A small, playful and affectionate pet, the Finsch's Conure is quite common in its natural habitat and in captivity.

In the wild, Finsch's Conures fly in flocks of six to 100, but maintain pairs within the group.  Generally, they are migratory and use the dawn and dusk hours to fly to and from the trees where they roost.  They are quite noisy until night falls, when they quiet down, which they also do during heavy rains.  Up to 500 birds may use the same tree to roost in, and they quarrel over it continuously.  Finsch's Conures have raucous calls and in captivity are a bit noisy.  In the wild, they eat nuts and seeds, fruits and berries, and whatever vegetation or crop leavings they can find.  In captivity they need a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and legumes to ensure proper nutrition and to avoid boredom.  Fresh water should be available to them at all times, and these Conures love to bathe.  Provide them with a nesting box so they may feel safe and so they can sleep in peace.  These Conures are confiding and affectionate once they get to know their keepers, and are easily trained to do tricks.  Captive-bred birds make healthier, more affectionate pets than wild-caught birds, although both are very hardy once they become acclimatized.  Be sure your Conure is kept warm and frost-free in winter.  Remember they come from the tropics.

Usually, Finsch's Conures grow to about 11 inches in captivity.  They are predominantly green in color with red foreheads, fore crowns, and lores, although the red coloration never reaches the eyes.  Their wings are also red, as are the outer wing coverts.  Usually, they have drab yellow tails and their flight feathers are the same color and the lower breast and abdomen are both a bright yellowish green color.  Finsch's Conures have white periopthalmic rings and their irises are a dark red-orange color.  While their feet are usually gray, they may have flesh colored feet to match their horn colored bills.  Some of these Conures have isolated bright red feathers scattered over their bodies.  Adult coloration is usually acquired by two years of age, and as they age, they tend to become even more brilliant and gorgeous.

Finsch's Conures are quite common and are native to open forest areas as well as tropical and subtropical forest areas below 1, 600 meters.  They also enjoy wooded agricultural areas.  First recorded by Salvin in 1871, Finsch's Conures are found in Nicaragua, western Panama and eastern Costa Rica.  They were imported into the United States up until the 1980's, but now these affectionate, charming little birds are becoming a bit difficult to find in captivity.  They are flourishing in the wild.

In captivity, feed them a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and legumes to ensure proper nutrition and to avoid boredom.  Their seed mix should consist mainly of millet, sunflower, paddy rice, canary grass, oats, wheat and safflower.  They love carrots, apples, half-ripe corn, green food, rowanberries, and rose hips.  Be sure to give your bird regular mineral supplements to keep him healthy.  Fresh water should be available to them at all times, and these Conures love to bathe.  Provide them with a nesting box so they may feel safe and so they can sleep in peace.  Finsch's Conures may be kept with other birds outside their mating season, and are not big chewers.  They will thrive in an outdoor nine-foot by three foot by six foot aviary, which is sheltered from the elements.

In the wild, they begin breeding when the wet season starts.  Generally, they nest in broken palm tops or hollow trees.  A Finsch's Conure typically produces a clutch of three or four eggs, which incubate about 24 days and the fledgling period generally carries through until the young are about 50 days old.  When hand rearing Finsch's Conures, offer biscuit and dry, crisp bread.  They will begin to acquire their red headed adult coloration at one year of age.  Immature Finsch's Conures have darker irises than adults.