St. Vincent Amazon

The St. Vincent Amazon, also known as St. Vincent Parrot is a large, approximately 40 cm long, multi-colored amazon parrot with a yellowish white, blue and green head, greenish-bronze upperparts plumage, and violet blue-green wings.

Description

40 cm (16 in) long, mostly green, multi-colored amazon parrot with a yellowish white, blue and green head, greenish-bronze upperparts, grey feet, reddish eye, and violet blue-green wings. Its tail feathers are blue with broad yellow tips. There is a less yellow-brown morph and a less common green morph. It has grey feet and reddish eyes. Both sexes are similar. The young has lighter plumage and brown iris.

Range

The St. Vincent Amazon is endemic to moist hill forests of the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent in the Lesser Antilles. Its diet consists mainly of fruits, nuts, flowers and seeds. The female usually lays one to two eggs.

Conservation and status

The Nicholas Wildlife Aviary Complex, located within the Botanic Gardens St. Vincent maintains a vital captive breeding and conservation program to conserve the St Vincent Parrot.

Due to ongoing habitat loss, very small population size, limited range on one island, trapping for cage bird trade and occasional natural disasters, the St. Vincent Parrot is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I and II of CITES.

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Vinaceous-breasted Amazon

The Vinaceous-breasted Amazon, is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Description

The Vinaceous-breasted Amazon is colourful parrot 30 cm (12 in) long. It is mostly green, with a red forehead, bluish nape, and a vinous-maroon breast.

Range

The Vinaceous-breasted Amazon has become rare. It inhabits several areas within Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

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Orange-winged Amazon

The Orange-winged Amazon, also known locally as Orange-winged Parrot and Loro Guaro, is a large Amazon parrot. It is a resident breeding bird in tropical South America, from Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago south to Peru and central Brazil. Its habitat is forest and semi-open country. Although common, it is persecuted as an agricultural pest and by capture for the pet trade (over 66,000 captured in the years 1981-1985). It is also hunted as a food source.

Description

The Orange-winged Amazon is a mainly green parrot about 33 cm (13 in) long and weighing about 340 gm. It has blue and yellow feathers on its head which varies in extent between individuals. The upper mandible is partly horn coloured and partly dark-grey. It has orange feathers in the wings and tail, which can be seen when in flight. The male and female are identical in external appearance.

Behaviour

Diet and feeding

The Orange-winged Amazon is a noisy bird and makes loud, high-pitched screams. It eats fruit and seeds, including the fruit of palm trees and sometimes cocoa. It roosts communally in palm and other trees, and large numbers can be seen at the roost sites at dawn and dusk. It is becoming common as a feral bird in the Miami, Florida area, and there are colonies in London, England.

Breeding

The Orange-winged Amazon nests in tree cavities. The eggs are white and there are usually three to four in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 26 days and the chicks leave the nest about 60 days after hatching.

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Yellow-headed Amazon

The Yellow-headed Amazon, also known as the Yellow-headed Parrot, Double Yellow-headed Amazon, etc., is an endangered amazon parrot of Mexico and northern Central America. Measuring 38–43 cm (15–17 in) in length, it is a stocky short-tailed green parrot with a yellow head. It prefers to live in mangrove forests or forests near rivers or other bodies of water. It is often considered a subspecies of the Yellow-crowned Amazon. It is a popular pet and an excellent talker.

Description

The Yellow-headed Amazon averages 35–38 cm (14–15 in) long. The shape is typical of amazons, with a robust build, rounded wings, and a square tail. The body is bright green, with yellow on the head, dark scallops on the neck, red at the bend of the wing, and yellow thighs. The flight feathers are blackish to bluish violet with a red patch on the outer secondaries. The base of the tail also has a red patch, which is usually hidden. The outer tail feathers have yellowish tips.

