Last updated: October 2026
Written by the Birdsville team.
The Jenday Conure, also called the Jandaya Parakeet or Yellow Headed Conure, is a medium sized South American parrot with a bright yellow head, an orange red face and chest, and green wings and back. Jendays are playful, affectionate and intelligent, they love a cuddle, and they bond with the whole family, but they’re also loud. With good care they can live 20 to 30 years. Caring for a Jenday means a roomy cage of at least 90 x 60 x 60cm, seed and pellets in separate bowls, fresh fruit and vegetables, a calcium and vitamin D source, plenty of chew toys and daily attention. This page covers where Jendays come from, diet, cages, health, breeding and sexing. Birdsville in Alexandria sells and rehomes Jenday Conures from time to time, and stocks everything they need.
Jenday Conure Key Takeaways
Jenday Conures are playful, affectionate parrots from north eastern Brazil.
They grow to about 30cm long, weigh 125 to 140 grams, and can live 20 to 30 years.
They’re loud, with a shrill flock call, so they may not suit close neighbours.
Feed seed and pellets in separate bowls, with fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
Use a cage of at least 90 x 60 x 60cm, and give them plenty of chew toys.
Males and females look alike, so DNA testing is the reliable way to sex them.
Birdsville Blends Tropical Small Parrot is our recommended seed for Jenday Conures.
Birdsville sells and rehomes Jenday Conures from time to time, so call to check.
Jenday Conure Quick Facts
Scientific name: Aratinga jandaya
Other names: Jandaya Parakeet, Jandaya Conure, Yellow Headed Conure
Size: about 30cm long
Weight: about 125 to 140 grams
Lifespan: 20 to 30 years with good care
Native range: north eastern Brazil
Habitat: lowland woodland, palm groves and forest edges
Temperament: playful, affectionate and social
Noise level: loud
Talking ability: can learn some words and phrases
Clutch: 3 to 6 eggs
Incubation: about 26 days
Sexing: males and females look alike, so DNA testing is needed
Where Do Jenday Conures Come From?
Jenday Conures come from north eastern Brazil, where they live in lowland woodland, palm groves and the edges of forests.
In the wild they travel in noisy flocks, calling to each other constantly, and feed on fruit such as mango and cashew apples, palm nuts and seeds, as well as crops like rice and corn. They nest in tree hollows high above the ground. Jendays are protected in Brazil, and wild birds can’t be exported. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jandaya_parakeet) has more on Jendays in the wild.
Is a Jenday Conure the Same as a Sun Conure?
No, but they’re very close relatives, and some experts think the Jenday may be a form of the Sun Conure. Sun Conures are mostly yellow and orange all over, while Jendays have green wings and backs with a yellow head and orange red chest. They’re about the same size, with similar personalities and similarly loud calls.
Are Jenday Conures Good Pets?
Yes, Jenday Conures make great family pets for people who can handle their noise, as they’re playful, cuddly and bond with everyone in the house.
Jendays are trusting and intelligent, and they can learn simple tricks and a few words. Hand raised birds are usually gentle and rarely nippy. They’re a little more laid back than some other conures, but they still need plenty of interaction every day. The biggest thing to think about is noise. Jendays have a loud, shrill call, and they use it often. Our Squawking page (https://birdsville.net.au/screaming-and-squawking-parrots-how-to-stop/) has tips for keeping noise at a normal level.
What Do Jenday Conures Eat?
Jenday Conures eat a varied diet of a quality seed mix and pellets in separate bowls, plus fresh fruit, vegetables, sprouted seed, millet sprays as treats, a vitamin boost and a calcium source.
Jendays aren’t usually fussy eaters if they learn a varied diet young. They can put on weight with the wrong diet and too little exercise, so keep fatty treats in check.
Seed
Feed a good quality seed mix. Our top pick is Birdsville Blends Tropical Small Parrot (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-tropical-small-parrot-500g), made fresh in store, and Birdsville Blends Healthy Parrot (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-healthy-parrot-500g) adds fruit, nuts, legumes and vegetables for variety. We only stock very high quality seed, and we recommend avoiding many chain store mixes, because low quality grains and filler seed affect the health and vitality of your birds. Our Small Parrot Seed page (https://birdsville.net.au/seeds-grains/small-parrot-seed/) has more.
Sprouted Seed
Jendays love sprouted seed. Always rinse it well and wash it with Vetafarm Aviclens (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-aviclens-water-cleanser-100ml) before feeding to remove bacteria. Our Best Bird Treats page (https://birdsville.net.au/bird-treats-tips-and-sprouted-mix/) explains how to sprout seed.
