Golden Conure
Guaruba guarouba
A strikingly golden-yellow Amazonian parrot with contrasting green wing feathers and a long tail.
- Feather type
- Medium contour and long, tapering tail feathers
- Colours
- Vivid golden yellow with green flight feathers
- Bird size
- Medium, ~34 cm
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Overview
Overview
The Golden Conure is one of the most vividly colored parrots in the Amazon, almost entirely golden yellow apart from green in the wings. Restricted to a limited part of eastern Brazil, it is a highly social species typically found in small, close-knit flocks.
- Nearly uniform golden-yellow body plumage, unusual among parrots
- Long, tapering tail typical of conures
- Restricted range within the eastern Amazon basin
Identifying the Feather
Feather Identification
Golden Conure feathers are notable for their vivid, saturated yellow coloring across nearly the entire body.
- Body feathers: bright golden yellow from the head through the underparts, with little variation in shade
- Wing feathers: green, providing the only major color contrast on an otherwise yellow bird
- Tail feathers: long and tapering, mostly yellow with green tips on the central feathers
- Flight feathers: green with darker edging, contrasting sharply against the yellow wing coverts
- Compared to similar species: few other conures show this much solid yellow, making the combination of golden body plumage and green wings essentially diagnostic within its range
Plumage & Molt
Plumage Notes
Sexes look alike, both displaying the same golden-yellow and green pattern. Juveniles show more green mottling through the body plumage, which is gradually replaced by solid yellow as the bird matures.
- No plumage-based sexual dimorphism
- Juvenile plumage includes noticeably more green until full maturity
- Molt gradually increases the extent of yellow feathering with each successive cycle
Habitat & Range
Habitat & Range
Endemic to a relatively limited area of humid lowland rainforest in eastern Amazonian Brazil.
- Found in tall, undisturbed forest as well as some forest edge habitats
- Non-migratory, remaining within its restricted range year-round
- Considered range-restricted compared to many other Amazonian conures
Behavior & Field Notes
Behavior & Field Notes
Golden Conures are highly social, typically observed in small flocks that move and forage together throughout the day.
- Diet: fruits, seeds, and flowers gathered from canopy and subcanopy trees
- Nesting: nests in tree cavities, sometimes with cooperative behavior involving multiple birds assisting at a single nest
- Voice: loud, harsh screeches, typically given by the flock in flight
- Field notes: a flock of Golden Conures flying overhead produces a striking, near-uniform flash of yellow, one of the more visually distinctive parrot flock sights in the Amazon
Frequently asked questions
What makes the Golden Conure's feathers so distinctive?
Its body plumage is an almost uniform, vivid golden yellow, a color pattern rarely seen in other conures.
Do juveniles look like adults?
No, juveniles show noticeably more green mottling, which is gradually replaced by solid yellow as they mature.
Where is the Golden Conure found?
It is restricted to humid lowland rainforest in a limited area of eastern Amazonian Brazil.
Does the Golden Conure show any green in its plumage?
Yes, the wing and outer tail feathers remain green, contrasting with the otherwise golden-yellow body.
Golden Conure guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Golden Conure.
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