Amazon Parrots

Amazon parrots are a diverse group of birds belonging to the genus Amazona, which includes approximately 30 recognized species and numerous subspecies. Amazons are native to both Central and South America. These birds are well known for their engaging personalities and remarkable vocal abilities. One of the most impressive traits of Amazon parrots is their talking ability. These birds are like feathered linguists, picking up words and phrases with ease. From "hello" to "I love you," Amazon parrots can mimic human speech with surprising accuracy, and sometimes it can seem like you are definitely having a conversation with your feathered friend.

The following 10 species/subspecies are the most commonly found in avian homes.

1. Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica - with 3 subspecies) - Length 12 ½ inches with a basic plumage color of green. The brow and crown coloring are an irregular blue and yellow, and their cheeks are yellow. The outer edges of their wings are yellow-green with red. Their beak is mainly horn-colored and darker at the tip. The Orange Wing Amazon is often considered a family Amazon with a good-natured personality and fun-loving attitude. Orange Wings are quite capable of becoming good talkers. Orange Wings are sometimes confused with Blue Front Amazons, so prospective Amazon owners should learn the differences between the two species.
2. Blue-Fronted Amazon (Amazona aestiva - with 2 subspecies) - Length 14 inches with a basic body color of green. The forehead contains a bright blue and yellow crown, and the front edge of their wings is red and may contain some yellow. There is some red at the base of the tail feathers, and their beaks are black. On the subspecies Amazona aestiva xanthopteryx, the bend of the wing is yellow, sometimes mixed with red. Blue Fronts can be very good talkers and are usually even-tempered and friendly with all their humans if socialized early on.
3. Lilac-crowned or Finsch Amazon (Amazona finschi - with 2 subspecies) - Length of 13 inches with reddish-brown forehead and a crown with a bluish/lilac colored half-moon shaped band. These Amazons have a fair talking ability with good temperaments in avian families.
4. Red-lored Amazon (Amazona autumnalis - with 4 subspecies) - Length 13 inches with a forehead of scarlet red. Their crown and some neck feathers are bright blue, and their cheeks are yellow with some red and blue-black coloring on the wings. Their beak is a dark horn color. There are some color variations in the subspecies with one lacking the yellow cheek coloring. These beautiful, often shy Amazons exhibit a mild-mannered personality and a fair potential for talking, making them a good choice for avian families.
   
5. Mealy Amazon (Amazona farinosa - with 5 subspecies) - Length 15 ½ inches of basically green coloration dusted with gray. Some feathering on the crown is yellow, and their wing edges are red with a yellow-green band at the end of the tail. The beak is a dark a horn color. The subspecies Amazona farinosa inornata lacks the yellow on the crown, and another subspecies has a bluish colored neck and crown. Although not quite as common as some of the other Amazons, Mealies are often considered one of the gentlest Amazons. Although also considered a little on the loud side, they make up for it in their easygoing dispositions and can be great family additions.
6. Green-Cheeked, Red-Crowned or Mexican Red-headed Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis) - A very colorful Amazon that goes by 3 different names. Length 13 inches with a bright red crown, forehead and lores, a half-moon shaped blue-violet band extends into the cheek area. Primary coverts are blue and red with a yellow colored beak. I consider these Amazons somewhat on the loud side, but fair talkers and very sweet natured birds.  Bonnie was an older parrot when I brought her home. She didn't talk human talk much, but she definitely excelled with her very, very sweet and gentle nature. Immature Green-cheeks are often confused with Lilac-crowned Amazons so prospective buyers should make sure they know the difference before purchasing.
   
7. White-fronted, White-browed or Spectacled Amazon (Amazona albifrons - with 3 subspecies) - Only about 10 inches in length with a white forehead and a blue-green crown. The feathering around the eye area is red and the wing edges are red. The beak is a yellowish color. These Amazons are considered fair talkers also.
   
