Every company that worked to develop exotic bird diets, did so by loosely copying the nutritional values on a bag of chicken feed. At that point they began to adjust the diets in relation to the problems caused by deficiencies and overloads that were noted and reported by veterinarians. When asked why they would believe that our parrots should be fed like chickens, they logically answered that poultry nutrition was the only body of scientifically proven knowledge that they had to work with.

I have always thought along a different line. Parrots are not short-lived ground feeders. They are long-lived middle to upper canopy animals. The prospect that they should be nourished like short-lived ground feeders has always been, in my opinion, a mindset that was totally illogical. To my knowledge, the only group of long-lived middle to upper canopy animals that has had any serious study are the monkeys. Once you have made that transition in thinking, it’s only a very short leap to looking at modern, human nutritional studies. The ones that interest me most specifically are those that focus on natural, vegetarian diets.

 In traveling this route, one cannot ignore the breakthroughs that have taken place in human vitamin and mineral supplementation products. Research into the causes and the preventative measures that are concerned with osteoporosis deserve special attention. Here we come to the question of calcium. Calcium by itself has very little value without the supportive nutrients that are needed to absorb it. Even with the added supportive nutrients, if calcium metabolism is not functioning correctly, there will be deficiencies or over-calcifications. One of the biggest breakthroughs in the desire to supplement the human population with calcium has been the realization that deficiencies in magnesium will cause calcium metabolism to mal-function. If you look at the history of human calcium supplements you will see that the more modern the formulation, the higher the ratio of magnesium to calcium. There should also be the consideration of the trace mineral zinc.

Many are aware of the relationship between calcium and phosphorus. In fact, one widely used calcium supplement that has been used on birds is Calphosan. Yes there must be a reasonable balance between calcium and phosphorus. Too much phosphorus however will cause calcium depletion. If your birds are get a diet that is already high in phosphorus, and this means seeds in the diet, then the addition of a calcium supplement that contains phosphorus can be detrimental.

Vitamin C is also interesting. Supposedly, birds don’t need supplemental C. They, like dogs, have the ability to manufacture their needs through a metabolic process. Since the human metabolism cannot keep us from becoming deficient and therefore we need to ingest it, we must turn away from human nutritional studies when we think about vitamin C in relation to birds. Although I have previously stated that I think that the consideration of short-lived ground feeder nutrition is illogical when it comes to our birds, it would be foolish to turn a completely blind eye toward it. One of the most interesting things that surfaces when we look in this direction is the experience of those who breed large dogs. They have discovered that even though dogs, like birds, are not supposed to need supplemental C; when they add it to their diet, they see results. They have documented a major reduction in the progression of hip dysplasia in female dogs. The long standing assumption that dogs and birds can take care of their needs for this nutrient through a metabolic process was based on the fact that there were no known signs of deficiencies that appeared in animals that were feed diets that were deficient in vitamin C. It was never considered that vitamin C might, as does magnesium, play a role in the support of the system that regulates calcium metabolism. In fact, vitamin C is now being looked at in human nutrition, as a supportive agent in this process.

The Amazon parrots are by far, the best at fitting the bill.  For those that want all the benefits of sharing their lives with a companion bird, yet do not want to be burdened with the demands of a cockatoo, the size of a macaw or the sometimes unforgiving nature of an African grey, an Amazon is the best choice.

The name Amazon comes from the area that is the center of their range, the Amazonian rain forest.  The family was given this name because they epitomized all that was wonderful and exotic in this newly discovered area of the New World.  These were the “talking parrots” that the indigenous indians of the area, kept as household companions.  Over the centuries they have continued to capture the hearts of every cultural society they have been introduced to.  The decision that no home should be without one is easy.  The problem is deciding which of the many types of Amazons is right for your home. 

The Amazons of the Yellow-crowned group (Amazona ochrocephala) are some of the most commonly sought after companions.  This very large family ranges from Mexico, through Central America to North-central South America.  Different species of this family have varying amounts of yellow somewhere on their head.  All of them have the same high intelligence and talking ability but there are major differences in their personality. The more northerly the race, the more outgoing they are.  In some cases this translates into aggressive behavior or temper tantrums.  The more southerly races, have on the average, a much mellower personality.  Along with their more even temper they also tend to be quieter. 

The most northerly representative of the family is the double-yellow headed Amazon (A. o. oratrix).  Ranging throughout Mexico, these Amazons were very popular when Mexico was open to export.  Since Mexico has closed its’ borders the birds’ availability has become very sparse.  This is due to the fact that they have not proved to be reliable breeders in captivity.  Although most Amazon breeders produce a few each year, no one has been able to produce them in commercial quantities.  Although mature pet birds have the reputation of becoming quite nasty every year, during what would normally be the breeding season (especially males); their popularity has remained high. This is due to their beautiful coloration.  It is the only Amazon kept as a pet, whose entire head turns a bright yellow upon reaching full adult coloration.  Its’ beak is light horn in coloration.

As we move south to Southern Mexico, the range of the Yellow-naped Amazon (A. o. auropalliata) begins.  Their territory ranges south through Central America to Costa Rica.  The massive importation of hand-raised yellow-naped babies from Honduras during the 1980′s, made them the most popular pet Amazon in the U.S.  Their coloration differs from the  double-yellow in that they have no or only minor yellow coloration on the forehead, their area of extensive yellow plumage is, as their name implies, on the nape of neck.  Just like the double-yellow, they develop their yellow coloration, slowly as they mature.  Their beak can range from almost black to light grey depending from where in their range they are from.  If any bird was responsible for marking the turning point of demand from wild caught to hand-raised, it was the yellow-naped.  Although most made marvelous pets, their personalities upon maturity are only a bit less problematical than the double-yellow head.  Many enthusiasts feel that the yellow-napes talking ability exceeds that of the double-yellow head.  Although I believe this to be true, both types have enough talking ability to satisfy any owner.  These are the birds for those who feel that talking ability is of extreme importance.

