White-fronted Amazon

The White-fronted Amazon Amazona albifrons, is also known as the Spectacled Amazon and the White-browed Amazon. It is the is the smallest of the Amazon parrots, but is totally clueless in this regard. It is a favorite pet bird for its attractive plumage, playfulness, and excellent talking ability. This bird will delight and entertain you with its very large and bold personality. This dynamic little amazon is totally unconscious of its small size. The Spectacled Amazon is only about 10 inches (26 cm) long. They are very amusing with their adventuresome antics. They are very agile and avid about chewing, so need lots of toys and places to climb. These Amazons make a good pet for adults and children alike. They are fairly good talkers and are quieter than their larger cousins. Like all amazons though, they can be a bit noisy and may not be suitable for apartment life. The White-fronted Amazon is one of only two of the 27 amazons species that can be sexed visually. The female is similar to the male but without a red edge on the wing. The other amazon that can be visually sexed is the Yellow-lored Amazon Amazona Xantholora, but this parrot is rarely seen in the pet industry. Like most amazons these little birds are very social, enjoying the companionship of people as well as other amazons. They make a wonderful companion. They do need to be well socialized at a young age to different people and new situations, or as they age they can become shy. This can lead to problems of fright and stress, resulting in undesirable behaviors. The White-browed Amazon will form very strong bonds with their owners, becoming fast friends and exhibit total confidence. They are also a hardy robust bird and can do well in either a cage along with an out-of-the-cage playpen, or kept in an aviary.

Red-lored Amazon Parrot

The colorful face of the Red-lored Amazon Amazona autumnalis, also called the Yellow Cheek Amazon, has inspired many enthusiasts to proclaim it the most beautiful of the Amazons. it is readily apparent from this birds pretty face that these common names are quite fitting. Which ever name you prefer, the lores (and forehead) of this decorative Amazon are definitely red and its cheeks are definitely yellow. This beautiful amazon is a pleasant, social parrot that enjoys its human companions. The Red-lored Parrot has an amiable personality, displaying less aggression than many of the other popular amazons. It is regarded as a wonderful pet bird that is gentle, affectionate and loyal. The Yellow Cheek Amazons are intelligent pet birds, quick and humorous at play, and you will enjoy their comical antics. In the wild the Yellow Cheek Amazon is quite noisy within its flock, but in captivity it has been noted that they tend to be much quieter. Still this Amazon can be loud at times. Like all Amazons, they will call out an alert first thing in the morning and then again as the sun is setting. These two periods of the day usually last for about 10 minutes. Yet although the Red-lored Amazon parrots can be vocal they are not considered to be the best talkers. Depending on the individual bird, some will be good talkers while others will only say a couple of words. The Red-lored Amazon parrots are very social and enjoy the company of people as well as other birds. They will form very strong bonds with their owner, becoming fast friends and exhibit total confidence. They are also a hardy robust bird and can do well in either a cage along with an out-of-the-cage playpen, or kept in an aviary.

Panama Amazon

The Panama Amazon Amazona panamensis, is also known as the Panama Yellow-fronted Amazon. Though rarer than the other popular amazons, they have become a more popular pet in recent years. This is a subspecies of the Yellow-crowned Amazon Amazona ochrocephala. Both of these Amazons are green birds with a green forehead yielding to a yellow marking on the crown. Their very similar in coloration often leads to confusion. Differences are subtle, with the Panama Amazon being a bit smaller, a darker shade of green, and lacking the reddish-orange spot on the upper mandible (beak) that is seen on the Yellow-fronted Amazon. There are also a couple of other very similar Amazon parrots and it can be difficult to tell any of these Amazon birds apart when they are juveniles. One is the Double Yellow-headed Amazon Amazona oratrix, whose entire head becomes yellow as it matures. Another is the Yellow-naped Amazon Amazona auropalliata, which has yellow markings on the nape of the neck rather than on the crown. The yellow marking on these parrots develop with each molt over a period of about four years. Besides coloring, there are also some other distinctions between these Amazons. They differ in such things as body size, temperament, and talking ability too. Knowing which pet bird you are getting helps you know what to expect. The Panama Yellow-fronted Amazon is quite intelligent, inquisitive, and affectionate. Their high intelligence makes them easy to tame and train. With a naturally playful nature, they will soon become fun and entertaining pet birds They will quickly begin to mimic sounds and become an excellent talker. They are very social, enjoy companionship, and become fast friends with their owner. They make great pets for devoted individuals and families. Panama Amazons are robust birds and will do well in either a cage with a playpen on top, or in an aviary. They are very active birds that like to climb and need plenty of chewing toys. Adding a hanging perch mounted above a playpen is great place for climbing. They do enjoy interaction and spending time with human companions, but enjoy time alone as well. They are quite content to entertain themselves for hours at a time just playing with their toys.

Orange-winged Amazon

The Orange-winged Amazon Amazona amazonica, also known as the Orange-winged Parrot and Loro Guaro, is a very popular pet Amazon. They are very affectionate, attractive, and entertaining parrots. These pet birds are lots of fun, performing all sorts of antics and have a fair talking ability as well. While young, like the juvenile above, they are mostly green with just a few of the pretty yellow and blue feathers. Yet when they mature, they are lively, spectacular colored pet birds. Adults have bright yellow-orange and blue feathering on the face and head, and the bright orange on the wings they are named for. The Orange-winged Amazon has been popular as a pet for over 100 years. Known for being quite friendly, they are easy to tame and quite clever. These parrots also strongly desire the attention of their owners, and will perform all sorts of amusing antics to gain and keep it. They make a wonderful companion and will quickly form a strong bond with their owner, they can however be rather noisy. This is a robust and hardy bird that can do well indoors or outdoors. As is true with all Amazons, the Orange-winged Amazon is very social and enjoys the company of people as well as other birds. They can also be quite independent, and will probably have a favorite in the family. They can become quite attached to one person if not well socialized at a young age. But if well socialized, they will treat other members of the family as part of the flock. The Orange-winged parrot is also prone to a hormonal stage as it matures. This is a good choice for an experienced bird keepers who wants to form a close relationship with a parrot.