8. Yellow-Crowned Amazon (Amazona ochrocephala - with 9 subspecies) - Average length of 13 ½ inches with bright red wing edging. The underside of the tail is a yellow-green color with a red spot at the base of each tail feather. The beak is a dark gray color, and the base and a portion of the upper mandible is a pink color. One subspecies has a forehead of yellow and a horn-colored darker pointed beak. Two of the subspecies have yellow necks and horn-colored beaks and are larger than the nominate at 15 and 16 inches in size. Yellow Crowns can become very good talkers.
   
9. & 10. Two of the subspecies of the above Yellow-crowned Amazon are two of the most well-known of all Amazons. First is the Yellow-naped Amazon (Amazona ochrocephala auropalliata) and second is the Double Yellow-headed Amazon (Amazona ochrocephala oratrix). Males of both these groups have a reputation for being the "bad boys". Adult Yellow Napes and Double Yellow Heads in full hormonal season of breeding would be Amazons to pay attention to because they can in fact become quite hard to handle at times. Females in these groups can be slightly less aggressive during breeding season, although one should not be lulled into a sense of get a female, never have a problem. As a former breeder of Yellow Napes, I find them to be the most enjoyable fun loving clowns of all the Amazons I know. Not all male Yellow Napes and Double Yellow Heads become aggressive maniacs, not all females stay sweet. Each bird is an individual. I also find these Amazons unsurpassed in talking ability among Amazons. My Yellow Nape Shasta, has a vocabulary of around 400 words. She sings full verses of 6+ songs and can sing them perfectly word for word, or often loves to mix them up and sing silly songs like "We wish you a Merry Jingle Bell" or "Old MacDonald had a doggie in the window, arf arf" and then looks around to see if anyone heard her new song. She's a big show-off and loves being the center of attention. Shasta's sister, Sweet Pea, also has a huge vocabulary, and I hear the two of them singing almost in competition at times.

Amazons vary in size from about 10 inches to almost 18 inches and can be very long-lived, with reports of Amazons living to be 100 years old or more. Males are often larger and heavier at maturity than females. Depending on the species and sex, Amazons can weigh anywhere from 300 to 650 grams. As noted above, some species have more than one common name, and sometimes it can get a little confusing trying to figure out what kind of Amazon you are looking at. Although each Amazon is an individual, some species are known for certain mannerisms, abilities, or problems, and anyone interested in adding an Amazon to their family should read and research as much as possible before purchasing one. Amazons are fun loving clowns who tend to go with the flow enabling them to become great members of a family. They like to be where the action is and will require nice roomy cages and lots of toys to beat up, chew on, seek and destroy, preen and just bully sometimes.

Amazons can be quite vocal each morning and evening as they announce their joy at life and are not considered quiet birds. Providing them with lots of playful activity during the day can sometimes help tone down the noise level. Amazon Parrots should be well socialized from an early age to help them remain handeable by more than one person. My old man PJ the Blue Front Amazon, has never exhibited any aggression during any season of the year towards me. He does become more vocal and more destructive towards his toys during springtime, but not aggressive towards his humans. On the other hand, Ronnie, our older rescued old Yellow Nape, can display a bad temper without any provocation during certain times of the year. Amazons are often considered the honest parrot, because once you learn their body language, they will always warn you when they are in a bad mood. You just need to be paying attention, always.

Many Amazons tend to become a little overweight with age, so not only is parrot play important, but their diet should be varied and structured to help prevent obesity. Vitamin A deficiency and Fatty Liver Disease are often seen in older Amazons, so a good, varied, nutritious diet is very important. Adding dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, dandelion greens, to their diet helps provide extra Vitamin A. Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and bell peppers are high in beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A as well.

Amazons can have a very strong personality, and when they want something, they want what they want when they want it. They are very intelligent parrots and can be demanding, loud, destructive, loving, silly, playful, full of songs and conversations, and definitely an expressive individual. Although Amazons are not for everyone, if you choose to share your life with one, it can be the most rewarding experience ever.