South of Costa Rica is Panama.  It is there that the famous Panama Amazon (A. o. panamensis) begins and ends its’ range.  Rare in the pet trade at the present time, the Panama has never failed to live up to its’ reputation as one of the finest pet birds available.  The least colorful , with only a small patch of yellow on the front of their forehead, they are also the smallest in body size.  Their beak coloration can range from an overall pure horn color to horn with black streaks.  Although only a bit smaller than the other members of it’s race, it seems to have lost most of the negative personality traits with its’ minimal decrease in body size.  It is one of the most desirable Amazons to have as a member of your family.

Moving south, over the border into the mainland of South America, are the jungles of Colombia.  It is here that the color of the Panama Amazons beak darkens and its’ overall body size increases.  This variant is known as the yellow-fronted Amazon (A. o. ochrocephala) and is the South American representative of the group.  It is considered the nominate race by the scientific community; and therefore it is the bird that the rest of the family derives its scientific name from.  It is assumed that all of the above subspecies of yellow-crowned Amazons have evolved from this South American example.  These birds are, along with the Panamanian subspecies, the most even tempered and docile members of the group.  They have all of the intelligence and talking ability of the double-yellow and yellow-naped varieties without the rough edges to their personality.  Another advantage to the yellow-fronted is that since the bird is not as commercially known as the other members of its’ group it is usually available at a more reasonable price than the others. 

In Central -South America, the yellow-crown group is replaced by the Blue-fronted Amazons.  They range south, throughout the rest of the continent to Argentina.  There are three major types of Blue-fronts.  The type that inhabits Brazil (Amazona a. aestiva) is very rarely seen in the U.S.  It is usually more darkly pigmented than the other subspecies and shows only a small amount of red at the bend of the wing.  It has varying amounts of yellow on the top and upper sides of its’ head as well as a patch of blue on the front of the forehead.  This patch of color is what gives the bird its’ name.             

Moving south out of Brazil into Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina, the birds green body coloration lightens and we begin to see yellow intermixed in the red coloration at the bend of the wing. This is the second type and is probably the most common in the U.S.  This bird of highly variable coloration is intermediate to the Brazilian subspecies and a more southerly representative of the family.  Even though it was the most widely represented in the pet trade during the years of importation, it has no separate scientific classification.

In a vast area of low scrub vegetation and cabbage palms called the Chaco, the third type appears.  This huge, largely uninhabited area is shared by three countries, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina.  It is from here that the famous Chaco blue-fronted Amazon (A. a. xanthopteryx) was taken from the nest to be hand-raised for the pet trade.  Some older texts refer to this bird as the yellow-winged Amazon.  This subspecies has a light green body coloration with varying amounts of usually extensive yellow coloration on the head and the bend of the wing.  Some examples will have the entire head with the exception of the nape and the blue on the front edge of the forehead, yellow.  Many examples exhibit extensive amounts of yellow on the wing.  I have known specimens that have the yellow at their shoulder extend down, almost half the length of their wings.  Unlike the yellow-crown group, the blue-fronts show about 90% of their adult coloration with their juvenile plumage.  

All of the blue-front types make excellent pets and although they are usually not as physically animated as the yellow-crowns they are close in their talents at talking.  Overall they tend to be a bit quieter than the yellow-crowns and usually demonstrate a softer speaking voice.  The Chaco, will often demand a bit more money due to its’ coloration as well as its sometimes larger size, but they are all the same in other ways.  Except of course for the myriad of personality differences that you will find in any group of Amazons.  They are producing reliably in captivity and should be easy to obtain at any good bird shop. 

Next in popularity are four different types of Amazons, with a red coloration on their fore-heads.  The best known, is the red-lored Amazon (A a. autumnalis) which is sometimes called the yellow-cheeked.  This parrot ranges throughout the ranges of the double-yellow head and the Yellow-naped Amazons.  That is from Mexico, south to northern Nicaragua.  Nature blessed this bird with the most vibrant head coloration of all Amazons.  Bright red, yellow and blue, set off by a bi-colored beak (horn and black).  Overall they are a bit smaller in size than both the yellow- crown and blue-fronted group.  But that doesn’t keep them from having a very outgoing and playful personality.  Although they do not break any records for extensive vocabularies, they do maintain enough in their repertoire to satisfy most owners.  As far as loyalty and affection are concerned they have one of the highest ratings.

Next in this group is the Lilac-crowned Amazon (A. finschi). The red on there forehead is a deep plum color.  This is accented by a lilac-blue on the top of the head and a pale, horn colored beak.  The green body feathers usually have a yellowish hue to them. This Mexican Amazon has a reputation of being among the gentlest and quietest of the Amazon group.  It as well as the red-lored and the following two Amazons, are priced lower than those of the yellow-crowned and blue-fronted groups.

The Mexican red-headed or green-cheeked Amazon (A. viridigenalis) has been a great favorite for many years.  They have a large bright red patch on the top of their head with a bit of lilac-blue behind it.  Their horn colored beak and bright green body coloration makes them very eye catching.  It not only is usually the most animated of the four, it is also, on the average the best talker of this group.

The last as well as the least available of this group is the lilacine Amazon (A. a. lilacina).  A previously rare subspecies of the red-lored Amazon that hails from Ecuador.  The lilacine has been breeding regularly in the U.S. for quite some time.  It is now beginning to appear in the pet trade and is being well received.  The bird is identifiable by its’ jet black beak, dark maroon frontal band and light green cheek color.  They are a bit smaller than their red-lored cousins, with a noticeably finer head.  They are very intelligent birds with a sweet an easy going temperament.

