Golden-capped Conures are lovely little birds with big personalities! These charming little pets will easily win even a skeptic's heart!

In the wild, Golden-capped Conures live in forests, which are rapidly disappearing. They live in large flocks, and greet returning flock-mates by shrieking at incredible decibel levels! In captivity, Conures will shriek but may be trained not to. When you come home, the Golden-capped Conure is bound to shriek, and he will shriek if he is scared. In these cases, cuddling and comforting is ok. Otherwise, ignore your Conure's shrieking or he will do it to get attention! Conures also go through several phases when they nip. Simply replace the finger he is chewing on with a chew toy, and if he rejects the toy, return him to his cage. Golden-capped Conures are very smart and will learn quickly to behave. They can also be taught to talk and can learn entertaining tricks! In your Golden-capped Conure's cage, give him a nesting box where he can hide and sleep. A clean cage is extremely important to avoid infection. Conures should have fresh water at all times and should be bathed occasionally; a plant mister will work fine for this. Golden-capped Conures should be fed a basic pellet food, supplemented with lots of vegetables, fruits and the occasional legume or carbohydrate. They will enjoy seeds and nuts as special treats. Golden-capped Conures can fly easily, and should not be outside without a harness. They love cuddling with their owners best of all, and need plenty of love and attention. The Golden-capped Conure's lifespan is about 30 years.

At maturity, Golden-capped Conures grow to about a foot in length. They are mostly green with a blackish bill and gray feet. The area around the eyes and the forehead is usually red, which brightens into the bright golden cap on the bird's crown. Sometimes, the cheeks have a golden to yellow hue to them. Golden-capped Conures have a blue-gray tinged throat and upper breast area. Their lower breasts, backs and abdomens have feathers that are edged in a burgundy red. The underwing coverts are red to match! Golden-capped Conures are also characterized by the primary and secondary flight feathers, in addition to the primary coverts having a lovely blue color. Their tail is feathered in olive-green, with blue-tipped feathers on the topside. The underside and the undersides of the flight feathers have a dark, blackish coloring. Golden-capped Conures show the characteristic Conure white periopthalmic ring. Their irises are brown.

In the wild, Golden-capped Conures are native to the low mountain forests of Brazil. It was first officially recognized by Kuhl in 1820, but since has become "Vulnerable" on the CITES list because its habitat is disappearing. Golden-capped Conures have become increasingly popular in captivity, thanks to their prolific breeding. Wild-caught birds should not be kept, and captive-bred birds make healthier, more affectionate pets anyway.

In your Golden-capped Conure's cage, give him a nesting box where he can hide and sleep. A clean cage is extremely important to avoid infection. Conures should have fresh water at all times and should be bathed occasionally; a plant mister will work fine for this. When you bring home your new Golden-capped Conure, quarantine him to prevent diseases being passed to your other birds. Be sure to take him for a check-up at a veterinarian experienced in avian care. Never, ever feed your Conure chocolate or avocado, as these foods may result in death. Golden-capped Conures will do nicely in cages of about 18 inches by 18 inches by 36 inches, and need plenty of exercise. Even with clipped wings, Conures may fly, so be sure to harness your bird outside. Golden-capped Conures make great first birds.

Golden-capped Conures breed very well in captivity and reach sexual maturity at about two years of age. Immature birds have darker irises than adults and lack their golden caps. They do not have much red over their backs and rumps but have more yellow in the plumage of their undercarriages than adults. Golden-capped Conures must be DNA or surgically sexed.