The bill is horn-colored, darker in immatures of the Belizean and Honduran subspecies. The eye ring is whitish in Mexican birds and grayish in others. The most conspicuous geographical difference is the amount of yellow. In adults, the head and upper chest are yellow in the subspecies of the Tres Marías Islands in the Mexican state of Nayarit (tresmariae); just the head in the widespread subspecies of Mexico (oratrix); just the crown in Belize, Guatemala, and far northwestern Honduras (belizensis); and the crown and nape in the Sula Valley of Honduras (hondurensis, which thus resembles the Yellow-naped Parrot). Immatures have less yellow than adults; they attain adult plumage in 2 to 4 years.

The variety "Magna" (or "Magnum") is bred for more yellow and commands a premium price as a pet. Some "extreme" Magnas have as much yellow as Tres Marías birds, but are distinguished from them by heavier barring on the chest and a less bluish tint to the green plumage.

Wild birds give low-pitched, sometimes human-sounding screams, but often fly silently (unlike many other parrots). Howell and Webb render some calls as "a rolled kyaa-aa-aaah and krra-aah-aa-ow, a deep, rolled ahrrrr or ahrhrrrr," etc. Young birds make a "clucking" sound to indicate that they are hungry.

Distribution and habitat

This species lives in riparian forest and areas with scattered trees, as well as evergreen forest in Belize and mangroves in Guatemala. It occurs in singly or in pairs, in small groups, and occasionally in big flocks. The range formerly included both coastal slopes of Mexico from the Tres Marías Islands and Jalisco to Oaxaca and from Nuevo León to northern Chiapas and southwestern Tabasco, as well as a disjunct area including most of Belize, and another comprising a small part of northeastern Guatemala and northwestern Honduras. However, their numbers have been reduced drastically—by 90 percent, to 7,000, from the mid 1970s to 1994, and by 68 percent from 1994 to 2004—because of capture for the pet trade and habitat destruction.

Introduced populations can be found in Stuttgart, Germany where a population of over 50 individuals resides. Smaller introduced populations are to found at Imperial Beach, San Diego and Santa Anna both in Southern California.

Qualities as pets

Albeit it is only lawful to keep captive-bred Yellow-headed Amazons, these are widely available (if somewhat expensive) and their personalities make them highly desirable pets; they have been kept as such for centuries because they are among the parrots that "talk" best. Their vocal abilities are generally bested only by the African Grey Parrot and matched by similar species, such as the Yellow-naped Parrot.

As in most amazons, nervous plucking of plumage is rare among this species. A generally recognized disadvantage of the Yellow-headed Amazon and its close relatives (such as the Yellow-naped Amazon) is hormonal aggressiveness, most notable among males in the breeding season. It is a member of the "Hot Three", along with the Yellow-Naped and Blue Front.

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Yellow-naped Amazon

The Yellow-naped Parrot or Yellow-naped Amazon is an Amazon parrot now often considered to be a subspecies of Yellow-crowned Amazon, Amazona ochrocephala (Gmelin, 1788).

It is found along the Pacific coast from southern Mexico south to northern Costa Rica. It is distinguished by its green forehead and crown and a yellow band across the lower nape and hindneck. The bill is dark grey and is paler towards the base of the upper mandible. The feet are also dark grey.

In common with many parrot species, it feeds on nuts, berries, seeds, and fruit.

Deforestation is reducing the number of these parrots in the wild together with illegal removal of young for the pet trade. This parrot readily mimics sounds, and in captivity this includes humans, which is probably the reason it is popular in the pet trade. Like all parrots, however, mimic abilities vary greatly between individuals and species.

A rare blue mutation of the Yellow-naped Amazon is known to exist, in which the entire body is turquoise in color.

In captivity

Yellow-naped Amazons are highly sought after for their talking ability and playful personalities. They are also known for nest-protective behaviors that often lead them to bite. This is particularly common in, but not limited to, males during breeding season.

