Amazons are the most popular of the larger pet birds. They are usually very friendly and loving, especially if purchased young. Older Amazons can be difficult to tame. Amazons can be playful, so be sure to supply lots of toys for their enjoyment. Unfortunately, some Amazons can be noisy during the early morning and evening hours.
This bird is capable of learning a large vocabulary and is usually curious and playful. During the breeding season, some males are known to become moody and may not talk even though there is no female present.
Amazon Varieties
Yellow Nape (A. auropalliata) These Amazons are almost all green, except for some yeallow feathers at the nape and maybe above the nostrils. The feet are dark gray and the beak is black. They may range in size from 12 inches to 15 inches long.
Double Yellow Head (A. ochrocephala) - The yellow head is the most common Amazon in the United States. They can be good talkers, playful and affectionate. The most striking feature of this bird is the amount of yellow on its head at maturity. There are varying amounts of yellow and red-orange at the bend of the wing, and the thighs can have some amounts of yellow. There are many varieties or subspecies.
Blue-fronted (A. aestiva) The blue-fronted Amazon can acquire an extensive vocabulary. It can be playful, but noisy at times. The species has a blue forehead and lores. Parts of the cheeks, crown and sometimes the upper breast are yellow. The thighs are yellow and the bend of the wings have yellow and red. The rest of the 13- to 15-inch body and tail is green.
Spectacled (A. albifrons) Although this is the smallest Amazon, it can be playful and affectionate and can talk. It does not develop an extensive vocabularly. The species has a blue, red and white head coloration. Males will have red in their flight feathers, while thefemales may have little or no red at all. The rest of this 10-inch bird is green.
Mexican red-head (A. viridigenalis) This is another popular Amazon species. Although they are not known as good talkers, they are affectionate and playful. The color of the lores, crown and forehead is deep scarlet. There is some blue-lilac behind the eyes, and the cheek feathers are an iridescent light green. The rest of the body is green, and the beak is horn colored, This Amazon is about 13 inches long from the head to the tip of the tail.