Mealy Amazon

The Mealy Amazon Amazona farinosa, is known by a variety of other names including Mealy Parrot, Blue-crowned Mealy Amazon, and Guatemalan Amazon. Mealy Amazons are one of the largest amazons, reaching up to about 15 - 16 inches (38 - 41 cm). This is quite a contrast to the White-fronted Amazon Amazona albifrons, which is only about 10 inches (26 cm) long. The beauty of the Mealy Amazon is more subtle than that of other Amazon birds. It gets the name 'mealy' from the peculiar gray-green coloring of its feathers making it appear to be dusted, like it has been powdered with a light sprinkling of flour. The feathers on the nape are edged in a dusky blue and tipped in black, giving a ruffled appearance to the back of the neck. The tail and some wing feathers are tipped in blue and may have some reds, and there may be a few yellow feathers in the crown. Some have a distinctly violet crown and are referred to as a Blue-crowned Mealy Amazon. Its eyes are unusual, being large and surrounded by a wide unfeathered white ring, which is something more often seen on conures than Amazons. Though not the most colorful or playful, the Mealy Amazon has a number of desirable qualities that sets it apart from other amazons. This hefty fellow, known as the "non-nippy amazon", is definitely one of the more lovable amazons. Big and big in heart, this parrot is non-territorial and has room for all in the family. They will just slowly walk around the home until they find someone who is being still, and then sit at their feet and wait to be picked up. Then they will be content to just sit on a shoulder while you walk around, or just sit and be still. Like most amazons the Mealy Amazon is very social, enjoying the companionship of people as well as other amazons. They make a wonderful calm companion and will quickly form a strong bond with their owner. The Mealy Parrot makes a most delightful pet. It is easy to tame and considered one of the best talkers. They are especially noted for having a very gentle disposition and are mostly quiet and harmonious. They are also quite hardy and robust. They can do well indoors or out, in a cage or an aviary.

Lilacine Amazon

Lilacine Amazon Amazona autumnalis lilacina is also called the Ecuadorian Red-lored Amazon. It is not as well known as many of the Amazon parrots, but those who keep it have found it to have a much easier going temperament. The attitude and behavior of the Lilacine is a trait of this species. This pleasant personality can also be found in its more readily available cousins, such as the Red-lored Amazon Amazona a. autumnalis, the nominate species. The Ecuadorian Red-lored Amazon, just as other Amazons, has a mostly green plumage. Like the other Red-lored Amazons it has red lores contrasting with paler feathers on its crown. it is distinguished by its red band-like lores extending over the eyes. It also varies with cheeks that are a more yellowish-green than yellow. But its most unique characteristic is the coloring seen in the crown feathers. They are green with lilac tips and edged in a reddish-blue, and thus its name lilacina or Lilacine. The Lilacine Amazon is also a slightly smaller Red-Lored Amazon, with a finer appearance to its head. The Lilacine Amazon is regarded as a wonderful pet, being very gentle, affectionate, and loyal. They display less aggressive behavior than many of the other popular amazons. They are known to have a loud call, yet even their call is said to be softer and more pleasant. They are intelligent and quick at play, but are not considered to be the best talkers. Some will be good talkers while others will only say a couple of words. As is true with all Amazons, they are very social and enjoy the company of people as well as other birds. They will form very strong bonds with their owner, becoming fast friends and exhibit total confidence. They are also a hardy robust bird and can do well in either a cage or an aviary.

Lilac-crowned Amazon

The Lilac-crowned Amazon Amazona finschi is also known as Finsch's Amazon. It has been recognized for well over 100 years, documented as early as 1864 by Dr. Otto Finsch. Dr. Finsch wrote well over 400 works on ornithology and this beautiful little amazon parrot is named for him. The name Lilac-crowned comes from its looks. This is one of the smaller amazons reaching about 13" (33 cm) long, but a very colorful bird. The "lilac" namesake comes the pretty lilac colored crown accented by a red brown forehead and lores. The lilac extends onto the neck and circles around its yellow-green cheeks. An Amazon bird with similar type markings and color is the Green-cheeked Amazon A. viridigenalis, yet in comparison each has its unique color and pattern distinctions. The red on Lilac-crowned Amazon is a bit darker and doesn't extend past the eyes. On the Green-cheeked, the red extends past the eyes onto the crown in varying amounts. The Lilac-crowned also has more dramatic appearance to its chest feathering. Edged in black, the feathers look scalloped while the Green-cheek's are more uniform. This dynamic little amazon is a fair talker and makes a fine pet. But though the Lilac-crowned Amazon is affectionate and clever, it is also very lively. This active, energetic birdneeds lots of activities and will do best spending a good portion of its time outside of its cage where it can climb, play, and fly for exercise. They do very well in an aviary which gives them more room on a regular basis. Like most amazons the Finsch's Amazon is very social, enjoying the companionship of people as well as other amazons. They make a wonderful companion and will quickly form a strong bond with their owner.