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Panama Amazon

The Panama Amazon, also known as the Panama Yellow-headed Amazon, is a subspecies of the Yellow-crowned Amazon, and is endemic to Panama (including the Pearl Islands and Coiba) and northwest Colombia. In aviculture, it is sometimes listed as a separate species (Amazona panamensis). Adults are 12 to 13 inches in length, bright green with a yellow area on the forehead, and a horn-colored beak, sometimes with a dark tip. The beak lacks the reddish hue of the Yellow-crowned Amazon. It is highly sought after as a pet and trapping of wild birds, now illegal, has contributed to population decline. It is difficult to encounter owing to low numbers in the wild and in captivity. Compared to other Amazon Parrots, the Panama is considered to be relatively gentle, and highly talented at speaking, but can but just as noisy.

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Yellow-crowned Amazon

The Yellow-crowned Amazon or Yellow-crowned Parrot, is a species of parrot, native to the tropical South America and Panama. The taxonomy is highly complex, and the Yellow-headed and Yellow-naped Amazon are often considered subspecies of the Yellow-crowned Amazon. Except in the taxonomic section, the following deals only with the nominate group.

Description

Subspecies in the nominate group (including subspecies xantholaema, nattereri and panamensis) have a total length of 33-38 cm (13-15 in). As most other Amazon parrots, it has a short squarish tail and a primarily green plumage. It has dark blue tips to the secondaries and primaries, and a red wing speculum, carpal edge (leading edge of the wing at the "shoulder") and base of the outer tail-feathers. The red and dark blue sections are often difficult to see when the bird is perched, while the red base of the outer tail-feathers only infrequently can be seen under normal viewing conditions in the wild. The amount of yellow to the head varies, with nominate, nattereri and panamensis having yellow restricted to the crown-region (occasionally with a few random feathers around the eyes), while the subspecies xantholaema has most of the head yellow. All have a white eye-ring. They have a dark bill with a large horn or reddish spot on the upper mandible except panamensis, which has a horn coloured beak. Males and females do not differ in plumage. Except for the wing speculum, juveniles have little yellow and red to the plumage.

Habitat and distribution

The Yellow-headed Parrot is found in the Amazon Basin and Guianas, with additional populations in north-western South America and Panama. It is a bird of tropical forest (both humid and dry), woodland, mangroves, savanna and may also be found on cultivated land and suburban areas. In the southern part of its range, it is rarely found far from the Amazon Rainforest. It is mainly a lowland bird, but has locally been recorded up to 800 m (2600 ft) along on the eastern slopes of the Andes.

Behaviour

Food and feeding

They are normally found in pairs or small flocks up to 30, but larger groups may gather at clay licks. Their food includes fruits, nuts, and seeds and berries.

Breeding

The nest is in a hollow in a tree, palm or termitarium, where they lay two to three eggs. The incubation time is about 26 days, and the chicks leave the nest about 60 days from hatching.

Taxonomy

The Amazona ochrocephala complex, which has been described as "a taxonomic headache", is considered a single species by some authorities and split into three species, A. ochrocephala (Yellow-crowned Amazon), A. auropalliata (Yellow-naped Amazon) and A. oratrix (Yellow-headed Amazon), by others. The split is mainly based on the amount of yellow in the plumage, the colour of the legs and bill, the close proximity of the oratrix group and auropalliata group in Oaxaca, Mexico, without apparent interbreeding, and the presence of members of both the nominate group and the auropalliata group in northern Honduras. This evaluation has, however, been confused by misunderstandings regarding the plumage variations in the populations in northern Honduras, where birds vary greatly in amount of yellow on the head, crown and nape, but have pale bills and a juvenile plumage matching the oratrix group, but neither the nominate nor the auropalliata group. The taxon caribaea from the Bay Islands is a member of the auropalliata group, and occurs in relatively close proximity to the members of the oratrix group. As caribaea may have a relatively pale lower mandible, this could indicating a level of gene flow between this and the nearby taxa of the oratrix group. If confirmed, this could suggest that the two are better considered conspecific. Alternatively, it has been suggested that caribaea and parvipes, both typically placed in the auropalliata group, may be closer to the oratrix than they are to the auropalliata sensu stricto. Both are relatively small and have red to the shoulder as in the members of the oratrix group, but unlike auropalliata sensu stricto. The members of this complex are known to hybridize in captivity, and recent phylogenetic analysis of DNA did not support the split into the three "traditional" biological species, but did reveal three clades, which potentially could be split into three phylogenetic species: A Mexican and Central American species (incl. panamensis, which extends slightly into South America), a species of northern South America (northern nominate), and a species from the southern Amazon Basin (nattereri, xantholaema and southern nominate). The members of the clade from the southern Amazon Basin should arguably be included as subspecies of the Blue-fronted Amazon, as they are closer to each other than to the two northern clades. Disregarding the problem of northern and southern nominate being part of different clades, and that the southern Amazon Basin clade possibly belongs under the Blue-fronted Amazon, the following taxa are part of the Amazona ochrocephala complex:

