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Here are the Species of Amazons
These are links to read on that species or sub species
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Amazon Information |
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Living with an Amazon By Kristy Garcia
Amazon parrots are very good at talking and imitating sounds. Some people think their talents are rivaled only by the African Grey Parrot. Some will argue the Yellow-Headed Amazons are equal to if not better than the Grey in the talking arena. There has been much debate whether parrots actually communicate or simply mimic their owners. Recent research however, has shown they are very intelligent and can speak in context such as “Alex” the African Grey. Alex can name approximately 40 objects, count how many objects are on a tray, identify seven different colors, and let you know whether two objects are the same or different. Studies put the intelligence of parrots on the same level as dolphins, monkeys and even a 2-4 year old human child! Personality and talking ability will vary from species to species and from bird to bird. Each bird has his/her own unique personality. The only guarantee you are purchasing a bird that can or will talk, is to buy one that already does. A bird's ability to speak and perform tricks are greatly increased by the amount of attention and training given by the owners. Generally, Amazon parrots are reasonably calm and peaceful birds, getting vocal only in the early morning and in the evening as it starts getting dark. They are very social birds and a single parrot can make a wonderful pet if it gets plenty of attention, socialization and training. About the age of 4 or 5 they reach sexual maturity and can be very unpredictable during the “breeding months”. At this time, if the parrot is left alone a lot it may become restless. A female may even start laying infertile eggs. PERSONALITY: My personal experiences with my Amazon, a Yellow-Nape Amazon (YNA), have been terrific! He is very social once he gets to know you and generally has a soft spot for women. He is a little leery of men at first and requires a “warm up” period before he will willingly go to them. Once he knows you, he will consider you HIS personal pet and often tell you to “come ’er”, “step up”. This is a compliment from him since this means he wants you to come to him and pick him up so he can get a closer look and hold a play session with you. Once he is perched on your hand he will not tire in trying to figure out what pleases you. He is a bird that thrives on pleasing others. He will find something funny to say or do to make you laugh and then mock your laugh. He has dozens of different laughs from the people he has met over the years. One of which is a long chuckle followed by “oh my God” at the end of it. He actually has ME laughing in this manner now! DIET: Because of Amazons having a tendency for becoming obese with age, I feed a diet that is somewhat lower in fat than others. I feed about a 40% pellet diet (Zupreme Natural) while the rest of his foods consist of organic fresh fruits and veggies, dehydrated organic veggie and fruit cage mix (http://aviannaturals.com), organic frozen mixed veggies (diced small), various pastas, brown rice, and table food (steamed broccoli, or whatever veggie or pasta we make for dinner) and the occasional small piece of pizza when we have it. For an example of what his daily meals look like click here. I can not tell you though that my Amazon, like most others, does not have the occasional mood swings. He can become entranced and so involved with a toy or treat that NO ONE can or should get near him at that moment. After he snaps out of it he is his loveable, funny, playful, brilliant self again :-) I find that Amazon’s have the easiest body language to read out of all parrots. They hide nothing! If you are bitten by an Amazon, I can assure you that the bird did give you plenty of warning before the bite. If you learn to read an Amazon’s body language, you more than likely will never have a biting issue. There are many sites out there that show the various body language that Amazons will display. Some excellent sites on are listed below. For species specific information there are links above and to the right. · http://www.parrothouse.com/jdoss.html · http://www.thelaughingparrot.com
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Yellow Nape Amazon Owned by Kristy Garcia |
Amazon Quick Facts |
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Genus: Amazona Origin: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay Size: 13-15 inches Cage Size: 23"x 39" or as large as possible. Disposition: Can be territorial at breeding time; love human attention - can be demanding; need structured socialization. Vocalization: Amazons are among the best talkers; can also scream loudly in the morning and at night. Playfulness: Very active and playful; needs many toys, lots of exercise, and mental stimulation. Life Span: 25-50 plus years Age at Maturity: 2-5 years Nesting Sites in the Wild: Hollow in large tree. Breeding Season: October-March Natural Range: Central America, Southern Mexico to Northwestern Costa Rica, Northern Honduras, and the Pine Savannas of Mosquitia. Found in deciduous forest, thorn scrub, open woodland and farmland habitats.
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