About Patagonian Conure

The Patagonian Conure (Cyanoliseus patagonus), also known as the Burrowing Parrot, measures about 40 to 52 cm in length and is the largest Conure. These birds are sexually dimorphic and monogamous. Best known for its nesting habits, the burrowing parrot excavates industrious burrows in limestone or sandstone cliff faces, often in ravines. These burrows can be as much as 3 m deep into a cliff-face, connecting with other tunnels to create a labyrinth, ending in a nesting chamber. Breeding pairs reuse burrows from previous years but may enlarge them. They nest in large colonies, some of the largest ever recorded for parrots, which is thought to reduce predation. In the absence of acceptable ravines or cliffs to use as nesting sites, burrowing parrots use anthropogenic substrates such as quarries, wells and pits. Rarely, they have been known to nest in tree cavities.