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Blue-fronted Amazon

The Blue-fronted Amazon, also called the Turquoise-fronted Amazon and Blue-fronted Parrot, is a South American species of Amazon parrot and one of the most common Amazon parrots kept in captivity as a pet or companion parrot. Its common name derives from the distinctive blue marking on its head just above its beak.

Description

The Blue-fronted Amazon is a mainly green parrot about 38 cm (15 in) long. They have blue feathers on the forehead above the beak and yellow on the face and crown. Distribution of blue and yellow varies greatly among individuals. Unlike most other Amazona parrots, its beak is mostly black. There is no overt sexual dimorphism. Juveniles of all parrots are duller and have dark irises.

Taxonomy

The Blue-fronted Amazon was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae. Its specific epithet is the feminine form of the Latin adjective aestivus, "of the summer". Two subspecies are recognised:

• A. a. aestiva (nominate) is found in eastern Brazil.^[5] The leading edge of the wing ("shoulder") is red.

• A. a. xanthopteryx occurs from northern and eastern Bolivia through adjacent parts of Brazil, to Paraguay and northern Argentina. The "shoulder" is partly or wholly yellow.Generally with more yellow to the head than nominate.

The taxon xanthopteryx has been treated as a separate species, but the two subspecies interbreed freely where they come into contact.

Additionally, there are significant individual variations in both facial pattern and amount of yellow/red to the "shoulder". In one extreme, individuals with essentially no yellow to the head and entirely green "shoulder" are known from north-western Argentina.

Distribution and habitat

The range of the Blue-fronted Amazon extends over eastern and northern Bolivia, eastern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina. It is found in forests (though generally avoids extensive humid forests such as the Amazon), woodland, savanna and palm groves.

A small feral breeding population is also present in the greener regions of Stuttgart in Germany.

Breeding

The Blue-fronted Amazon nests in tree cavities. The oval eggs are white and measure around 38 x 30 mm. There are usually three to five in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 27 days and the chicks leave the nest about 60 days after hatching.

Status

The status of this species is evaluated as Least Concern by BirdLife International. However, while it remains common throughout a significant part of its range, there is evidence of a population decline, and this species has been heavily traded: Since 1981 when it was listed on CITES Appendix II, 413,505 wild-caught individuals have been recorded in international trade (UNEP-WCMC CITES Trade Database, January 2005). Unfortunately regarded as a crop pest in parts of its native range.

Paradoxically, illegal trade may have contributed to expansions of the range of this parrot: It is becoming common in Rio de Janeiro, which is not a part of its historical range, something attributed to the escaping of captive individuals.

Aviculture

The Blue-fronted Amazon is commonly seen as a pet, both in South America and other parts of the world. Their talking ability varies greatly from individual to individual, but some speak nearly as well as the Yellow-headed Amazon group (Yellow-naped, Panama, Yellow-crowned, Double Yellow-headeds. They seem to have a proclivity for singing. They require interaction but also can play with toys contently for several hours at a time. Pets require plenty of toys, perches, and climbing room. As with some other birds, under no circumstances are Blue-fronted Amazons to eat avocado. Some individuals, particularly males, can be aggressive in spring, the mating season.

