BEAKS AND FEATHERS Species Profile  

AMAZONS   Amazons (genus Amazona) are one of the largest groups of parrots. In the wild, Amazons range from South American to Northern Mexico and the Caribbean. Their life span is 40 to 50 years, some reported up to 80 years. The Amazon is a stocky-built bird with a short, square tail. Those commonly kept as pets are predominantly green (varying from dark bluish green to a yellow green) with light bone and/or dark gray beaks. Colored head feathers of red, blue, yellow, lavender, and white distinguish one species from another.

They range in size from 10 to 16 inches.   Amazons seem plain at first glance, but that impression quickly changes when they flare into display. In full display, they fan out their tails, revealing stunning red and yellow colors. The Amazon raises his head feathers, dilates his eyes and walks stiff legged. He holds his wings away from his body, drops them slightly, and fans the lower wing feathers revealing dazzling bright feathers. Many Amazon species have eyelashes. If you look closely, you can see the black lashes on a Blue Front.  

Amazons are popular pets because of their beauty, their outgoing and clownish personality, their intelligence and their ability to talk. Their speaking ability is one reason they are popular. Amazons also love music. They will often sing complete songs with all the words on perfect pitch.   Some Amazons can become cantankerous at times, particularly the males, especially during breeding season; during the breeding season/hormonal periods, biting can be more prevalent.   The most popular Amazon species include Blue Front, Yellow Naped, Double Yellow Head, Red Lored, Orange Winged, and Lilac Crowned.  

AMAZON TIDBITS

• “Hot 3” -- Blue Front, Double Yellow Head, and Yellow Naped Amazons: Not “hot” as in popular, but meaning these 3 species in particular can become very aggressive when hormonal.
• Amazons can develop a musky scent.
• Amazons are prone to be “perch potatoes,” watch their diet and encourage play and exercise
• Amazons have the ability to be loud.
• Unlike some parrot species, an Amazon is more a go-with-the-flow bird . If you have a few days that are hectic and can't spend as much time with them, they are perfectly fine.
  

AMAZON PHOTOS

Red Lored Amazons

Yellow Naped