Half~moon Conures - Small but Mighty

Photos and Text by Cheryl Burns, Colleyville, Texas

alf-moon conures are small nate species. The upper mandible is Then it is ready for raising the family. birds with big attitudes. They hom-colored and the lower mandible has Half-moons still are commonly H are popular pets that can talk dark gray stripes on each side with the smuggled into the U.S. especially at the and learn some tricks. They are easy to middle of the beak being hom-colored. California and Texas borders. The keep as aviary and breeder birds. Hand­ Young birds have hom-colored upper smugglers will bleach the heads of fed birds are quite adaptable to change and lower mandibles. The gray stripe these little birds and try to sell them as and usually are appreciative of atten­ will begin to appear on the lower baby Double-yellow-headed Amazons. tion from their human caretakers. mandibles as early as 12 weeks old and is Smuggled birds that are confiscated are Half-moons are one of the smallest completely colored by six months of age. put up for auction since they usually Aratinga conure species at about 24 cm. In my opinion, this subspecies is the one cannot be returned to the wild. I know (9 112 in) in length. Half-moons often are most commonly found in aviculture. of a Texas breeder who purchased sev­ confused with Peach-fronted Conures The Aratinga c. clarae has the eral Aratinga c. clarae in an auction of (Aratinga aurea) which have solid black same beak coloring as eburnirostrum. confiscated birds. beaks and are of similar size. Half-moons The significant difference of this sub­ I ended up with Half-moons quite also are known by the common names of species is that the orange stripe on the by accident. My friend and bird-sitter Orange-fronted or Petz's Conure. The sci­ forehead is reduced to a very narrow works in a veterinarian's office. She entific name is Aratinga canicularis. stripe, sometimes not much more than a always has people giving her their Half-moons come primarily from large dot in the middle of the forehead. unwanted pets and she then finds them southwestern Mexico and range as far Since I have owned half-moons, I have homes. A lady asked her to take a pair of south as Costa Rica. There is some geo­ had many discussions with others on how Halfmoon Conures and my friend decid­ graphical variation divided into three to distinguish the two subspecies and ed to do so because the birds were not races or subspecies. The nominate have discovered that the difference of being kept properly. One thing led to Aratinga c. canicularis is found in the stripe width can be a matter of differing another and I ended up with the birds at southern-most range of the species, the opinions. To make identification more my house. The story the lady told of subspecies or race of Aratinga c. challenging, the two subspecies have these birds was that she smuggled them ebumirostrum is found in the central part most likely been crossbred and the off­ from Mexico in her purse while they of the range, and the Aratinga c. clarae spring exhibit traits of both. I often hear at were still tiny chicks. She then hand fed comes from the northern part of the range. bird marts that the bird with the narrow them and raised them. Common sense The two subspecies of Half­ stripe is the female and the one with the told me that the birds were most likely moons are more common in aviculture wide stripe is the male - NOT SO! from the same clutch, so I purchased a than the nominate species. The nomi­ All Half-moons tend to exhibit young male and female from a friend. nate species has a hom-colored beak on similar behaviors that are noted in Both of the Half-moons talked, both the upper and lower mandibles. Parrots of the World, the Atlas of the female was the more talented. She This is the most distinguishing feature. Conures and the Lexicon of Parrots. In would say "I love you" and "Let's go The orange band across the forehead is the wild, Half-moons often travel in shopping!" along with a variety of wide and touches the eye rings. I have large flocks and are said to be nomadic other things. The female had plucked not seen a photograph of the nominate in the non-breeding season. They nest her chest feathers all out; the male was species (even the one featured in the in the mounds of one species of tree ter­ in perfect condition. I set the birds up on-line Lexicon of Parrots) that doesn't mites (Nasutitermes nigriceps) with the with their new mates but eventually lost look like a young Aratinga c. geographic range of the birds matching the female to the young male from mate ebumirostrum. I would love to see a exactly to the geographic range of the aggression. Another pair of birds was living, mature bird of the nominate termites in the wild. The birds only use too close and the male kept beating up species but have yet to find one. active termite mounds for nests and on his mate because he could not get to The description of the Aratinga c. usually only one pair of birds will nest the other birds. Since the female ebumirostrum is very similar to the nom­ in each mound. It requires about a week plucked, I thought she was plucking inate species. It has a broad orange stripe for a pair to dig out the nest. The birds again and didn't realize what was hap­ across the forehead. Some descriptions then leave the nest for about a week to pening until it was too late. Another say that this is narrower than the nomi- allow the termites to seal the cavity. entry into the book on lessons learned. 28 First Quarter 2003 PET AIR PROFESSIONAL ANIMAL TRANSPORATION SERVICE

