Species of the Caique

This is the Yellow-Thighed Caique

approx. size: 9 inches/ 23 cm native to: central South America available season: summer
min. cage size: 24' x 24" x 24" talking ability: limited price around: $900.00

The Caique species are extremely popular due to their beautiful coloration and their lively inquisitive personalities. They love to play and are natural clowns! Native to Bolivia and Brazil, this quite beautiful species is also often called the White-Bellied Caique. As all Caique species have white bellies, Yellow-Thighed is a bit more accurate common name. There are other subspecies with green thighs (P.l. leucogaster) and one with a yellow tail (P.l. xanthurus) that are rare in the U. S.
The Yellow-Thighed Caique is somewhat less common in U.S. aviculture than the Black-Headed Caique due to the number of birds imported for breeding stock in the 1970s and 1980s.

There are three subspecies of White bellied/Yellow thighed Caique-
White bellied Caique- Also known as green thighed parrot
Yellow Thighed
Yellow Tailed



The Black Headed Caique- This is actually Siobhan's little guy Beaker!

approx. size: 9 inches/ 23 cm native to: northern South America available season: summer
min. cage size: 24' x 24" x 24" talking ability: limited price: $900.00

Native to several countries in northern South America, the Black-Headed Caique is well-established in U.S. aviculture and is popular both for pets and in aviaries. Caiques are not known for high talking/mimicry ability but I have known several that could mimic a good wolf whistle!

Caiques enjoy chewing fresh green branches and leaves. They enjoy frequent bathing and caiques love to bathe in wet green leafy branches.

There are two sub-species-
Black Headed Caique- East and South of range
Orange legs and undertail, nape deep orange, belly white
Pallid/Parrot Caique- West and North of range.
As Black Headed Caique, except all orange plumage replaced with yellow, breast and abdomen whitish