conure inquiry

[YUMgrinder]

is my black capped considered a green cheek conure? I mean, he's built a little differently than my pineapple GCC but he is also over 3 years old and my pineapple is less than a year. He's stockier than her, 10 grams more In weight but appears to be shorter. fatter toes. beaks a little different. they have bonded very quickly and are inseparable so I wonder if they end up making babies (black capped/pineapple hybrid anyone?) when jojo matures (assuming they are male/female). I've posted this picture before but it's so cute I gotta share it again.

 

[chris-md]

They are related but not a green cheek. THey are similar because they are both in the Pyrrhura genus, but different species. Pyrrhuuras include pearly conures, painted conures, green cheeks, black caps, among others.

Separated from The pyrrhuras are the aratingas: sun conures, cherry headed conures, red throated conures. The bigger louder conures.

 

[YUMgrinder]

does that mean they are able to mate? Can all conures interbreed?

 

[chris-md]

Maybe. The higher up the Linnaean pyramid you go the Less likely it is to succeed. The more closely related two species are the more possible it becomes

Interspecific hybrids (same genus, just different species) - for example 2 different pyrrhuras - in the bird world is common. It’s how we get all the hybrid macaws.

Pyrrhura crossed to aratinga (intergeneric, between genus) much less likely to succeed.

 

[YUMgrinder]

ohhhhhhh ok. anyone know how close my guys are species wise? I'm not opposed to baby hybrids in my house but I am aware that it's not necessarily ethical to allow it to happen. would I anger the parrot gods if I allowed them to breed?

 

[chris-md]

The morality is a matter of perspective. I personally generally have no issue with it so long as it results in genetically equal or superior offspring. But everyone will have their opinion. To each his own. But that wasn’t the thrust of your question, which was simply “is this even possible”.

I’ve seen references to this hybrid specifically but no pictures. The outcome probably isn’t very impressive so people don’t bother.