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Yellow-shouldered Amazon

The Yellow-shouldered Amazon, also known as Yellow-shouldered Parrot is a parrot of the genus Amazona that is a resident breeder in the arid areas of northern Venezuela, the Venezuelan islands of Margarita and La Blanquilla, and the island of Bonaire (Netherlands Antilles). It has become extinct on Aruba and possibly also on Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles).

Description

The Yellow-shouldered Amazon is mainly green and about 33 cm long. It has a whitish forehead and lores, and a yellow crown, ocular region and - often - ear coverts and chin. The bare eye-ring is white. The thighs and the bend of the wing ("shoulder") are yellow, but both can be difficult to see. The throat, cheeks and belly often have a bluish tinge. As most members of the genus Amazona, it has broad dark blue tips to the remiges and a red wing-speculum. Its beak is horn coloured.

In its range the yellow shoulder patch and extensive yellow on the head distinguish the Yellow-shouldered Amazon from other Amazona species, which have red or orange on the shoulder and less yellow on the head (the Orange-winged Amazon, which has as much yellow to the head as some Yellow-shouldered Amazons, has a blue ocular region). However, outside its range, several other Amazona species have as much - or more - yellow on their heads.

Behaviour

The Yellow-shouldered Amazon call is a rolling cur'r'r'k.

Diet and feeding

It feeds on fruits, seeds, and cactus flowers.

Breeding

The Yellow-shouldered Amazon nests in a tree hole and lays 3-4 eggs. It is highly gregarious when not breeding, forming flocks of up to 100 birds.

Status

There are believed to be 2,500–10,000 Yellow-shouldered Amazon parrots in the wild.

Due to ongoing habitat lost, small population size, limited range and overhunting for the cagebird trade, the Yellow-shouldered Amazon is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I and II of CITES.

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Festive Amazon

The Festive Amazon, also known as the Festive Parrot, is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela. It is associated with forest (especially Várzea) and woodland growing near major rivers. Locally it is also found in coastal mangroves (primarily in Amapá).

Description

The subspecies bodini has more red to the forecrown and more blue to the face than the nominate. In flight, both subspecies show deep blue outer wings (outer webs of the primaries and the primary coverts) and a red rump, but the latter is reduced in juveniles.

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Red-tailed Amazon

The Red-tailed Amazon, also known as the Red-tailed Parrot, is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to coastal regions in the south-east Brazilian states of São Paulo and Paraná. The bird has been threatened by habitat loss and capture for the wild bird trade, and is a symbol of the efforts to conserve one of the Earth's most biologically diverse ecosystems. Consequently, it is considered vulnerable by BirdLife International and IUCN. In 1991-92, the population had fallen below 2000 individuals. Following on-going conservation efforts, the most recent estimate suggests a population of around 6600, indicating that this species is recovering from earlier persecution.

Description

Red-tailed Amazons weigh around 425 g (15 oz) and are approximately 35 cm (14 in) long. As expected from its common name, it has a broad red band on its tail, but as it largely is limited to the inner webs of the feathers, it is mainly visible from below or when the tail is spread open. Additionally, the tail has a broad yellow tip, and the outer rectrices are dark purplish-blue at the base. The remaining plumage is green, while the throat, cheeks and auriculars are purple-blue, the forecrown is red, and the retrices are broadly tipped dark blue. It has a yellowish bill with a blackish tip to the upper mandible, a pale grey eye ring, and orange irises. Juveniles have a duller plumage and a brown irises.

Habitat

The Red-tailed Amazon is associated with the Atlantic Forest system, and lives in forests, woodlands and mangroves near the coast. This species is almost entirely restricted to lowlands, typically occurring at altitudes below 200 meters (650 ft) above sea-level, though sometimes reaching altitudes up to 700 m (23000 ft) (BirdLife International).

