Jenday Conures:

Aratinga Jandaya

Aratinga jandaya, Jenday Conure, is also known as the Jendaya Conure or the Yellow-Headed Conure.  It is native to northeastern Brazil and is one of the most popular companion parrots of the Aratinga species.
 

Jenday Conures reach about 12 inches in length and are covered with a rainbow of plumage.  The head and upper breast are a bright yellow.  This bright yellow blends into a red hue on the lower underside. A Jenday Conure’s  wings, upper tail, and upper back are green and they transition to an orangey red on their lower back. The underside of the tail is black and the under side of the wings are also orangey red. The tip of the tail and the outer wing feathers are blue. The beak and the feet are black.

Around two years of age, a Jenday conure will be fully mature. This means their plumage will be brighter as well they’ll have the ability to breed.  Surgical sexing is required to determine gender. Both in the wild and in captivity, the Jenday Conure will breed easily.  The hen typically lays three to four eggs which hatch after about 26 days. 

Jenday Conures are known to have wonderful personalities.  They are known to be incredibly affectionate often enjoying a good snuggle or pet from their owners.  They’re also known to be very smart.  They love to talk and can learn a number of words and household sounds.  They can also learn a number of tricks. 

Properly trained and socialized Jenday Conures are excellent pets for a single owner or for a family with children and pets.  The Jenday conure is known to be both tame and extremely hardy which means with proper care, owners will have very little behavior or medical problems. 

In the wild Jenday Conures eat fruits, green leafy matter, and seeds.  In captivity they thrive on a pellet based diet supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables.  They love to play, climb and chew.  The tendency to chew can cause a bit of household destruction however providing them with toys and directing their chewing habit to more appropriate items works well for most owners. 

In the wild they live in pairs or small groups, communicating with each other in the morning and in the evening with loud chirps and chattering.  In captivity a Jenday will bring this behavior into the home, which means a noisy hello and goodnight each and every day. 

Proper caging is important for a healthy Jenday Conure.  They live to be about 20 years old in captivity and the larger a cage, the better those 20 years will be.  Minimum cage requirements are 24" W x 24" D x 30" H, with metal bars spaced no more than 1/2" apart.  The best material for a Conure cage is stainless steel. 

An optimal cage environment will contain clean food and water bowls, a pull out tray beneath wire mesh to keep waste and food separate.  Several perches of differing sizes and materials for optimal foot health.  Climbing branches and toys will keep a Jenday busy when the owner is gone. Here you can find more information on Caring for a Jenday Conure.

When the owner is home, a Jenday Conure is tame and social enough to be left out of the cage to interact with their family.  This out of the cage time is important to the health and happiness of a Jenday Conure.  Confined to a cage and not allowed to interact with their family a Jenday Conure will become very unhappy and behavior problems are certain to arise.

The Jenday Conure is one of the tamest, most lovable, and most intelligent companion birds.  When properly cared for they will live a long and happy life with their family.