]Leaving these two major pet groups there are several well known birds in the pet trade that stand alone.  The orange-winged Amazon (A. amazonica) was imported in great numbers when the U.S. was open to importation.  These were all wild caught and came from Guyana, a country on the northern coast of South America.  The wild caught did not usually make very good pets.  Since importation has stopped, and the market is now being supplied with hand-raised babies, the orange-wing is now a bird of a different “color”.  Its’ calm temperament and inquisitive nature make it a worthwhile companion.  The orange-wing’s coloration can vary drastically from one bird to the next.  In some cases they are mistaken for blue-fronted Amazons.  They have varying amounts of blue and yellow on the forehead and their cheek patches can range from yellow to bright orange.  The easiest way to identify them without fault is to look at the area of colored feathers on the top side of their open wing.  Most all Amazons have a colored area containing large red feathers on each wing.  In the case of the orange-wing, this area, which is called the wing speculum, is orange. 

The largest size Amazons ever to be available in the pet trade were the Mealy Amazons (A. farinosa).  Although there are still many people that have them in their homes they are difficult to find for sale.  This bird along with its’ cousin, the blue-crowned Amazon, has all but disappeared from the shops.  Unfortunately, these birds have proved to be very reluctant breeders in captivity.  The blue-crown type has a range that is from Guatemala through Central America to Costa Rica.  The South American version appears along the border jungles of southern Panama and northern Colombia.  It has small sporadic populations throughout much of the continent.  The main coloration differences between the forms is that the best known form from Central America has a bright blue wash covering the crown.  Its’ South American cousin usually has a small patch of yellow.  Many of these birds made excellent pets, and were quiet and affectionate, others were horrid.  Each bird had to be judged on its’ individual merit.  A good one can be marvelous.

The last and the smallest of the amazons that is commonly kept as a pet is the white-fronted Amazon (A. albifrons).  In the past, this parrot was often called the spectacled Amazon.  Its’ names are related to its head coloration.  On the front of its’ fore-head it has a band of “white”. This can range from pure white to a yellowish color, depending from where in their range they have come from.  The name spectacled comes from the bright red that begins just below the white above the nostrils, and runs around both eyes.  This is highlighted by blue on the top of the head and a horn colored beak.  These are the most reasonably priced of the Amazons.  There talking ability is usually limited to a phrase or two.  Due to their reasonable price they are very popular as a starter bird for those people who wish to try out something intermediate in size.  Since they are now breeding readily in captivity they will continue to be available.

Above and beyond these wonderful types, there are many that have always been considered difficult to obtain.  The first one that comes to mind is the yellow-shouldered Amazon (A. barbadensis).  The top pet bird in Venezuela, these dynamite little Amazons look like a miniature version of the Chaco Blue-front.  They are very animated and have excellent talking ability.  They have been on the international endangered species list for many years.  They are now being produced here in the U.S. in sufficient numbers to allow some to filter into the pet trade.  Those that have the opportunity to own one will enjoy the experience.

Another Amazon that is now being bred in the U.S. and is occasionally available is the tucuman (A. tucumana).  This was one of the last of the Amazons to be placed on the international endangered species list before importation into the U.S. was ended.  Its’ from Argentina and their importation history was short.  Almost all of the imports were purchased by breeders.  They are a small amazon, not so much in length but in body girth and head size.  Their overall coloration is green with a complimentary black edging to their feathers.  On the front of their forehead there is a patch of bright red.  Their beak is a horn color.  These parrots do not have enough of a track record as pets to make definite conclusions about their talents.  Those reports that I have received, tell me that they have, thus far, proved to be friendly, inquisitive and intelligent.

Next on the list of rarities that are occasionally available is the Hispaniolan Amazon (A. ventralis).  From the Island of Hispaniola in the West Indies, it is not only the favorite pet bird on its’ home island but also on the neighboring island of Puerto Rico.  They are a very small Amazon, about the size of the yellow-shouldered.  They have white on their forehead, pink at the throat and patch of black feathers on the side of their heads.  Their lower belly is a deep red-maroon.  The extent of their coloration varies drastically from one individual to the next.  Many of the Hispaniolans in the U.S. were brought in by visitors to these Islands.  Most are confiscated at our borders for improper documentation. Unfortunately they have proved to be reluctant breeders and most that show up for sale are usually confiscated birds that have been auctioned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

The Cuban Amazon (A. leucocephala) is very similar to the Hispaniolan but the colored areas are much more extensive.  Due to this they have been listed as separate species.  As their name implies, they are from Cuba as well as some of the small surrounding islands.  These small amazons are not only on the international endangered species list, they are on the U.S. federal list as well.  This makes them illegal to ship across state lines to anyone that does not have a federal permit to keep them.  Any breeder that produces them is allowed to sell them as pets within the borders of their own State to people that do not have a permit.  Although this has not happened often in the past, I believe that it will be happening more often in the future.  Many pair of Cubans are now producing regularly and those that breed them are having trouble selling the offspring.  The reasonable numbers being produced along with the Federal Governments stringent regulations as to who qualifies to receive these birds interstate commerce, has made them extremely difficult to sell.  There are several breeders who due to excellent production will soon be forced to seek homes for their birds in the pet sector within their home State.  Many people feel that endangered species should never be kept as pets but in cases of excess production, I strongly disagree.  This can not only promote more public interest in the birds but give them a better life as well.  When you have excess production sitting around for years in cages,  the birds set up a “pecking order”.  Those at the bottom will have a miserable life being “picked on” by those members of the flock that are above them in this “order”.  In the wild, they would fly a safe distance away.  In a flight cage, no matter how big, the “bullies” have them captive.  Release programs, as good as they sound, have thus far proved futile or fatal.  They not only have the reputation of being excellent pets on their native island, they are now a very popular Amazon in Russia.  When the U.S.S.R. broke up and the Russian soldiers were all called back from Cuba, many of them brought pet Cuban Amazons home with them.

