The Black-capped conure is a beautiful, inquisitive little parrot that has found its way into the hearts of many humans. They are often mistaken for the Green-cheeked conure because of their close resemblance to them. In the wild, Green-cheeked conures and Black-capped conures will often mate and flock together. They have even been observed to create hybrids of the two species where their territories overlap in southeastern Peru. However, they may appear to be similar, but they are considered a separate species. So, the Black-capped conure deserves its own place in our blog. Lets learn more about these personality-packed little parrots! For readability’s sake, we will also refer to these birds as BCC for short.

The Basics of the Black-capped Conure

Natural Habitat:

Black-capped conures are found in the western part of South America. They have been spotted in the south-western Amazon Basin, which is a lush, tropical rainforest. The topography, or arrangement of the features of the area, create a mosaic of habitats. Each of these habitats supports a diverse variety of plant and animal species. This area has the highest number of birds recorded for the Amazonian biogeographic realm - 257 species! 11 of them are endemic to the area (found exclusively in a specific geographic location, with no natural populations occurring anywhere else in the world.)  Because this area is not as accessible to humans due to its location and topography, much of it has remained intact until this point. This has resulted in some protection of those species. 

Black-capped conures have also been spotted in the east Andean slopes. This neotropical area can average 59 to 79 inches of rain in a typical year. Unfortunately, it and the life that calls it home are threatened due to human activities such as logging and agricultural practices.

Appearance:

Natural BCC coloration in the wild is mostly green with a black and white scalloped feather pattern on their frontal neck and breast. The leading edge of their wings have a vivid red feather color. Aviculturists have created color mutations in captive BCCs through selective breeding resulting in more prominent yellow, red, and orange feather colors on their head, breast, and neck. Usually, breeders will charge more for these color mutations. Unfortunately, as with many color mutations that have been established through selective breeding, inbreeding has and does take place in order to achieve this color mutation. Enough may have been established in captive populations so that this is no longer necessary, but it does still take place. When selecting a Black-capped conure to bring home, feather color does not affect personality, and the true joy one can find in these little companions is the individuality of each bird regardless of their colors.

Behavior in the Wild:
Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of information about the mating habits, diet, or general behaviors of the BCC in the wild. They haven’t been studied as thoroughly as some other parrot species. As I mentioned previously, we do know that they have been observed to flock with Green-cheeked conures where their territories overlap resulting in hybrid birds. These hybrid birds can be difficult to recognize as such without analyzing their DNA. Black-capped conures will typically lay between 4-7 eggs with the average incubation period being around 24 days.

During flight, groups of BCCs have been observed making repetitive, simultaneous chattering calls as they move through the forest. Here, we have my two Black-capped conures, in a much less exotic location, (my house) calling to one another from opposite parts of the house. I wasn’t able to find audio for their wild contact calls, but they should be pretty similar. 

As far as their diet, judging from food availability in the region, they likely consume a variety of fruits, seeds, nuts, and berries available. They have been recorded as feeding on Cecropia fruits. These unique fruits have a sweet, honey-like flavor and their texture is similar to a gummy worm candy. It is also possible that they may eat insects and their larvae if the opportunity arises and a better alternative isn’t available, but it isn’t likely to be a main staple of their diet.  Black-capped Conures have been spotted consuming clay that is rich in minerals and sodium along the Tambopata River in southeastern Peru. Past studies indicated that this is likely to provide supplemental nutrients.

More research would help us to understand these birds and their behavior in their natural habitat. Hopefully we will start to see more information coming through. 

The Black-capped Conure in Captivity

While it's impossible to define all BCCs as having a unified personality, as with other conures, they do seem to have a propensity for curiosity and complex social behaviors. All parrots are intelligent animals and BCCs are no exception. They require plenty of enrichment and some variety in their toys in order to be properly stimulated. While variety can be the spice of life, they also do well with a certain amount of routine in their day. A predictable night and morning routine will provide the bird with a sense of security and stability. Allowing them to go to bed at night and come out of their cage in the morning based on natural sunlight is ideal rather than sticking to an artificial light/dark cycle focused on meeting a specific number or hours. (for example, focusing on making sure a bird has 12 hours of darkness per day by turning off the lights or covering their cage)

BCCs enjoy a variety of daily activities. Providing them with plenty of safe toys to chew and shred will keep their minds occupied and healthy. Foraging is a favorite activity and they will thoroughly enjoy picking through and manipulating objects in order to get a tasty treat. Most conures will want to bathe daily, so providing them with plenty of clean water will ensure that they keep their feathers in top shape. 

As with many other species of parrots, Black-capped conures will usually dip their food in their water bowls. Researchers believe this is done to improve the food’s texture, similar to how a human might dunk a hard piece of bread in water or coffee to make it easier to eat. Interesting fact: this process involves impulse control, or delaying the gratification of eating the food in order to make it more enjoyable. This is a behavior we don’t usually see animals other than humans and a few other intelligent species.

In general, Black-capped conures should be provided with a high-quality pellet as a foundation of their diet. This is because pellets are formulated with the right balance of vitamins and minerals that they  need to be healthy. In addition to pellets, they should also be given plenty of fresh, parrot-safe veggies. They will also enjoy eating many kinds of fruit (no pits or avocados) though the amount of fruit given should be done so with moderation due to high sugar content. Healthy grains such as quinoa can also be beneficial for the BCC on occasion. Seeds and nuts can be given as a treat or used in training as a reinforcer. Be sure to speak with your conure’s vet about their specific nutrition needs.

Thanks to recent studies and information available to parrot owners about the benefits of a pelleted diet as a nutritional foundation vs. a diet consisting mainly of seed, conures, like many other parrots, are living longer lives in our homes. If we are to assume that Black-capped conures live a similar lifespan to their closely related Green-cheeked conure neighbors, we can safely say that if they are provided with ideal conditions such as a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and regular veterinary care, that can live up to 25 years or more. There are many examples of people claiming that they have a Green-cheeked conure over 25 years old.

The Black-capped Conure’s Future

Black-capped conures are currently listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) endangered species scale as “least concern” despite the deforestation that is occurring in their habitat. However, they are considered “near threatened” by the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.) This is due to human activities that negatively impact the environment leading to habitat loss and climate change, and if they aren’t addressed, the BCC may have an uncertain future on our planet - as so many other birds already do. 

References:

Urantowka, A. D., Strzała, T., & Grabowski, K. A. (2016). The first complete mitochondrial genome of Pyrrhura sp. - question about conspecificity in the light of hybridization between Pyrrhura molinae and Pyrrhura rupicola species. Mitochondrial DNA. Part A. DNA Mapping, Sequencing, and Analysis, 27(1), 471–473. https://doi.org/10.3109/19401736.2014.900672

J. S. Zewald and A. M. I. Auersperg, “Dunking rusk: innovative food soaking behaviour in Goffin’s cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana),” Biology Letters, vol. 19, no. 12, Dec. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2023.0411

Brightsmith, Donald J., et al. “Food Availability and Breeding Season as Predictors of Geophagy in Amazonian Parrots.” Ibis, vol. 160, no. 1, 2017, pp. 112–129., https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12515

Brightsmith, Donald J., and Romina Aramburú Muñoz‐Najar. “Avian geophagy and soil characteristics in southeastern Peru.” Biotropica, vol. 36, no. 4, Dec. 2004, pp. 534–543, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2004.tb00348.x.