25 YEARS EXPERIENCE SHIPPING ANIMALS BY AIR SERVICE TO OVER 150 AIRPORTS COMPUTERIZED FLIGHT PLANS FAST FRIENDLY SERVICE GREAT FREIGHT RATES TOLL FREE RESERVATION LINE PET AIR ,'. . ... 1527 GRAND BLVD. . . '. f'~t·{1~;%t·:~~f~n.~:;I~lJj( Kl'NSAS CITY, MO 64108 ". ,.',' ~.8Iz«lNE~f",S~EU 471-3852 fAX: (816) 84?-7387 l'Okl'fREE 9-7387 jif~2/icc1.'i;;~l,t~ EMAIL: FL: I __...... -,.~ WEB

the afa WATCHBIRD 29 In captivIty, Half-moons are nor­ She prefers to remove the chicks for eat. If a chick eats less at a feeding, I mally easy to keep. I have read that they hand feeding at about two weeks of age watch the weight carefully and pay are hard to breed in captivity but I have because they are more difficult to feed attention to how much it eats later. not found them difficult to breed. My pair when they are older. I know that my Usually this balances out through the has bred in a rather small cage, in various babies do tend to eat slower at the older day or is a sign that the chick doesn't rooms of the house, and even shortly after age. I have not found there to be a big need one of the daily feedings. moving to a friend's house for a time. difference in how well the babies eat at At an average of 37 days old, the Several people I know also have good three or four weeks of age. I have often feedings are reduced to twice a day. I success in breeding these birds in a variety wondered if their little personalities determine this by how well the chicks of situations. My pair tends to produce might be different by removing them at eat at the mid-day feeding. When they two or three clutches of four babies a year, two weeks and I may experiment with eat only three or four cc's, it is time to which is normal compared to others who that on a future clutch. Elke says that her cut back. I provide two feedings a day are breeding this species. I recently chicks act ferocious even at a very young until the average age of 51 days. Again, removed my pair's nest box simply age, but they are all bark and no bite. the decision to cut back is determined because I was tired of raising babies! Mine also act tough at a young age but on how the chicks eat at the morning My Half-moons are very good they do bite if they are threatened or feeding. I also begin providing weaning parents. They like a plain square box don't want to be interrupted. foods between the 37 and 51 days. The about 8 x lOx 8 inches. Both birds care Some other breeders have told me chicks usually wean very quickly after for the babies. My hen often does not that the Half-moons are more difficult to going to one feeding, with the average sit on her first egg much until the sec­ hand feed in general. I have found that in age to wean being 57 days. ond egg is laid. Many clutches will almost every clutch of babies, there is at Weaning foods are provided as have chicks hatch the same day because least one bird that does not want to eat as soon as the chicks show interest in of this. She also is quick to leave the well. I also have had a couple of young picking up things. I provide cereal nest box any time someone enters the chicks die in the nest and it appeared that (such as Cheerios or Chex), a weaning aviary. I have to be observant to notice they weren't eating. I typically check my pellet or just small pellets. When the when she is laying because she doesn't young chicks every day and these chicks are gnawing at the cereal-like stay in the box like my other conures do seemed completely healthy. I know the foods, I start providing soft foods such when they have eggs. I usually notice parents are good to feed their chicks, so I as mixed veggies and pasta. This usual­ her becoming even more aggressive have wondered if even some of the ly proves to be a huge hit. When the and that is the key to watching for eggs. young chicks don't have a good feeding babies show more interest in the wean­ In my opinion, hand-fed Half­ response for the parents. I have since ing foods in the mornings, it is a clear moons can be very aggressive birds, taken a baby with poor skin tone that sign that they are close to going to only especially in breeding situations. Even appeared to not be eating well and gave one feeding a day. when they are not breeding, my Half­ it a couple of supplemental feedings. The chicks fledge at about six or moon hen will fly directly out the door The chick responded well and grew up to seven weeks. After letting them fly about at feeding time and attack the first be a healthy bird. Since breeding birds is for a few days to get good balance, I typ­ human flesh she can reach. Fortunately building on experience, I now keep a ically clip the wings for my own sanity. for my bird sitter, the attack bird nor­ close eye on the chicks to avoid losing The newly-flighted youngsters love to mally reserves this behavior for those one to this problem. fly just out of reach and watch with glee of us she loves and trusts the most. Most chicks wean by seven or as you get a step to reach them. Then The chicks develop quickly. The eight weeks of age, depending on