Behavior

Red-tailed Amazons are usually found in pairs or flocks, which occasionally may number several hundred individuals in the non-breeding season. It primarily roosts and breeds on coastal islands, but most of the foraging takes place on the nearby mainland, where the birds forage mainly for fruits, but their diet also includes seeds, flowers, nectar, and, rarely, insects.

Breeding

The Red-tailed Amazon breeds in mangrove and coastal forests on islands. The breeding season lasts from September to February, where the parrots lay 3-4 eggs in a natural tree-cavities. The incubation period is 27 to 28 days, and the fledging period an additional 50 to 55 days. (ARKive).

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Blue-cheeked Amazon

The Blue-cheeked Amazon, also known as Blue-cheeked Parrot or Dufresne's Amazon, is a parrot found in northeast South America in eastern Venezuela, the Guianas and possibly far northern Brazil. It lives in forest and savanna woodlands up to 1700 m.

It is about 34 cm. Its coloring is mostly green, with blue cheeks from around the eye to the neck (less on young), a yellow-orange wing speculum, a yellowish crown, and orange lores (the region between the eye and bill on the side of a bird's head).

The binomial of this species commemorates the French zoologist Louis Dufresne. Now monotypic, it formerly included the Red-browed Amazon as a subspecies.

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Lilacine Amazon

The Lilacine Amazon, also known as the Ecuadorian Red-lored Amazon, is an Amazon parrot native to Ecuador in South America. A subspecies of the Red-lored Amazon, the Lilacine Amazon is generally smaller than its fellow subspecies, with a black beak and more subdued coloring. Lilacine Amazons are said to make favorable companion parrots because of their gentle, affectionate nature and agreeable temperament.

Description

The Lilacine Amazon is a small parrot, approximately 34 cm long when mature, with primarily green plumage. Like the Red-lored Amazon, it has red lores and yellow cheeks; its distinguishing features include a fully black beak, and lilac-tipped feathers on its crown.

Behavior

The Lilacine Amazon is known for its gentle and timid nature. In the wild it avoids confrontation with intruders, opting to seek cover in nearby foliage until danger has passed. It usually spends time in small- to medium-sized groups, with which it roosts at night; many birds pair off monagamously within the larger group, and they are most frequently seen flying in pairs

Diet

The diet of the Lilacine Amazon consists primarily of fruits, nuts, berries, and seeds. Like most parrots, it possesses a powerful beak; its dexterous tongue also helps to break down and consume a diverse suite of foodstuffs.

Breeding

Sexual maturity is reached at three or four years of age. Like most parrots, the Lilacine Amazon is a monogamous breeder and a cavity nester. The hen will lay two to four eggs in a tree cavity and incubate them for a period of three weeks; the young fledge about two months after hatching.

As with many other parrots, the male will keep the female and chicks nourished during their time in the nest by consuming additional food and regurgitating it for them.

Distribution and habitat

The Lilacine Amazon is native to the tropical forests of western Ecuador north of the Gulf of Guayaquil, extending to Nariño in extreme south-western Colombia adjacent to the Ecuadorian border, where it intersects with the subspecies A. a. salvini.

Aviculture

Lilacine Amazons have become well-regarded as companion parrots, intelligent with a personality often described as gentle, affectionate, and loyal. In captivity, they enjoy the company of people, and will often form a strong bond with their owner. They are not known as exceptional talkers, but most individuals are able to learn to mimic at least a few phrases.

The Lilacine Amazon has only recently become popular and common in the pet trade, formerly being quite rare. At least one captive breeding program has been established in Europe to increase the bird's numbers.

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Red-lored Amazon

The Red-lored Amazon or Red-lored Parrot is a species of Amazon parrot, native to tropical regions of the Americas, from eastern Mexico south to Ecuador, with a disjunct population in central Brazil, where it occurs in humid evergreen to semi-deciduous forests up to 1,100 m altitude. It is absent from the Pacific side of Central America north of Costa Rica. Not originally known from El Salvador, a pair - perhaps escaped from captivity - nested successfully in 1995 and 1996 in the outskirts of San Salvador and the species might expand its range permanently into that country in the future.