Another very small Amazon that occasionally makes its’ way into the pet trade is the yellow-lored Amazon (A. xantholora).  They are similar in size and appearance to the white-fronted described earlier.  The two major differences being the round patch of black coloration on the ear coverts of the males and a bright sulfur yellow frontal band.  These birds have a very small range that starts in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and ends in the Bay Islands of Honduras.  Although never legally imported, the population that is in the U.S. is made up of birds that were confiscated at our borders and sold at public auction.  They are highly sought after by professional breeders.  Their pet quality is similar to that of the white-fronted.

Continuing with the “little guys”, there is also the yellow-faced Amazon (A. xanthops).  They have body coloration of light green with a patch of yellow on the top of their head and under their wings.  As they age the areas of yellow increase until the bird has its’ entire head, neck, breast and belly, yellow to yellow-orange.  These birds tend to be a bit nippy but they do have better than average talking ability.  At the present time, the demand for them by breeders, keeps most of them out of the pet shops.

A beautiful full sized Amazon that is now being produced with regularity is the Vinaceous-breasted Amazon (A. vinacea).  They have a red frontal band over the area of the nostrils (the cere).  The most striking coloration is the breast.  It is a wine colored red-purple, which is how the bird gets its name.  These birds make good talkers and excellent pets.  Like the Cuban Amazon, they are also on the Federal Endangered Species list.  They are however, still in demand by breeders.  In spite of the good demand, they are about to appear in limited numbers in the pet trade in the States where they are bred.  This is due to the fact that many more males are being produced than females.  Most vinaceous Amazon breeders that I know, have a cage full of extra males.  Some of us feel that in the future the extra males produced, would have a better life in a pet situation, than waiting for a female that will never come.

A full sized Amazon that used to very common in the pet trade but has all but disappeared from existence is the Festive Amazon (A. festiva).  Found along the Amazon River in Peru, Colombia and Brazil, this was one of the Amazons that was imported in fair numbers, thirty years ago.  Most of them were imported from Colombia.  Since the majority of them were wild caught they were usually overshadowed by the more popular, hand-raised double-yellow heads.  Despite this, most of them made wonderful pets.  They are a large Amazon with a large body girth.  They are an overall green with a thin line of dark maroon as a frontal band that extends from the front of the fore-head to the front corners of their eyes.  Their most notable color characteristic is the bright crimson red that covers the entire area of their rump.

A subspecies of the festive called Bodinis’ Amazon (A. f. bodini) lives in the jungles surrounding the Orinoco River in Venezuela.  Some small numbers were imported about eight to ten years ago.  More colorful than the festive, the Bodini has a much wider and redder frontal band that extends for the width of the fore-head.  Their cheeks have a heavy blue wash to them, which is quite striking.  They as does the festive also have the bright red rump.  Although it will be quite some time before they will be established enough to be available in the pet trade, one does see an occasional extra male offered.  These like the festive, have made quiet, intelligent pets that have a talent for talking.

With so many excellent choices it can be difficult to make a decision as to the type of amazon you should purchase.  What ever the choice, all of the hand raised amazons make good pets.  It is important to get a bird that has not only been hand raised but socialized at a young age with many different people.  This allows them to be less selective as to who they will be friendly with.  In most cases this is more effectively done in a pet shop.  It is there that they have the opportunity to interact with all shapes and sizes of people.  This will result in a more tolerant adult bird.  Another mistake that many buyers make, is that they will tend to ignore older birds regardless of their individual temperament.  There is no better pet investment than an older Amazon with a docile temperament.  These are the only Amazons available, where it can be said, that you truly know what you will wind up with in the long run.  Amazon babies, just like human children, will grow up with varying temperaments and personalities.  Although you can do everything in the world that is right for your children, there is still the possibility that they can grow up to turn around and “bite” you.  Do not hesitate to purchase an older bird if you, as well as some other members of your family, have spent some time interacting with it and the chemistry is right.

A Word About Breeding Amazons

Amazons are not easy to breed. With their high intelligence they can be very selective of their mates and very aggressive towards them if they become angry with them. Too much human presence in an Amazon breeding area that is not directly related to feeding or changing of water can cause a tame pair of Amazons to become aggressive and injure or kill their mates. Amazon breeding should not be done if you expect to keep the birds as friendly pets. They become quite aggressive to any intrusion when they are breeding. The tamer they are the more aggressive they will become toward humans during breeding, because they have no fear of the human intruder.

Yes, parrots were known in Europe before the discovery of the new world.  This knowledge however, was largely limited to the parrots of Africa and Asia.  Somehow, the knowledge of an African grey or the sight of an Indian ring-neck does not prepare one for the excitement of seeing a macaw for the first time.  Almost as amazing as the macaws existence, is the distinctively different colors and patterns that mark the different races.  The most northerly as well as one of the best known of the large macaws is the scarlet (Ara macao).  Their range extends from central Mexico south through South America to Bolivia and Brazil.  Easily three feet in length from the top of their heads to the tip of their long flowing tails, their colors are as awesome as their size.  With a screaming wing pattern that boasts a bright red, yellow and blue, they are considered by many to be one of the most beautiful birds in the world.  There are two main races of this bird available in the pet trade.  The one from the northern Colombia and southern Central America is smaller with a broad yellow band of color on the wing that is not intermixed with green.  The second is from the remaining South American range and is not only larger but has green intermixed with the yellow of the wing.  Both of these birds have what is known as a bi-colored beak.  That is a beak that is both black and horn colored.   Although no large macaw should be purchased as a beginner bird; scarlets, if hand raised and socialized at a young age, can be one of the best macaws to have as a pet.  Although sometimes referred to as a bit “nippy” by some authors, this is an individual personality characteristic and will be apparent if the perspective buyer spends enough time socializing with the bird before purchase. 

