Loading ...The band is a ‘closed band’ (IE: no seam) that is slipped on the tiny foot at two weeks after hatching when the bird is taken from the nest and human-raised. The foot shortly grows larger so the band cannot come off. This is the breeder’s assn. mark, with a date and serial number of the bird. Pepe is a 2014 hatch. The closed-band is a USDA requirement to identify exotic birds as a domestic hatchling, and not an illegal smuggled import. It is Pepe’s passport. In order to ship or transport the bird it must be inspected by USDA. I had to have him inspected and paperwork stamped even before shipping him interisland on air cargo.
Green Cheek Conures such as Pepe are the smallest variety of parrot and are native to the rainforests of Brazil and Argentina in South America.