What Sub-species Is My Green Cheek?

[witchbaby]

Kind of looks like a maroon bellied conure. What a cutie

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[hacatta]

I am located in the netherlands.

 

[Frumpydumple]

Kind of looks like a maroon bellied conure. What a cutie

I was thinking the same thing.

They are a lot more green though.

 

[witchbaby]

They are. The black on Cookie's head says GCC, but the rest of her makes me think Maroon Bellied. I think it might be her particular shade of green that stands out the most. Maybe she's a mix of the two?

 

[Frumpydumple]

It's possible. They do seem to have more yellowish colours on their chest.

 

[MonicaMc]

As you've noticed, not many people are even aware that green cheeks have subspecies!!! And as far as I am aware, green cheek hybrids are *NOT* sterile. If any green cheek hybrids are sterile, then they would be sterile if hybridized to the larger conures (suns, nandays, patagonians, etc). I have come acrosss someone selling 2nd gen green cheek x black cap hybrids, which I believe are 75% green cheek to 25% black cap. I don't even want to know how many green cheek hybrids are out there that contain black cap and/or maroon bellied blood in them.... not to even consider the green cheek subspecies hybrids!

Here in America, not many breeders even paid attention to coloration, let alone subspecies, unless they were trying to breed for specific traits... as such, hybridization has occurred! I'm not entirely sure that there are any pure subspecies of green cheek conures left here. Most of the breeders I've seen that even bothered trying to keep the subspecies pure are those in England.

The red stomach really doesn't mean much.... I mean, using that link you provided, if you take a look at the two P. m. molinae clinging to the wires, one has hardly any red at all and the other has a small patch of red - vs the P. m. molinae at top-center of page has a rather large patch of red.


As far as yellow-side being a mutation and not a subspecies? Not true. The yellow-side subspecies is P. m. sordida, aka the Sordid Conure. Another classification this one goes under is P. m. hypxantha. It's from my understanding that the opaline (aka "yellow-sided") mutation came from this subspecies.




For the longest time I thought green cheek conures were pretty boring! If I had to choose between a sun and a green cheek, it would be hands down, a green cheek conure! But if I were to look for a small conure, it wouldn't have been a green cheek.... that is, until I started to notice a difference in coloration between green cheeks. What really threw me for a loop however was a "blue butted" (aka blue vent) opaline (yellowside) green cheek conure. The blue was so vibrant that it just flabbergasted me! I had taken notice before, such as the chest/neck region being yellow or white (a difference between subspecies) and pondered about it, but my interest in subspecies (and knowledge) didn't really take off until I saw that one bird.

(opaline with a kind of blue butt)
Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I've also seen some green cheek conures a few years back at a bird expo that were *huge* compared to some others that I've seen! I mean, green cheeks typically average around 60 grams, but these guys looked like they were closer to 80 grams in size.



Emily, I don't know enough about the different subspecies to be able to say for sure which subspecies a green cheek is (Cookie does appear differently than the P. m. molinae's on that site), or to say that a bird takes after one subspecies more than another... but I am curious to know how much Cookie weighs.

 

[Frumpydumple]

Thanks. Very interesting.

I just brought some scales today and I just weighed her and she weighed about 76 or 78 grams(scales might be slightly off by 2 grams), but I do think she is underweight. She is a big Green Cheek so I think she should weigh 80 grams. ( see this http://www.parrotforums.com/general-health-care/42502-she-underweight.html )

 

[MonicaMc]

Judging from the photos, she does appear underweight, which only further proves that she is indeed the nominate species. Here in the USA, most green cheeks would be considered fat at her weight!!! 56-68 grams is kind of the norm here. I'm going to guess and say that Cookie should probably weigh 82-86 grams?


I also forgot about hybridization with pearly conures... I think some people may confuse a pearly conure for a green cheek.

 

[ZephyrFly]

Frumpydumple, this is a little off topic but your from England? Can I ask which part? And where you got your Cookie?
I'm in England but from the south west, and I've had a little difficulty finding gcc breeders. There is 1 within an hour but after that all the ones I've found are well over an hour and a half away and much more.
I'd like to broaden my options.

 

[Frumpydumple]

Frumpydumple, this is a little off topic but your from England? Can I ask which part? And where you got your Cookie?
I'm in England but from the south west, and I've had a little difficulty finding gcc breeders. There is 1 within an hour but after that all the ones I've found are well over an hour and a half away and much more.
I'd like to broaden my options.

I don't really go on this forum anymore, but I did happen to notice this post.

I live in Durham. I got Cookie from a bad backyard breeder in Durham that doesn't seem to sell birds anymore.

If you are willing to travel, I am actually sadly rehoming Cookie if you are interested. I've had a lot of trouble finding a good home for her.

Have you tried Gumtree and Preloved? They are both good sites for finding breeders. Green Cheek Conures are popular birds, so you shouldn't have much problem finding one.

Thanks.

 

[Echo]

(opaline with a kind of blue butt)
Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The "blue butt" reminds me of that of a Crimson-bellied.

Cookie might be GCC/Crimson, her throat looks like that of a Crimson and the light pink color in it could be from a YS.

Although after looking better at her picture, I would agree that she looks like Maroon-bellied X GCC.

 

[ZephyrFly]

Sadly Durham's too far for me, opposite side of the country far. And sorry to hear that you need to rehome cookie, hope it all goes well, for both you.
I have found a breeder close to me, but they're the only breeder near. Any other are typically a couple hours away. I just like to have options

 

[Frumpydumple]

Sadly Durham's too far for me, opposite side of the country far. And sorry to hear that you need to rehome cookie, hope it all goes well, for both you.
I have found a breeder close to me, but they're the only breeder near. Any other are typically a couple hours away. I just like to have options

Okay then. Thanks for letting me know, and good luck.

Thanks.

 

[Cardinal]

Just thought of bumping this old thread. Seems like an interesting topic to revive.
Also because I am bored during the lockdown .