The next best known of the group, is the blue & gold (Ara ararauna).  They are the same size as the scarlet but their coloration is drastically different.  As their name implies, they are blue and gold in color.  The entire front of the birds’ body is yellow while the entire rear of the bird, including the wings, are blue.  Unlike the scarlet their beak is entirely black.  Their range is the bulk of northern and central South America.  As with all the large macaws they are extremely intelligent and interactive.  Thousands of adult blue & gold’s were imported during the seventies and eighties.  Most of these were set up for breeding.  Due to the fact that they were reliable producers the blue & gold is now the most commonly available of all the large macaws.

A bit smaller than the scarlet and blue & gold is the military (Ara militaris).  There are several different races of this bird that vary in minor coloration differences and size, but the one that is usually available in the pet trade is the relatively large variety that was imported from Mexico.  They get their name from their basic overall green coloration.  They also sport an area of bright red feathers where the fore-head meets the edge of their black upper mandible.  Due to their lack of bright coloration these macaws are not as popular as the others and are therefore usually available at bargain prices.  They do however; have all of the wonderful personality traits that make macaws such wonderful pets.

The biggest of those that are commonly available is the Green-winged macaw (Ara chloropterus).  Although this macaw is not much larger in length than the preceding, it is substantially larger in body bulk, head and beak size.  Many prospective macaw buyers are put off by the large almost “threatening” size of their beak.  Although it is true that the larger the beak the greater the leverage and the more damage can be caused if the bird had such a desire; the truth is that the green-wings actions have built a reputation of being one of the most calm and gentile by nature.  Their overall body color is a deep red, some birds will almost approach maroon in coloration.  As their name implies, they have a band of dark green feathers that separates the deep red of the upper wing from the dark blue flight feathers at the lower portion.  They like the scarlets have a bi-colored upper mandible.  Their range is similar to that of the blue & gold, taking up the vast bulk of northern and central South America.  Although they are not as prolific as either the blue & gold or the scarlet, they have become readily available in most of the top bird shops in the U.S. 

The largest and by far the most expensive of all of those available as pets is the hyacinth (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus).  Their overall deep cobalt blue coloration is highlighted by a bright yellow skin color around the eye and lower beak.  These birds can be up to 40 inches long.  Their large body bulk and the huge head and beak size that offsets their length, makes them appear very imposing.  They are not only a thrill to see, they are truly the  gentile giants of the macaw world.  Anyone that can afford to have one in their home will have a marvelous lifetime companion.

One of the amazing things about the family of macaws is the drastic variance in size.  They are also available in Amazon and conure sizes.  These are known in the pet trade as the mini-macaws. The overall coloration in all of these is green, with minor colorful highlights.  All of them make excellent pets if socialized when still hand-feeding.  As with all of the macaws, how noisy they can be is directly related to their size. 

The most commonly seen and the largest of the “minis” is the severa macaw (Ara severa).  Although they are about eighteen inches long almost half of this length is their tail.  Severas’ have a bit of red along the edge of their wing and a small band of chestnut brown colored feathers on the front of their fore-head.  This gives then their popular name that is more commonly used in Europe, the chestnut-fronted macaw.  Unfortunately in the USA, it has become common for them to be erroneously referred to by mispronouncing their Latin name, hence the harsh name “severe macaw” instead of severa. They are also the only mini-macaw that has the distinctive lines of feathers on their otherwise bare facial area. This is a trait shared by most of the larger varieties.  There range extends from the Isthmus of Panama south, through South America to northern Bolivia and Brazil.

In southern Bolivia and Brazil the severa is replaced by the yellow-collared macaw (Ara auricollis).  They are, on average, a few inches smaller than the severas’ and have a bit less body bulk.  These pretty little macaws have a black fore-head and a yellow band of feathers that circles the back of the neck.  Although they have the full area of bare skin on their faces, they, like the scarlets, lack the distinctive facial feather lines.  As with the severas’, they make wonderful pets when socialized at a young age and have good talking ability. 

At this point we move down to conure size with the red-shouldered macaw (Ara nobilis).  Their range extends from the northern coast of South America, south through Brazil.  About ten inches long with half of their length in their tail, these little guys come in two forms. The more common of the two is known as Hahns’ macaw.  This bird’s habitat extends through the northern part of the range.  As their name implies, they have a patch of red at their shoulder. They also have the bare facial area that is indicative of the entire macaw family, drastically reduced to a small area behind the eye.  In central Brazil they are replaced by there slightly larger cousins, which are known as the Nobles’ macaw.  The outstanding characteristic that sets these southerly representatives apart from the Hahns’ is that they have horn colored upper mandibles in contrast to the Hahns’ solid black beak.  Both of these delightful birds make excellent pets.  With their small size they lack the ability to make the noise their larger cousins can be infamous for.

Looking for a clever charmer that’s not too imposing in size? Considering a choice that’s a cut above the common beginner birds?  Try the charismatic clowns of the parrot family. They’re cute, they’re cuddly, they’re colorful and cunning. They also offer the widest variety of choices of all the commonly available companion birds.  They are of course the conures.

The large group of parrots that we call the conures are very similar in physical appearance to the macaws. It is almost as if, after creating macaws, Mother Nature decided to try it all over again.  Only this time in miniature. Just as the macaws; the conures come in four different size groupings with a few varieties being intermediate to the four groups. Unlike the macaws they would be considered in the eyes of evolutionary theorists, to be a much more successful group. This is illustrated by the fact that  the conures have evolved into a group consisting of well over 100 different species and subspecies with an extremely wide range of varied habitats.  In contrast the macaws are represented by only twenty-four living varieties that have a comparably limited range and habitat.

