Golden Capped Conure

Golden Capped Conure
The golden-capped parakeet (Aratinga auricapillus) is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is found in Brazil and Paraguay. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, dry savanna, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Golden-capped conures (or Aratinga solstitialis auricapilla, also called gold capped, gold cap, or golden cap conures) are members of Genus Aratinga, a taxonomic group that also includes the sun conure, the golden-fronted conure, and the jenday conure. The Aratinga conures are the most brightly-colored of the conures, with predominately green, yellow, and orange plumage. The name "Aratinga" means "little macaw," and there is a distinct resemblance between these creatures and their larger relatives. Aratinga, however, average a mere 30 centimeters in length. They have large, dark eyes set in white eye-rings, and long, v-shaped tails. Their bills are black and shiny, their legs gray. Like the macaws, these conures originate in South America; the golden-capped are found primarily in the mid-to-southeastern portions of Brazil. They are listed as "vulnerable" by IUCN-The World Conservation Union. For this reason, it is important to be sure that the bird you are buying is not wild-caught. Fortunately, these little birds breed well in captivity, so the incidence of wild-caught birds is becoming rare. Golden-cappeds are not sexually dimorphic; only a DNA test (or the laying of an egg) will establish an individual's sex.