Description

It is 32–35 cm (13 in) long, with a weight of 310–480 g. The plumage is primarily green, with red forehead and in some subspecies yellow cheeks (sometimes with red spots). The crown is blue. Adult males and females do not differ in plumage. Juveniles have less yellow on cheeks, less red on forehead, and dark irises.

Taxonomy

There are four subspecies:

• Amazona autumnalis autumnalis (Linnaeus, 1758). Caribbean coasts from eastern Mexico south to northern Nicaragua.
• Amazona autumnalis salvini (Salvadori, 1891). Northern Nicaragua south to Colombia and Venezuela.
• Amazona autumnalis lilacina (Lesson, 1844), the Lilacine Amazon. Western Ecuador.
• Amazona autumnalis diadema (Spix, 1824), the Diademed Amazon. Lower Rio Negro area, central Brazil.

Behaviour

Food and feeding

Their food includes fruits, nuts and seeds.

Breeding

The Blue-fronted Amazon nests in tree cavities. The eggs are white and there are usually three or four in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 26 days and the chicks leave the nest about 60 days after hatching.

Status

In some areas, notably parts of Mexico and Venezuela, the Red-lored Amazon has become rare through trapping for the cagebird trade. On the other hand, it seems to be able to adapt to human-altered habitat to a considerable degree.

Aviculture

Red-lored Amazons are fairly common pet parrots in the Americas. They can be devoted pets and some make fairly good talkers. Like most Amazon parrots they often have a tendency to vocalize loudly, and sometimes to bite. Their behavior ranges from being quiet and curious to being aggressive, this can all be changed by basic training when the bird is of young age.

Avocado and eggplant are poisonous to them (as they are for many parrots and other animals).

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Lilac-crowned Amazon

The Lilac-crowned Amazon, is a parrot endemic to the Pacific slopes of Mexico. Also known as Finsch's Amazon, the parrot is characterized by green plumage, a maroon forehead, and violet-blue crown. Their coloring resembles that of the Red-crowned Amazon Amazona viridigenalis, though the Lilac-crowned Amazon is less vibrant.

In 2006 BirdLife International classified this species as Vulnerable.

The binomial of this bird commemorates the German naturalist and explorer Otto Finsch.

Description

Lilac-crowned Amazon is medium sized mainly green parrot. It has a maroon forehead, a violet-blue crown, and a bone colored beak. They resemble the Red-crowned Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis) though the Lilac-crowned Amazon is less vibrant.

Feral populations

There are feral populations of this bird in several counties in southern California. It has been observed in residential and suburban areas, but also in native coniferous forest in the San Gabriel Mountains, California, USA.

Aviculture

Hand reared Lilac-crowned Amazons can be quite friendly in captivity and can learn quite a vocabulary, even though they are not known as talkers. They make good companion parrots.

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Red-crowned Amazon

The Red-crowned Amazon, also known as Red-crowned Parrot, Green-cheeked Amazon, or Mexican Red-headed Parrot, is an endangered Amazon parrot native to northeastern Mexico. The current native wild population of between 1,000 and 2,000 is decreasing. The main threats to its survival are the illegal export of trapped birds from Mexico to the United States and the destruction of habitat.

Description

Their appearance is generally green with the most notable features being a bright red forehead and crown, dark blue streaks behind the eyes, and light green cheeks.

Range

Their natural range is across the lowlands of northeastern Mexico. Feral birds have been introduced to urban communities of southern California and southern Florida. Birds in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas may be either feral or vagrants from Mexico.

Behaviour

They gather in large flocks being noisiest in the morning and evening. The characteristic screeching heard of these birds usually occurs when they travel in a large flock to a new feeding area. Diet consists of seeds, fruits, flowers and nectar. Red-crowned Amazons nest in tree cavities like most other parrots.

Aviculture

This parrot is often kept as a pet and can be very affectionate and playful when given the attention they need from their owners. Although some are excellent talkers, they are best at mimicking sounds.

