Baby Caique
Caique is not only one of the most colorful birds in the parrot family, but has a delightful and comical personality. They are very intelligent and quick to learn tricks. They can mimic many environmental sounds but Caiques in general are not known to be good talkers. Being quite social and outgoing, they are affectionate and inquisitive, and they love to show off.
A distinguishing characteristic of the Caique is a lovely ruffled looking white breast and belly. This gave rise to it’s name. ‘Caique’ is a term used to describe a full-dress, white shirt, with a ruffled front.
Black-headed Caique has a mostly black head with the cheeks, throat, thighs and flanks an orange-yellow. They also have an orange band across the hind neck bordered by a few bluish feathers. The back, wings, rump and upper tail are green and the breast and belly are creamy-white. The tip of the tail is yellow.
Social Behaviors of caiques
Caiques enjoy human interaction as well as interaction with other birds. In the wild the Black-headed Caiques are very social birds usually seen in family groups or flocks of up to thirty birds. They are highly social birds with a very active nature.They will require a lot of interaction with either you or from another companion.
But despite this overall affectionate nature, the Black-headed Caique can get rather grumpy and nippy and can be aggressive to other birds. They should never be left unsupervised with other pets.
Care and feeding
A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out for extended periods. Many birds can spend a good deal of their time on a play pen or parrot perch.
In the wild these birds eat fruits, seeds, and berries from the tree tops. The Caique’s main diet should primarily be seeds, fruits, and green vegetables. A commercially prepared parrot mix or pelleted diet can also be beneficial.
Breeding/Reproduction
The female will lay up to four eggs which incubate for about 25 days. The male will feed the female while she is brooding, and will join her in the nest box at various times during the day and at night. The hatchlings will leave the nest at about 14 weeks.
Features: Black Headed Caique Scientific Name: Pionites melanocephala Size: Medium, 9 inches Native Region: South America Life Expectancy: 30 years Noise Level: Medium Talk/Trick Ability: Fair, likes to play, so benefits from trick training and can mimic sounds. Traits: The black-headed caique is a ball of energy that likes to entertain with its clownish acrobats. Its upbeat, playful and loving personality gives bird enthusiasts a reason to like this parrot. These pet birds are comical, fearless and rarely back down to anyone or anything. Black-headed caiques like to be the center of attention but do not require constant attention. They can be fun birds to watch as they entertain themselves by playing and wrestling. Because this pet bird likes to play with its toys and hang upside down, provide a cage large enough for it to spread its wings, flap and hang around. Behavior/Health Concerns: If not kept well entertained, the black-headed caique can become destructive and prone to screeching. They are generally hardy, but keepthe cage clean as they like to play and bounce around on the cage floor. This pet bird can be beaky and does sometimes become aggressive with other birds in the household, but the beakiness is exploring with their beak. If they are watched closely, the aggressive behavior can be controlled.