Their pet potential varies, yet every group carries several shining stars.  It’s no wonder why so many bird people have several different types of conures as permanent family members. In order to keep this article from becoming a book, we’ll only discuss the most commonly available of this group.

First let’s look at what I call the “green conure” group. These are the largest in size of the readily available conures and have an overall green body coloration. The major differences between members of this group are size variance and the amount of red coloration that they have at adulthood. The largest of this group is the mitred conure. Their range is the west central part of South America. They can be found in Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.  These birds are very popular because of their impressive size. They’re chunky birds that are one size smaller than a yellow collar macaw., yet are only about half the price. Mitreds are usually a real bargain only because they have the word conure not macaw after their name. Their coloration is highly variable. The forehead and lores (area between the eye and the beak)are red and that’s where the similarity between specimens ends. Some are heavily marked with red under the eye and down through the cheeks while others only have a few flecks of coloration. They will also have scattered red feathers on the breast and sometimes on the back. These as well can be very numerous or almost nonexistent. Males tend to be more colorful than females and immatures take about two years to develop most of their red coloration. Mitred’s are the best talker of the group but are also the noisiest.

Next on the list is the Cherry-headed conure (red-masked) Their range is western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. They are one size smaller than the Mitred and their coloration is also variable. In this case however the variability is due more to the age of the bird than individuality. Cherry-heads can take up to ten years to develop their full red-headed coloration, hence the drastic difference between individuals. There is however variance in just how much red they wind up with when full adult color is reached. Some old specimens will have the red of the head extending down to the throat.At this point it visually picks up the red that begins at the bend of the wing (shoulders) and extends down the carpal edge (front edge) of the wing. Birds in this advanced state of mature plumage are real show stoppers. The Cherry-headed is definitely the most beautiful of the group. It’s a good talker and like the mitred, can at times get a bit noisy.

From here we move down in size, quite a bit to the white-eyed conure. They are not much smaller in length than the cherry-head but they lack the body and head bulk of their larger cousins. These birds are basically all green with a very few scattered red feathers that can be absolutely anywhere on the birds body. They get their name from the predominant “bright white” ring of skin around the eye (periopthalmic ring). Their range is very large  They occupy the majority of the northern coast of South America and extend down to northern Argentina. This range includes the entire Brazilian rain forest. The white-eyed is relatively inexpensive due to it’s free breeding habits in captivity. Although it will learn to talk, most pets lack the talking talent of the other members of the group. In keeping with this they are also the quietest They make sweet engaging pets that seldom wear out their welcome.

While overseeing a large shipment of birds in Bolivia S.A. I was brought to the local zoo by the exporter. He had some business to discuss with the director and he felt that I would enjoy looking at their bird collection while he was negotiating. Toward the end of the tour , my guide brought me to a large flight cage with a flock of white-eyed conures. As I approached the cage my eyes got bigger and bigger. There was one bird that stood out like a sore thumb. Its entire throat leading down to its upper breast was red instead of green. This was a real show stopper. I turned to my guide and not only expressed my delight over having the opportunity to see such a specimen; I added that it would be marvelous if the zoo would let the bird be exported to me so I could include it in my breeding program in the U.S.

When we returned to the directors office my guide entered the inner chamber. A few moments later when the exporter and director emerged, the director came forward, shook my hand and said,

“No problem, the bird with the red throat is yours.”

I thanked him profusely then finally came to my senses long enough to ask.

“How much do I owe you?”

He broke into a smile that was far too big and said, “Nooo problem, any friend of this man is a friend of mine. I give it to you out of my friendship for him,” he said while pointing to the exporter.

I left the zoo with a smile from ear to ear. As the exporter and I jumped into our car I noticed that he was a little pale.

“Is there anything wrong?” I asked.

He looked me in the eye and said, “I don’t no how to tell you this, but that conure is staying where it is.”

“Why?” I asked. “He’s willing to give it to me for free.”

“Yes, free for you means a five thousand dollar lose for me.”

He went on to explain that If I accepted the bird, the director would expect the large animal shipment they had just negotiated to be handled for free. Favor for favor. Needless to say I left Bolivia without the conure. I never regretted this because almost the exact same bird exists in Central America. An all green conure with an extensive red throat. When I went into Honduras, I had the opportunity to obtain all I wanted for my breeding program. This was one time in life that I got to ‘have my cake and eat it too’. This brings us to the last bird in the group that I will discuss and it is one of my personal favorites.

The red-throated conure. Unlike the previous representatives, this bird is from Central America. It ranges through Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. These are one of the smallest of the group and are not much bigger than a cockatiel. As they mature they develop an extensive patch of red-orange that extends down to the upper breast. What they lack in size they more than make up for with personality and talking ability. They are considered a bit rare and were never imported in large numbers. This brings it up a bit in price but they are well worth it. They are also highly coveted as pets  by the indigenous peoples in their range.

A conure  that is not usually considered as part of the above group but is very closely aligned to them is the blue-crowned conure. As their name implies, they have their entire head blue. Immatures have only a hint of this coloration and the blue brightens and becomes more extensive as they reach adulthood. They are very similar to the mitred conure in pet quality. Good talking ability, good personality and a bit noisy. They are also similar to the mitred in length but lack the body bulk. This gives them a long slender appearance that many find quite impressive. They have a range that is similar to the white-eyed in that they extend from northern South America down the entire continent into Argentina. The very major exception being their absence from the majority of the Brazilian rainforrest.   