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Red-spectacled Amazon

The Red-spectacled Amazon is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, dry savanna, and plantations . It is threatened by habitat loss.

Description

The Red-spectacled Amazon is 32 cm (12.5 in) long. It is mostly green with some sparse red spots on head, variable extent of red on forehead, lores and around eyes, white eyerings, red on the bend of the wings with blue tips to secondaries and primaries, yellowish bill. Females have less red on the bend of the wing.

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Tucuman Amazon

The Tucumán Amazon, is a medium-sized species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is mainly green and has red at the front of its head above its pale beak. It is found in woodland in the Yungas of Argentina and Bolivia. It is threatened by habitat loss and capture for the parrot trade.

Description

The Tucumán Amazon is a mostly green short tailed parrot 31 cm (12 in) long. The green feathers of the upper-body have black margins. There is red plumage on the forehead and fore-crown, and the red does not extend around the white eye-rings. It has red primary wing feathers and no red at the bend of the wing. It has orange thighs and red at base of the green tail. They have a horn coloured beak, orange-yellow irises, and pinkish-grey legs. The male and female are identical in external appearance. Juveniles have less red on the head, green primary wing feathers, green thighs, and grey irises.

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Black-billed Amazon

The Black-billed Amazon, is a parrot endemic to Jamaica. Sometimes called the Black-billed Parrot, this Amazon parrot is mostly green with small patches of red on the wing and sometimes flecked on the head. Its bill makes it easy to separate from most other Amazons, including the Yellow-billed Amazon, which also lives in Jamaica.

The Black-billed Amazon lives in mountainous rainforest, usually limestone rainforest, feeding on fruit, seeds, and nuts, and will take cultivated fruit like mangos, papayas and cucumbers as well as wild fruits.

The Black-billed Amazon was once as common as the Yellow-billed Amazon, but has become much rarer due to deforestation and hurricane damage fragmenting its forest, poaching for food and the pet trade in wild parrots.

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White-fronted Amazon

The White-fronted Amazon, also known as the White-fronted Parrot, or adopted slang term Spectacled Amazon Parrot is a Central American species of parrot. Not to be confused with the Red-spectacled Amazon. They also can imitate a range from 30 to 40 different sounds. Like other large parrots, the White-fronted Parrot has a long potential life span, usually around 40 years.

Description

The White-fronted Amazon, at about 25 cm (10 in) long, is among the smallest of the Amazon parrots. This species is named for the bright white patch of feathers on their foreheads, although the amount of white varies from individual to individual. They have mostly green plumage with some blue colouring on their outspread wings. They have bright red coloring around their eyes (in some individuals almost like spectacles) and blue coloring behind the patch of white on their foreheads. Together with the Red-spectacled Amazon and the Yellow-lored Amazon, it is the only Amazon species in which adult males and females easily can be distinguished by external appearance (sexual dimorphism): Males have bright red feathers on their "shoulders" (alula), while females have green "shoulders". Juveniles have pale grey irises and less red on their face and the white area is replaced with a smaller yellowish area

Taxonomy

The species is divided into three subspecies with slight differences in colour and size:

• White-fronted Amazon (A. a. albifrons)
• Lesser White-fronted Amazon (A. a. nana)
• Sonora White-fronted Amazon (A. a. saltuensis)

Distribution and habitat

The White-fronted Amazon is native to Central America and Mexico; and is most often seen in small flocks of up to 20 birds. They are seen in a variety of different habitats from wet regions such as rainforests, to drier areas such as cactus savannahs. In the wild, they are not shy and people are often able to approach them. Flocks may congregate and people have seen groups that number into the hundreds. These groups may also contain flocks from other species such as the Red-lored Amazon.

Breeding

The White-fronted Amazon nests in tree cavities. Their breeding season is usually in the spring, starting in February and ending in the summer (in June and July in most areas). After breeding, the female will lays an average of three to four white eggs. Eggs are incubated for about 26 days and chicks leave the nest at the age of about 60 weeks from hatching.

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