Nanday Parakeet
Parque, Playa de las Américas, Tenerife
What3Words
///fail.talents.occulted
The Nanday Parakeet (Aratinga nenday), often called the Nanday Conure or Black-hooded Parakeet, is a medium-small Neotropical parrot known for its striking appearance and boisterous personality.
Physical Appearance
Distinctive Hood:
Its most defining feature is a jet-black facial mask and beak.
Vibrant Plumage:
The body is primarily green, with a bluish-green upper chest and red feathers covering its thighs (often called "red stockings").
Wing and Tail Details:
It features black trailing flight feathers and a long tail tipped with blue.
Size:
They typically measure about 11–12 inches (27–30 cm) in length and weigh around 5 ounces (140 g).
Habitat and Distribution
Native Range:
Originally from central South America, specifically the Pantanal region spanning southeast Bolivia, southwest Brazil, central Paraguay, and northern Argentina.
Feral Populations:
Due to escaped or released pets, self-sustaining wild colonies have established themselves in several urban areas, most notably in Florida, California, Texas, and Israel.
Ecology:
In the wild, they frequent open savannahs, grasslands, and scrub forests.
Behavior and Personality
Loud and Social:
They are highly gregarious, often traveling in noisy flocks of 10 to 20 birds. They are known for high-pitched, screeching calls that can be heard from a distance.
Intelligence:
Nandays are exceptionally smart and can learn to mimic human speech, perform tricks, and solve simple puzzles.
Playful Nature:
They are often described as "clowns" and have a unique habit of sleeping on their backs with their feet in the air, which can sometimes startle owners into thinking they are "playing dead".
Care and Lifespan
Diet:
In the wild, they eat seeds, fruit, palm nuts, berries, and flowers. As pets, they require a balanced diet of high-quality pellets, fresh vegetables, and fruits.
Lifespan:
They typically live 18 to 25 years, though some captive individuals have been reported to live up to 30–45 years with optimal care.
Space Requirements:
They are high-energy birds that need a large cage (at least 3 feet tall) and several hours of daily interaction and flight time outside the cage.
Nanday Parakeet
Parque, Playa de las Américas, Tenerife
What3Words
///fail.talents.occulted
The Nanday Parakeet (Aratinga nenday), often called the Nanday Conure or Black-hooded Parakeet, is a medium-small Neotropical parrot known for its striking appearance and boisterous personality.
Physical Appearance
Distinctive Hood:
Its most defining feature is a jet-black facial mask and beak.
Vibrant Plumage:
The body is primarily green, with a bluish-green upper chest and red feathers covering its thighs (often called "red stockings").
Wing and Tail Details:
It features black trailing flight feathers and a long tail tipped with blue.
Size:
They typically measure about 11–12 inches (27–30 cm) in length and weigh around 5 ounces (140 g).
Habitat and Distribution
Native Range:
Originally from central South America, specifically the Pantanal region spanning southeast Bolivia, southwest Brazil, central Paraguay, and northern Argentina.
Feral Populations:
Due to escaped or released pets, self-sustaining wild colonies have established themselves in several urban areas, most notably in Florida, California, Texas, and Israel.
Ecology:
In the wild, they frequent open savannahs, grasslands, and scrub forests.
Behavior and Personality
Loud and Social:
They are highly gregarious, often traveling in noisy flocks of 10 to 20 birds. They are known for high-pitched, screeching calls that can be heard from a distance.
Intelligence:
Nandays are exceptionally smart and can learn to mimic human speech, perform tricks, and solve simple puzzles.
Playful Nature:
They are often described as "clowns" and have a unique habit of sleeping on their backs with their feet in the air, which can sometimes startle owners into thinking they are "playing dead".
Care and Lifespan
Diet:
In the wild, they eat seeds, fruit, palm nuts, berries, and flowers. As pets, they require a balanced diet of high-quality pellets, fresh vegetables, and fruits.
Lifespan:
They typically live 18 to 25 years, though some captive individuals have been reported to live up to 30–45 years with optimal care.
Space Requirements:
They are high-energy birds that need a large cage (at least 3 feet tall) and several hours of daily interaction and flight time outside the cage.