At this point the nanday conure must be mentioned. The nanday is from Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. They are a long slender bird like the blue-crown and are one size smaller. Their head instead of being blue, is black. They also sport red lower legs and a heavy blue wash to the upper breast. They are similar to the smaller green conures in talking ability but are a bit noisier. Nandays are very inexpensive for their size. In fact pound for pound the are the best bargain around. This is due to the fact that they were imported in very large quantities. Most of these imports were adult birds that became free breeders. The nanday is intermediate to the green conures and those we will discuss next.

The next major group of conures includes the sun, jenday, gold-capped and dusky. They all are considered medium sized conures and have excellent pet potential. Although they do not measure up in talking ability to the more talented members of the green conure group, they are still rated as good talkers. Along with this talent goes their propensity to get a bit noisy on occasion. The most beautiful of the group is the sun conure. In fact the sun conure is considered by many to be the most beautiful conure of all. Immatures are usually heavily mottled in green but lose most of this by the time they are two years of age. At that point the birds entire body and the majority of its wings are bright yellow with a varying suffusion of red- orange. Its sunset coloration is where it gets it’s name. It comes from the north-eastern coast of South America. This includes the Guianas, adjoining Venezuela and north-eastern Brazil. Importers voluntarily stopped importing suns quite a few years ago due to disease problems in the countries of origin. All supplies of this bird to the pet trade have been captive bred here in the states for many years. Although they are free breeders they remain the highest priced conure of those commonly available. Their price has remained stable for many years.

The jenday conure has not been imported into the USA since the 1980’s and even then they were only available in very limited numbers. Despite this they have maintained a foothold in the pet trade due to the fact that they are “easy” breeders. The jendays wings and mantle are green . Their entire head, including the nape, lower cheeks and throat is yellow. Extending from the throat down through the birds breast to it’s vent is a beautiful orange-red coloration. Similar to the sun in its great pet potential it carries a price tag that’s a bit more modest. This is due to it’s “less than sun conure” coloration. Their natural range is north-eastern Brazil as is the , suns but their ranges do not overlap. The jenday inhabits an area that is south-east of the Amazon ; whereas the sun’s range ends north of the Amazon river.

The gold-capped conure comes from an area of south-eastern Brazil; that is south of the point where the range of the jenday ends. It is considered by many to have a better personality than it’s two preceding cousins.It also is a bit bigger in size due to it’s marginally chunkier head and body. In this particular group however, color means everything and with less color than the jenday it brings a marginally lower price. Their forehead is red-orange that fades to yellow-orange as it moves back to the crown. Many specimens will have the red-orange of the forehead extend down below the eye when they develop their mature plumage. Their lower breast and belly is red-orange with the rest of the bird being green. These conures like the preceding two have also not been imported in over ten years. All birds available to the pet trade for many years have been domestically bred .

The dusky conure from western Brazil and adjoining Ecuador,Peru and Bolivia has all the wonderful pet qualities of the other members of this group. They are similar to them in every way, which is why I have included them in the group. Similar in every way that is except for their lack of red, yellow or orange feathers and a slightly smaller body size. This makes them the most affordable of the four.  They are green with a slate-blue head. A very pretty bird in their own right, they are a pleasure to have as a member of your household. They are the least noisey of the group and become very sweet and affectionate companions. These attributes, more than make up for thier lack of brilliant colors.

A conure that is intermediate to this group and the one that follows is the peach-fronted conure. This pretty bird hails from Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. They are much smaller than the dusky and have a wide orange patch on the front of their head. They are look alike cousins to one of the members of the next group, the half-moon conure. The most obvious way to tell them apart is by the color of their beak The peach-fronted has a black upper mandible and the half-moon’s is horn colored. The peach-fronted as well as all the remaining birds we will discuss are much quieter than all the preceding choices. They have a sweet personality and a reasonably good talking ability.

The third major group are the least encountered of those that are readily available in the pet shops. This is due to them being only marginally productive in captivity. They all make excellent pets and share a much better than average talking ability. Because of their wonderful personalities they are all kept regularly as pets in the countries that they are indigenous to. These I call the brown throated group. They consist of the half-moon the Astec and several subspecies of the brown throats.

The half-moon  as well as the other members of this group are, like the peach-fronted, one size smaller than the dusky conure. They have an orange patch on the front of their forehead that is less extensive than that of the peach-fronted. They also have a horn colored upper mandible. They come from the southern coast of Central America. Most of those in the U.S are either from Mexico or Honduras.

The Astec is only sporadically available but when it is they usually do not last long in the shops. Their super personality with their better than average ability at mimicry make them \one of the preferred pets in Honduras.C.A. They as opposed to the half-moon occupy the northern coast of Central America. They are a plain green colored bird with a very unexciting brown covering the front of their bodies. Their upper mandible is horn colored with some light gray vertical stripes.

The last member of this family is the brown throated conure. They come in fourteen recognized varieties but the one most often encountered is from Guyana and Surinam, South America. These differ from the Astecs in that they have a dark upper mandible and some orange feathers splashed somewhere on the body. How much and where will depend on the subspecies. The one from Guyana will have some orange around the eye as well as a few flecks on the lower belly. All of the birds that have been imported were wild caught .as opposed to the half-moon and Astecs which were all taken from the wild nests and hand raised. This is why the brown-throats lack the excellent pet reputation of their cousins. Hand raised babies however have the same great potential as the other two.members of this triad.

Last but not least is the group known as the Pyrrhuras. This is usually pronounced “Pie-hurrah”. These are the smallest of all the conures. They are an extremely large group but only two are commonly available. They are the maroon-bellied and the green-cheek conures. A third member is also beginning to show up on the scene due to several highly successful breeding programs. That is the black-capped conure. As luck would have it; these are the three that have the best pet potential of the entire group. These birds are personality plus with the talking ability of a cockatiel. Being the smallest they are not only among the most reasonably priced , they are also the quietest of all the conures. This quiet nature makes them a companion that is never an imposition. In fact everyone should own at least one.

