Red-lored Amazon

Scientific Name: Amazona autumnalis
Subspecies:

• Red-lored Amazon
  Amazona autumnalis autumnalis
• Salvin's Amazon
  Amazona autumnalis salvini
• Ecuador Amazon or Lilacine Amazon
  Amazona autumnalis lilacina
• Diademed Amazon
  Amazona autumnalis diadema

Distribution:
   The Red-lored Amazon or Yellow Cheek Amazon is found in Central America from eastern Mexico to the peninsula of Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. They inhabit the canopies of woodland and forest trees in tropical zones.

Description:
   The Red-lored Amazon or Yellow Cheek Amazon has an overall green coloring. The lore and forehead are red, the crown is blue, and the cheeks are yellow. The wings are a spectacular array of color; green with red in the middle and blue on the outer edges and on the tips. The eye is orange with a white ring around it. The beak is gray but with a yellow horn color on the upper portion and the legs are greenish gray.
   Juveniles will have less red on the lores and forehead, the cheeks may have some green, and the eye is dark brown.

Size - Weight:
   Mature birds are about 13 1/2 inches (34 cm) long from the head to the tip of the tail.

Care and feeding:
    A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out for extended periods. Many birds can spend a good deal of their time on a play pen or parrot perch.
    In the wild these birds eat fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, blossoms and leaf buds, as well as foraging in corn fields. The Amazon's main diet should primarily be seeds, nuts, fruits, and green vegetables. A commercially prepared parrot mix or pelleted diet can also be beneficial.

   See About Amazon Parrots: Housing and About Amazon Parrots: Care and Feeding for more information.

Social Behaviors:
   Amazons enjoy human interaction as well as interaction with other birds. In the wild they are very social birds living in groups. They are usually seen in groups, but with some distinct pairs in the group. The groups can be small with as few as six birds, to large with up to a hundred birds. They form monogamous pairings during mating season.

   See About Amazon Parrots: Social Behaviors for information on developing a well rounded Amazon.

Activities:
    Loves to climb and play. Provide lots of toys. Also needs room to stretch its wings although climbing seems to be its favorite activity.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   These amazons were first bred in captivity in the United States in 1956, but breeding successes have been variable. They become sexually mature at about three to four years and may raise more than one brood per year. The hen will then lay two to eight eggs which incubate for about 26 - 28 days. The young will leave the nest at about 12 weeks.
  As with many parrots, the male will eat for both himself and the female while she incubates the eggs and feeds the young. The male regurgitates the food for the female to eat. He gets a lot less picky about what he eats at these times!

   See About Amazon Parrots: Breeding/Reproduction for more information on breeding.

Potential Problems:
   These birds are hardy and healthy if provided with a good environment and a good diet. Like all amazons, the Red-lored Amazon can be noisy first thing in the morning and just before the sun sets. They have a loud piercing call, though many owners say their Red-lored pets are relatively quiet. Amazons can often be quieted by just covering their cage for a short period of time.

   See About Amazon Parrots: Potential Problems for information on health.

Availability: The Red-lored Amazon or Yellow Cheek Amazon is occasionally available.