Jenday Conure

Aratinga jandaya

The jenday conure is a small Neotropical parrot described as having green wings and tail, a reddish-orange body, yellow head and neck and orange cheeks. They are native to wooded habitats in northeastern Brazil. It is a member of the Aratinga solstitialis complex of parakeets very closely related to, and possibly subspecies of the sun parakeet. They are more commonly known as the jandaya parakeet in their native region.

The bird has a wide range, but is locally rare in the wild; they are common in aviculture, where they are known as "jenday conures". On average it measures 12 in. in length and weighs 125–140 gm. In the wild, their diet consists of various fruits including mango, cashew apples, as well as palm nuts. They also consume plants cultivated by humans such as rice and maize, which makes local farmers consider them a pest. Things that are toxic to jandaya parakeets include chocolate, caffeine, and a chemical often found in avocados.

The jandaya parakeet has a very loud, shrill call. It has an extremely large range in northeastern Brazil in the states of Piaui, Maranhao, Tocantins, and Ceara, and portions of Pará. It is found in lowland inhabiting woodland and palm groves. Jandaya parakeets nest in tree hollows, typically choosing a location at least 50 feet from the ground.In captivity, the hen lays three to six eggs, which she then incubates for roughly 26 days. The young are fed by both parents, and fledge after two months.