Pellets
Serve pellets in their own bowl next to the seed. We recommend Vetafarm South American Pellets (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-south-american-mix-350g), made for South American parrots like conures, and Vetafarm Nutriblend Pellets Small (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-nutriblend-pellets-sml-350g). Only refill the seed bowl once your Jenday has eaten its pellets too, or it will fill up on sunflower seeds.
Millet Sprays
Millet sprays are a favourite treat and great for training. Hang Millet Sprays (https://petsville.com.au/products/millet-sprays-mixed-100g) in a Millet Spray Holder (https://petsville.com.au/products/jw-insight-feeder-millet-spray-holder).
Greens and Vegetables
Offer fresh vegetables every day, such as carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin, capsicum, broccoli, corn, green beans, snow peas, bok choy and silverbeet.
Fruits
Jendays love fruit, especially mango. Offer mango, apple, pear, orange, pawpaw, grapes, rockmelon, kiwifruit and pomegranate in smaller amounts than vegetables. Never feed avocado, chocolate or caffeine, as they’re toxic to parrots.
Vitamin Supplements
Every bird benefits from a regular vitamin boost. Add Vetafarm Multivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-multivet-50ml) to the drinking water regularly.
Calcium and Vitamin D
We don’t recommend shell grit for conures. Give calcium through a calcium perch, bell or cuttlebone instead, such as the Trimming Calcium Perch (https://petsville.com.au/products/avian-care-trimming-calcium-perch-140mm-small). Jendays need vitamin D to absorb calcium, and the sunlight they need for it doesn’t pass through window glass. For indoor birds, use a calcium supplement with vitamin D such as Vetafarm Soluvite D (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-soluvite-d-25g).
What Size Cage Does a Jenday Conure Need?
A Jenday Conure needs a cage of at least about 90cm long, 60cm wide and 60cm high, and bigger is always better.
Jendays need more room than a cockatiel, and a cramped cage can make them bored and cranky, which can lead to feather plucking. Choose a strong, powder coated or stainless steel cage, as conures are keen chewers. Add natural perches of different thicknesses, a sturdy swing, a ladder and at least 4 toys, and rotate the toys weekly. A play stand or play gym gives your Jenday time out of the cage every day. Try the Bainbridge Chew Me! Swing (https://petsville.com.au/products/bainbridge-chew-me-swing), the Natural Chew Toy (https://petsville.com.au/products/nat-island-natural-chew-toy-birds) and the Shred and Find Foraging Toy (https://petsville.com.au/products/shred-find-foraging-toy-small). Our small parrot checklist ([ADD SMALL PARROT CHECKLIST LINK]) lists everything you need.
How Do You Keep a Jenday Conure Healthy?
Keep a Jenday Conure healthy with a varied diet, a clean cage, fresh water every day, plenty of enrichment, regular worming, mite and lice treatment, and avian vet check ups.
Feather picking is the most common problem in Jendays, and it’s often caused by boredom, so give them plenty of foraging, chewing and play. Our Feather Plucking page (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-bird-advice-and-training/feather-plucking/) explains more. Worm every 6 months for indoor birds with a wormer such as Vetafarm Wormout Gel (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-wormout-gel-50ml), and treat for mites and lice every 3 months with Avitrol Mite and Lice Spray (https://petsville.com.au/products/fidos-avitrol-bird-mite-and-lice-spray-125ml). A Jenday that sits fluffed up and quiet may be unwell, so see an avian vet. Our Common Bird Illnesses page (https://birdsville.net.au/common-bird-illnesses/) lists the warning signs.
A Tip From Our Staff
When you first bring a young Jenday home, sprinkle some seed and pellets on the cage floor as well as filling the bowls, and keep it up for the first couple of weeks. A newly weaned conure is still learning to find its feeders in a new cage, and food on the floor makes sure it keeps eating while it settles in.
How Do Jenday Conures Breed?
Jenday Conures nest in tree hollows in the wild, and in captivity they breed in a tall vertical nest box, laying 3 to 6 eggs per clutch.
The World Parrot Trust (https://parrots.org/encyclopedia/jandaya-conure/) suggests a nest box of about 30 x 30 x 56cm. The hen incubates the eggs for about 26 days, and the chicks fledge at around 8 to 9 weeks, with both parents feeding them. Conures are seasonal breeders and breed in the warmer months, so most babies arrive between spring and autumn. Give breeding pairs plenty of fresh food, sprouted seed and a calcium and vitamin D supplement.
How Do You Tell a Male Jenday Conure From a Female?
Male and female Jenday Conures look the same, so DNA testing is the reliable way to sex them.
Some keepers find males have a slightly larger, flatter head, but this isn’t reliable on its own. DNA testing is simple and affordable, and both sexes make wonderful pets.
