Blue-crowned Conure
Thectocercus acuticaudatus
Also called Blue-crowned parakeet, Sharp-tailed conure
From South America, from eastern Colombia and northern Venezuela (including Isla Margarita) south through north-eastern Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay to Uruguay and northern Argentina. It lives in savanna, dry woodland and forest edges rather than dense rainforest.123
A friendly guide, not veterinary advice. For anything about your pet's health, ask your vet.
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Feathered; one of the larger conures, with a long pointed tail
A large, mostly green conure with a dull turquoise-blue crown and face; how far the blue extends varies between subspecies. The long tail is green above and reddish underneath, there is a white ring of bare skin around the eye, and the upper beak is horn-coloured with a darker tip.13
Personality what they are like
Blue-crowned conures are known for being sociable and easygoing, and a hand-fed bird is usually friendly and affectionate without being overly clingy. They are one of the more talkative conures, though their words can sound a little rough. They are also loud and persistent callers at times, so they suit homes where some noise is fine.312
Daily activity how busy a day looks
A bright, high-energy bird that needs lots of hands-on time and plenty of toys. It is an enthusiastic chewer, so soft wooden toys are especially welcome.31
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Offer baths regularly and keep a supply of soft wood and other bird-safe chew toys, swapping them out often.23
Home where they are happiest
A large cage with room for the long tail, plus a play area outside it. For aviary keeping the World Parrot Trust recommends a flight at least 3 m long.21
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Wild birds eat seeds, berries, cactus fruit and some crops. At home, a balanced pellet diet with fresh vegetables, fruit and healthy table foods works well, with some cooked beans and seeds.23
Company who they like around
Usually seen in pairs or small flocks in the wild. As a pet it needs daily interaction and should not be left alone in its cage for long stretches.23
The story where it all began
The blue-crowned conure today sits alone in the genus Thectocercus, with five recognised subspecies spread across much of South America. It became widely known after starring in the 1998 family film Paulie, and it is now a popular companion bird.13
Fun facts for the dinner table
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern; described as common.2
- Taxonomy
- The only species in the genus Thectocercus, with five subspecies: acuticaudatus, haemorrhous, koenigi, neoxenus and neumanni.1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Blue-crowned Conure. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Fresh food and waterevery day
- Cage linerevery 2 days
- Full cleanevery week
- Bath offerevery 3 days
- Nails checkevery month
- Beak checkevery month
- Toy rotationevery week
- Out-of-cage timeAbout 2 hours a dayevery day
- Vet check-upevery year
Owner questions the things everyone asks
How often should I feed my Blue-crowned Conure?
Offer fresh food and water every day. Furry Diary's starting plan is to provide fresh food and water daily, and to give a balanced pellet diet with fresh vegetables, fruit, and healthy table foods.32 Furry Diary plan
What does a Blue-crowned Conure eat, and what should it never eat?
A balanced pellet diet with fresh vegetables, fruit, healthy table foods, cooked beans, and seeds is great. Avoid giving any foods that are toxic to birds, such as avocado, chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol; ask your vet for a full list.32
How much space does a Blue-crowned Conure need?
A large cage with room for its long tail is essential, plus a play area outside the cage. For aviary keeping, the World Parrot Trust recommends a flight at least 3 meters long.12
What temperature, light or water does a Blue-crowned Conure need?
Keep your conure in a warm, draft-free area with natural daylight cycles. Provide fresh, clean water daily for drinking and offer regular baths, as Furry Diary suggests a bath every 3 days.32 Furry Diary plan
How often should I clean a Blue-crowned Conure's home?
Change the cage liner every 2 days and do a full cage clean once a week, as per Furry Diary's plan. Regular cleaning keeps your bird healthy and happy. Furry Diary plan
Can a Blue-crowned Conure live with others?
Yes, they are sociable and often live in pairs or small flocks in the wild. As a pet, they need daily interaction and should not be left alone in their cage for long stretches.32
How long does a Blue-crowned Conure live?
With good care, they can live between 20 and 40 years. This is a long-term commitment, so be prepared for a lifelong companion.32
Can I handle a Blue-crowned Conure?
Yes, a hand-fed Blue-crowned Conure is usually friendly and affectionate. They need lots of hands-on time and daily out-of-cage play, about 2 hours a day as suggested by Furry Diary.31 Furry Diary plan
Written from the sources on this page, a few checked guides (VCA, ASPCA, RSPCA) and Furry Diary's own starting care plan. A friendly guide, not a vet's advice.
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- Blue-crowned parakeet - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for range, taxonomy, size, weight, plumage, history
- Blue-crowned Conure - World Parrot Trust parrots.orgused for range, size, lifespan, care, diet, behaviour
- Blue-Crowned Conure - Lafeber lafeber.comused for temperament, talking, care, Paulie
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Feeding times and frequency for your dog vcahospitals.comused for owner questions
- ASPCA: Dog grooming tips aspca.orgused for owner questions
- ASPCA: Cat grooming tips aspca.orgused for owner questions
- ASPCA: People foods to avoid feeding your pets aspca.orgused for owner questions
- RSPCA: What to feed your rabbit rspca.org.ukused for owner questions
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.