the they happily fly to the next high point eyes are opening by two weeks of age personality of the clutch. The youngest and wait for you to play their game of and the feathers seem to develop faster age I have hand fed is 24 days. I "catch me if you can." Half-moons are than some of the larger conures. I typi­ remove the babies from the nest late in excellent fliers and can be very agile. It cally leave the chicks in the nest until the evening after the parents have fed is important to clip all of the flight feath­ they are three or four weeks old. When the chicks in preparation for the night ers if you want to keep these little guys removed at that age, they often scream (a tip I learned from Brent Andrus). from flying all over the house. at me like little banshees every time I They get their first hand feeding the I have found that handfed babies feed them or look at them the first cou­ next morning when they are good and love human attention but typically are ple of days. After they settle down, they hungry. At this age I feed the chicks not cuddly birds. Pet Half-moons will don't scream any more but do get very three times a day. The amount fed at sit on your shoulder or near you and be vocal at feeding time. each feeding may be as little as five cc's a companion everywhere you allow, but Elke Davis, ICA member from or as much as 12 cc's. This is deter­ they don't seem to love to snuggle like Corpus Christi, also breeds Half-moons. mined by how much the chick wants to some of the other conures. Hand-fed 30 First Quarter 2003 Another trait that I have noticed with nly birds and the babies I have raised is that the Half-moons have little interest in other species of conures or birds. I have had both a young Blue­ crowned and a Dusky-headed Conure at the sanle tilne as young Half-Illoons. Even as babies., they do not show any interest in the other species. However, I have had baby Half-moons and an ilnmature Half-moon hen at the same time. AU of the birds were extremely interested in each other. The iminature hen would even aggressively defend the baby she was with to keep me away. Overall, the Half-lTIoon makes a delightful pet bird. They are spunky, playful, and talkative. They are flexible Here 11 e , ee a youngfemale Half-moon Conure about nine months old assisting in the care of and easy to keep in a variety of situa­ her younger sihlings who are foul' tolive weeks old. tions. Elke has found that many people babies will go wild if they are not han­ flower seed with very little effort. (She who previously owned Half-lnoons are dled consistently. I had a young bird also i a hand fed bird that went wild by very dedicated to finding another if that didn't sell and she was completely the age of six 1110nths.) they lose their original bird. Since they wild at six-months old. With a little I have read in more than one are a s111all bird and are relatively inex­ work on trust, she learned to fly to our account that half-Inoons do not care to pensive, they tend to make a good pet shoulders and would happily spend bathe. My pair is the exception to this. that won't require a lot of space. time with us that way. We never really They will get absolutely soaking wet in Most of Iny observations are got her to allow us to pet her and she a bowl of water or with a spray bottle. based on my one pair and their off­ definitely would not step up on our If I anl in the roonl and they are able to spring. Since I only have a few chicks a hands. Young Half-moons need to be fly to nle, I anl relninded not too subtly year, I am able to spend more tilne put in separate cages and handled daily that I atn spraying an inferior bird that recording infonllation and experiment­ in order to remain taIne. should not be receiving the honors prior ing with different methods. Hopefully, Half-moons have a very "cocky" to the all-important Half-moon. I have with what I have shared cOlnbined with personality that seems to be the trait noticed my Half-l1loons out bathing in the knowledge of several others, this that appeals the most as pets. They the aviary even on chilly fall nl0rnings. species will be better understood in the don't realize that they are small birds AU of the babies I have raised also love future. It definitely deserves a place in and consider thelnselves to be the cen- the water. lnodenl aviculture. .:. ter of the universe. Elke describes the personality perfectly on her web page. "I think the song about 'doing it Iny way' was writ­ ten with the Half-lnoon in nlind. Most snuggled in a pedal bird of thelll have a mind of their own, will hut. Th e get in trouble on purpose, and just look at you like they are saying 'Well, what about six to even weeks are you going to do about it?'" old Half-moons usually learn to talk well even at young ages and can learn many phrases as well as other house­ hold noises. I had one lean1 the squeak of the front door so well that I had to check it to see if it was the door or the bird. I have taught the hen of my breed­ ing pair to fly to my hand for a sun-

the afa WATeRBIRD 31