How Does Sydney’s Weather Affect Jenday Conures?
Jenday Conures come from warm, tropical Brazil, so they love Sydney’s summers but need shade, water and protection from cold winter draughts.
On hot days, keep the cage out of direct afternoon sun and offer a bath or a gentle mist of water, which most conures enjoy. In winter, keep the cage away from cold draughts and air conditioning vents, and cover it at night. Indoor birds get even less sunlight in winter, so keep up the vitamin D supplement.
Jenday Conure Frequently Asked Questions
Are Jenday Conures loud?
Yes, Jenday Conures are loud parrots with a shrill, raucous call, and they call often, especially in the morning and evening. Plenty of attention, foraging toys and time out of the cage help keep noise at a normal level, but Jendays may not suit apartments or neighbours who are sensitive to noise.
How long do Jenday Conures live?
Jenday Conures can live 20 to 30 years with good care. A varied diet of seed, pellets and fresh food, a roomy cage, plenty of enrichment, regular worming and avian vet check ups all help them live a long, healthy life. Plan for a long commitment before bringing one home.
Are Jenday Conures good pets?
Yes, Jenday Conures make wonderful pets for the right home. They’re playful, cuddly and intelligent, and they bond with the whole family. They do need daily attention, plenty of toys and a roomy cage, and they’re loud, so they suit owners who are home often and don’t mind a noisy bird.
Can Jenday Conures talk?
Jenday Conures can learn some words and phrases, but they’re not known as strong talkers. They’re better at learning tricks and copying sounds they hear often. Talk to your Jenday every day and repeat the same words, and choose one for its fun, affectionate personality rather than its talking.
What is the difference between a Jenday and a Sun Conure?
Jenday and Sun Conures are close relatives of about the same size. Sun Conures are mostly yellow and orange all over, while Jendays have green wings and a green back, with a yellow head and orange red chest. Both are playful, affectionate and loud, and they need the same care.
Can I buy or adopt a Jenday Conure in Sydney?
Yes. Birdsville sells hand raised Jenday Conures and rehomes adult Jendays from time to time at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria. Call (02) 9669 1766 to check what we have, or follow our social media to see new arrivals and rehoming birds as they come in.
Where Can I Buy or Adopt a Jenday Conure in Sydney?
Birdsville sells and rehomes Jenday Conures from time to time, at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney, and we stock everything you need to care for them. Visit us or call (02) 9669 1766 to check what we have in. We’re open 9:30am to 5:30pm weekdays, 10am to 5pm Saturday and 10am to 4pm Sunday, with parking out the front and directions on our Contact page (https://birdsville.net.au/contact-birdsville/). Live birds are collected in store only. Follow us on TikTok ([ADD TIKTOK LINK]), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) for live updates on babies and rehoming birds. To adopt, see Sydney Pet Bird Rescue (https://birdsville.net.au/re-homing-parrot-adoption/).
Caring for another conure? See our How to Care for Green Cheek Conures page ([ADD GREEN CHEEK CARE PAGE LINK]).
Petsville (https://petsville.com.au/) ships conure food and supplies anywhere in Australia, including our Birdsville Blends. Seed can’t be sent to WA or Tasmania because of quarantine laws.
Popular Jenday Conure supplies on Petsville:
Birdsville Blends Tropical Small Parrot (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-tropical-small-parrot-500g)
Vetafarm South American Pellets (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-south-american-mix-350g)
Vetafarm Soluvite D (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-soluvite-d-25g)
Bainbridge Chew Me! Swing (https://petsville.com.au/products/bainbridge-chew-me-swing)
Shred and Find Foraging Toy (https://petsville.com.au/products/shred-find-foraging-toy-small)
Avitrol Mite and Lice Spray (https://petsville.com.au/products/fidos-avitrol-bird-mite-and-lice-spray-125ml)
About Birdsville
Birdsville has been at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015 since 1985, and we believe we’re now the oldest bricks and mortar bird shop still trading in Australia. Owner Ash brings experience from vet clinics and from the Rainforest Habitat in Port Douglas, now Wildlife Habitat. We’re a small business that does things in a big way. Nobody tells us how to run things, so we keep our products the best of the best.
Sources
Size, weight, lifespan, range, habitat, wild diet, breeding and relation to Sun Conures: Wikipedia, Jandaya Parakeet
Personality, noise, talking, cage size and feather picking: Lafeber, Jenday Conure species profile
Clutch, fledging and nest box size: World Parrot Trust, Jandaya Conure
Diet, calcium, worming and settling in advice: the Birdsville team
Product details: Petsville product listings
