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How do you tell any two species apart, honestly? So many different species look similar! How is one any different than another? I've seen photos of hybrid maroon bellied x green cheek conures, blue fronted amazon x orange wing amazon, jenday x sun, and a multitude of red headed conure hybrids! People either didn't realize they were creating hybrids or they didn't know they owned a hybrid!
Things that determine differences in species may be slight differences in coloration, size, call, mating habits, etc.
I don't have enough photos for this to be a full guide, so will have to make do with what I've gathered so far!
Mitred vs Cherry Head
Mitred conures, on average, weigh within 180-250 grams of weight, give or take. They are born green with a red stripe above their nares. As they mature, the red expands to around their eyes. Depending on subspecies, the red may or may not extend into the cheeks and further back on the head. The red on the top of the head never goes past the middle of their eye. Some mitreds can have extreme amounts of red to their facial area, but again, it never goes past the middle part of the eye! Amount of red varies between subspecies. The color may surround the eyes, but never reaches far on the top of the head. They have minimal amounts of red to their wings and ankles. There will be a darker red patch of feathers right above the nose.
Cherry heads, also known as red masked conures, on average, weigh 130-180 grams. They are born completely green and color up as they mature. I often like to say that it appears as if their head was dipped into a can of paint! They didn't play in the paint like the mitreds did, they got dipped in! As adults, they have a full red mask with extensive red within the wings on the outer edge and some amounts at the ankles.
Waglers vs Mitred
Waglers, also known as Red Fronted and Scarlet Fronted conures, on average, weigh around the same as mitred conures or larger. That is 180-260+ grams in weight. They are born completely green and color up as adults or may have minimal amounts of red as chicks. They have more red speckling in the wing, which may be as much red as cherry heads display in their own wings. The red on the head may reach the center of the eye or may extend just slightly further than the back of the eye. The red may, or may not, touch the eyes, depending upon subspecies. May or may not have red ankles.
Cherry Head vs Waglers
White Eyed
I have no comparison photos with white eyed conures. On average, they weigh around 140+ grams, are born completely green and color up as adults. They will get red at the edge and bend of the wing (like cherry heads) and may or may not have red speckling to the facial area. Some white eyeds may have a small patch of red in the lower cheeks. No red to the ankles.
Finsch's
I have no comparison photos with Finsch's, also known as Crimson Fronted Conures. On average, they weigh 130+ grams and are like the smaller counterpart of the Waglers. They are born green and may have a minimal amounts to no red to the forehead as juveniles. As adults, they have a red triangle to the forehead that never touches the eyes. Some amount of red to the wings. No red to the ankles.
[ Mexican] Green
I have no comparison photos with Green conures. On average, they probably weigh 100-120 grams and some may look like white eyed conures, without the red to the bend and edge of wing and ankles. May or may not have red speckling to the facial area. Some subspecies may have a noticeable yellow wash to the stomach and chest area.
Red Throated
I have no great comparison photos with Red Throats. Average weight probably 110-130 grams. They may be born completely green or with minimal amounts of red to throat area. No red to ankles, no red to wings, or only flecks of red at the bend and edge of wing. As adults, they have a red throat, red may extend some around the neck, a little into the cheeks and down a little into the chest feathers. The red throat may be full red or may be speckled with green.
Any and all of these conure species may have some red coloration to the stomach area or it may be absent. Additional red speckling may be seen in the face, neck, cheeks and back of the head in any of these species. It may also take 3-6 years or more for some of these species to reach their full adult coloration.
Red throats and green conures may have a blue wash to the crown.
Additional/more thorough descriptions and photos may be found at the following website.
Conures | WPT Parrot Encyclopedia
We protect parrots. WPT is a leading, science-based, results-oriented parrot conservation and welfare organization.
www.parrots.org
Things that determine differences in species may be slight differences in coloration, size, call, mating habits, etc.
I don't have enough photos for this to be a full guide, so will have to make do with what I've gathered so far!
Mitred vs Cherry Head
Mitred conures, on average, weigh within 180-250 grams of weight, give or take. They are born green with a red stripe above their nares. As they mature, the red expands to around their eyes. Depending on subspecies, the red may or may not extend into the cheeks and further back on the head. The red on the top of the head never goes past the middle of their eye. Some mitreds can have extreme amounts of red to their facial area, but again, it never goes past the middle part of the eye! Amount of red varies between subspecies. The color may surround the eyes, but never reaches far on the top of the head. They have minimal amounts of red to their wings and ankles. There will be a darker red patch of feathers right above the nose.
Cherry heads, also known as red masked conures, on average, weigh 130-180 grams. They are born completely green and color up as they mature. I often like to say that it appears as if their head was dipped into a can of paint! They didn't play in the paint like the mitreds did, they got dipped in! As adults, they have a full red mask with extensive red within the wings on the outer edge and some amounts at the ankles.
Waglers vs Mitred
Waglers, also known as Red Fronted and Scarlet Fronted conures, on average, weigh around the same as mitred conures or larger. That is 180-260+ grams in weight. They are born completely green and color up as adults or may have minimal amounts of red as chicks. They have more red speckling in the wing, which may be as much red as cherry heads display in their own wings. The red on the head may reach the center of the eye or may extend just slightly further than the back of the eye. The red may, or may not, touch the eyes, depending upon subspecies. May or may not have red ankles.
Cherry Head vs Waglers
White Eyed
I have no comparison photos with white eyed conures. On average, they weigh around 140+ grams, are born completely green and color up as adults. They will get red at the edge and bend of the wing (like cherry heads) and may or may not have red speckling to the facial area. Some white eyeds may have a small patch of red in the lower cheeks. No red to the ankles.
Finsch's
I have no comparison photos with Finsch's, also known as Crimson Fronted Conures. On average, they weigh 130+ grams and are like the smaller counterpart of the Waglers. They are born green and may have a minimal amounts to no red to the forehead as juveniles. As adults, they have a red triangle to the forehead that never touches the eyes. Some amount of red to the wings. No red to the ankles.
[ Mexican] Green
I have no comparison photos with Green conures. On average, they probably weigh 100-120 grams and some may look like white eyed conures, without the red to the bend and edge of wing and ankles. May or may not have red speckling to the facial area. Some subspecies may have a noticeable yellow wash to the stomach and chest area.
Red Throated
I have no great comparison photos with Red Throats. Average weight probably 110-130 grams. They may be born completely green or with minimal amounts of red to throat area. No red to ankles, no red to wings, or only flecks of red at the bend and edge of wing. As adults, they have a red throat, red may extend some around the neck, a little into the cheeks and down a little into the chest feathers. The red throat may be full red or may be speckled with green.
Any and all of these conure species may have some red coloration to the stomach area or it may be absent. Additional red speckling may be seen in the face, neck, cheeks and back of the head in any of these species. It may also take 3-6 years or more for some of these species to reach their full adult coloration.
Red throats and green conures may have a blue wash to the crown.
Additional/more thorough descriptions and photos may be found at the following website.
Conures | WPT Parrot Encyclopedia
We protect parrots. WPT is a leading, science-based, results-oriented parrot conservation and welfare organization.
www.parrots.org
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