Amazon parrot
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Amazon parrots
Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica)
Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Psittacinae
Tribe: Arini
Genus: Amazona
Lesson, 1830
Species

Many, see text.1

An Amazon parrot is a large parrot of the genus Amazona native to the New World ranging from South America to Mexico and the Caribbean.

Most amazons are predominantly green, with accenting colors that depend on the species and can be quite vivid. Amazons, like all parrots, are zygodactyl, having four toes on each foot—two front and two back. They feed primarily on nuts and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter.

Amazon parrots, macaws, and the African Grey Parrot are some of the parrots that have a remarkable ability to mimic human speech and other sounds, and partly because of this they are popular as pets or companion parrots most parrots can learn 2000 words. This popularity has lead to many parrots to be taken from the wild to the extent that some species have become threatened. CITES treaties have made trapping wild parrots for the pet trade illegal to protect wild populations.

Contents

Classification

Further information: List of amazon parrots

The taxonomy of the Yellow-crowned Amazon (Amazona ochrocephala complex) is disputed, with some authorities only listing a single species (A. ochrocephala), while others split it into as many as three species (A. ochrocephala, A. auropalliata and A. oratrix). The split is primarily based on differences in extend of yellow to the plumage and the colour of bill and legs. Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA do not support the split.2

Re-classification of the Yellow-faced Parrot

The Yellow-faced Parrot (Alipiopsitta xanthops) was traditionally been placed within this genus of Amazon parrots, but recent research has shown that it is closer to the Short-tailed Parrot and the species from the genus Pionus, resulting in it being transferred to the monotypic genus Alipiopsitta.34

Hypothetical extinct species

Populations of Amazon parrots that lived on the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe are now extinct. It is not known if they were separate species, subspecies, or if they originated form parrots introduced to the islands by Humans, and so they are regarded as hypothetical extinct species. There are no surviving remains of them, and their taxonomy may never be established. Populations of several parrot species were described mainly in the unscientific writings of early travelers, and subsequently scientifically described by several naturalists (to have their names linked to the species that they were proposing) mainly in the twentieth century, with no more evidence than the earlier observations and without specimens.5

Aviculture

The Yellow-headed Amazon, Yellow-naped Amazon, Orange-winged Amazon, and Blue-fronted Amazon are some of the Amazon parrot species, which are commonly kept as pets. Amazon parrots, together with macaws, and the African Grey Parrot are all known for their exceptional vocal abilities, playfulness, and dexterity with their feet. Hand reared parrots are very loyal loving companions, and they can live for 50 years or more in captivity. However, some amazons are aggressive (usually during their mating time), and they all require a lot of attention when kept as pets. Parrots require more attention and care than domesticated pets such as dogs or cats. Parrots are highly intelligent animals. While there are a number of species of birds that can be kept as cage-bird pets with little human attention, tame pet parrots need daily attention to keep them mentally healthy. Parrots are not for the inexperienced bird owner. All parrots need a lot of stimulating activities to keep from being bored and terribly destructive to themselves and their surroundings. In particular, since amazons are cavity nesters in the wild, their desire to chew wood is strong, and they need to be provided with wooden toys.

Gallery

Extant species

Yellow-headed Amazon (Amazona oratrix)

Cuban Amazon (Amazona leucocephala)

Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica)

St. Vincent Amazon (Amazona guildingii)

Male White-fronted Amazon (Amazona albifrons)

Red-crowned Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis)

Lilac-crowned Amazon (Amazona finschi)

Puerto Rican Amazon (Amazona vittata)
Hypothetical extinct species

Martinique Amazon (Amazona martinica)

Guadeloupe Amazon (Amazona violacea)

References

  1. ^ ITIS standard report page: Amazonarecord last updated 1998 (URL accessed May 22, 2006)
  2. ^ Eberhard, J., & E. Bermingham. 2004. Phylogeny and Biogeography of the Amazona ochrocephala (Aves: Psittacidae) Complex. Auk 121(2): 318-332
  3. ^ Duarte JMB and Caparroz R (1995) Cytotaxonomic analysis of Brazilian species of the genus Amazona (Psittacidae, Aves) and confirmation of the genus Salvatoria (Ribeiro, 1920). Braz J Genet 18:623-628.
  4. ^ Russello, M.A. & Amato, G (2004) A molecular phylogeny of Amazona: implications for Neotropical parrot biogeography, taxonomy, and conservation. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 30: 421-437.
  5. ^ a b c Fuller, Errol (1987). Extinct Birds. Penguin Books (England), p. 131. ISBN 0670817972. 
  • Caparroz, R. and J.F. Pacheco, 2006: A homonymy in Psittacidae a new name for Salvatoria Miranda-Ribeiro. Ararajuba: Rev. Brasileira de Ornitologia. V. 14, n 2, pp. 91-93.

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