Nanday Conures

Nanday Conure, Black-Hooded Parakeet.

Nandayus nenday.

South America.

Adult Nanday Conures reach a length of approximately 11-12 inches from the beak to the tips of the tailfeathers.

20+ years.

Nanday Conures are not soft-spoken birds. They are known to be rather vocal but endlessly affectionate toward their owners when kept as pets. Nandays love to be at the center of all the action, so anyone thinking of adopting a Nanday Conure should plan to have a bird by their side for the next 20 years or so. These conures are extremely intelligent and thus require adequate socialization and mental stimulation to maintain good health. If you don't have several hours a day to spend interacting with your bird, then a Nanday Conure is not for you.

Nanday Conures are mostly green with a grayish-blue patch on their chests, blue tailfeathers, a touch of red on their legs, and dark, black faces. They have bare white rings around their eyes, black beaks, and flesh-colored feet.

Nanday Conures in the wild normally feast on a varied diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, and grain. Feeding an equally varied diet consisting of fresh foods, seed, and high quality pellets will ensure that pet conures receive adequate nutrition.

Exercise is particularly important to Nanday Conures as they are an active, high energy species. Pet Nandays should be allowed a minimum of 4 hours outside of their cage per day so that they can exercise and play. Plenty of toys should also be provided as these birds are highly intelligent and require a means to provide themselves with adequate mental stimulation.

Chatty, beautiful, and intelligent, Nanday Conures now grace the homes of many a bird lover. They are very social birds, bonding strongly to their owners. Many have also been known to become talented talkers, capable of learning several words and short phrases.

While Nandays have a reputation for being one of the louder conure species, the noise level can depend largely on whether or not the bird is getting adequate socialization. While they do sometimes scream and screech for no apparent reason, most properly socialized Nandays are too busy enjoying life to stop and scream. It's imperative that potential Nanday owners make sure they have enough free time to spend with their new pet bird before bringing one home. Adopting a Nanday Conure is not a move to be taken lightly.

If you are interested in adopting a Nanday Conure, the first thing to do is check your state and local laws to make sure that you are allowed to keep one. Because Nandays are such a hardy species, they can survive in the wild in many parts of North America if they escape, and indeed several feral colonies of Nandays already reside in the U.S. Nandays are considered invasive and a threat to native U.S. bird species by many. If you find that pet Nanday Conures are legal in your area, contact a good local breeder and set up an appointment to meet their available birds. Spending time with a few different birds before choosing a pet will help you pick the one that is the best fit for your personality and lifestyle.