, area around the eyes, cheeks, the wing bend, and the thighs all have red feathers; the inner flight feathers and tail feathers are olive-yellow; there is white bare skin around the eyes; the bill is strong and hooked with a movable upper jaw joint and a cere at the base; the bill is flesh-colored, the iris orange-red; the muscular tongue is thick; the feet are short, strong, and zygodactyl (two toes forward, two back), suited to grasping and climbing.
3 Red-masked Conure Living Environment
The curious, amusing Red-masked Conure is loved by many bird fans; starting with a young bird is the best choice. A pet bird is fairly quiet and bonds closely with its owner, while aviary birds are noisy, especially when approached or excited, but not hard to care for.
In the wild it lives in dry and humid forests, humid evergreen forests, deciduous forests, and tropical savannas, from sea level to 2,500 m, but mainly below 1,000 m. Dry and semi-dry areas are favorites; it is social, preferring dry, low-latitude tropical forests, plains with thorns and trees, and pine forests around 2,600 m; sometimes it visits farmland and orchards to feed.
They usually gather in flocks of about 20-30, the size depending on food availability. They are seen moving between roost trees at dawn and dusk; though they fly high, they are easy to spot because of their noisy calls.
4 Red-masked Conure Care Tips
Red-masked Conure (details)
The active Red-masked Conure is cheaper than many parrots on the market, and captive breeding rates are higher than in the wild. In the wild it eats mainly fruit, seeds, berries, and nuts.
Populations in southwestern Ecuador breed in the rainy season, about January-March. They nest in tree holes or termite mounds, with records of cliff caves; usually 3-4 eggs, incubation 23 days, chicks fledging in about 50 days. Sexual maturity around 3 years.
Captive Red-masked Conures breed easily; the breeding season starts in May, and you can provide a 30x30x50 cm thick wooden nest box. Separate pairs breed better; minimize disturbance in the breeding season – when chicks hatch, prepare ample soft food daily for the parents. Usually 3-4 eggs, often 3, incubation 23-25 days, fledging about 50 days. Aviary birds are noisy, especially when approached, but become strong like most conures once acclimated.