Many years ago the only available member of this group was the maroon-bellied conure.These were imported in large numbers from Argentina and Paraguay. They gained popularity rapidly as soon as captive bred handraised babies became available to the pet trade. They are basically a green bird . They have a reddish -brown frontal band, an upper breast that is barred with dull yellows and dark browns, and a maroon colored belly.

When Paraguay closed down the exportation of birds,  the trappers moved over to Bolivia. It was due to this migration of unemployed bird trappers that we began to see what was previously considered a rare bird come into the U.S. in large quantities. That is the green-cheeked conure. They differ from the maroon-bellies coloration in the following ways. The barred area of the upper breast has a much lighter background. The entire top of their head is dark brown. The maroon coloration on the belly is not quite as extensive as in the maroon-bellied. And the entire tail is a beautiful maroon-red color as opposed to the maroon bellies tail that is by majority green and only tipped in red brown. The green-cheeked conure also proved to be a free breeder and is now readily available at very reasonable prices with several color mutations.

The third member of this trio is the black-capped conure. The migration of skilled trappers from Paraguay to Bolivia was also responsible for this gems availability to aviculture. This bird was so rare that no American aviculturist had ever seen them. When the word got out that the super rare “rock parakeet” from Bolivia was going to be imported; quite a few aviculturist were hoping to get a chance to work with them. Unfortunately only about twelve birds were imported and of those there were only four females. Fortunately those who were lucky enough to get them had excellent production. They are now being produced in sufficient numbers to allow some of these marvelous birds to enter the pet trade. They’re coloration is very striking. The entire top of their head is black. The scalloping of the upper breast is of high contrast, being black and white. The scalloping also has finer definition than in either of it’s two cousins. This is all set off by the bright red line of feathers that runs down the front edge (carpal edge) of the wing. The maroon-red coloration of the lower belly that is so common to members of this family is very limited and in some it is absent. Although they are a hair more pricey than the maroon-bellied and the green-cheek, they are more than worth it. Every shop that has had the opportunity to handle this “newest” entry to the pet parade is very excited indeed!

Health:

Overall , conures are very hardy birds.  In fact they are so disease resistant that in the past they were often times accused of being disease carriers. In the days of commercial importation it was not uncommon for illness to strike all the amazons and pionus that were in the quarantine facility  and leave the conures relatively unscathed.  In most cases however this was due to the conures relative resistance to the disease not their carrying of it. Now that commercial importation has ended  and the demand is being supplied by domestic production, there is little need for worry. One can usually assume that weaned closed banded birds that are in good weight  and eating well , will pass a vet check. Unweaned  babies can be a bit more tricky but they can also be purchased without fear if you are dealing with a reputable shop.

The way to keep your conure in top health is the same as for any other parrot.

1. Keep their drinking water clean

2. Feed plenty of low fat fresh foods along with whatever pelleted or seed diet you choose.

3. Keep their drinking water clean

4. The bird should be housed in a cage that has a wire grate floor elevated above the cage bottom so as to permit its droppings and discarded food to fall through to an unreachable lower level

5. Keep their drinking water clean.

It is a long understood fact in the bird trade that contaminated water is the greatest sole causative factor  in the creation of illness. Contaminated water has the ability to cause a fatal bacterial infection if the wrong microbes happen to be hanging around in the wrong place at the wrong time. Waters should be changed twice a day or whenever it has “a bunch of stuff ” in it. In short, if you wouldn’t allow your child to drink it, it shouldn’t be allowed in you birds cage. If your bird continually soils the water with food or droppings; it is advisable to find somewhere else in the cage to hang the water dish.

CAGING:

Of course there is no such thing as a cage that is too big., The question most asked is how small can the cage be without making the bird unhappy. The minimum sizes that I recommend are 20W X 20D X 30H for the larger green conures such as the mitred and the cherry-head, 20W X 18D X 20H for the medium sized birds like the white-eyed and the suns; and 14W X 18D X 18H for the little guys like the maroon-bellies and the black-caps. These cage sizes do assume that the birds will be allowed play time each day where they can spend their time out of the cage. The top of most cages can be converted into a fun playstand. Of course if someone is home all day and the bird is only going to be closed up in the cage at night , you can get away with smaller caging.

As mentioned before, it is of the utmost importance to purchase a cage that has a wire grate floor suspended over the cage bottom. This separates the bird from its soiled food and droppings. This is a must if you are to maintain the long term health of your bird. Another thing that is worthwhile paying attention to when purchasing a cage is the number of horizontal bars used in the construction of the cage. Your bird will spend a great deal of time hanging and climbing on the sides of the cage. Horizontal bars create easy foot holds that can be hung from with a minimum of effort. Vertical bars have to be held on to tightly enough so the bird doesn’t slide down them. This is not very comfortable. Unfortunately most cage manufacturers are eliminating as many of the horizontal bars as possible in their cages. This is because the fewer horizontal bars that a cage has; the more visually pleasing it is to the human eye. Since humans not birds make the decisions as to what cage to buy, they are often manufactured with the human not the bird in mind.

Its’ range is northern South America from northeastern Peru up into southern Columbia, through Venezuela and the Guianas into northern Brazil.  This covers a large area.  A range that extensive might lead one to believe that it’s a common bird.  Actually they are scarce throughout their range.  They are never seen in flocks.  Pairs and family groups of up to five members are what is usually encountered throughout their habitat. They usually remain in dense forests, which makes them difficult to spot.  It’s a bird that has strong ties to its’ nesting hollows and it is common for them to use the hollows as a year round sleeping dormitory.  

The hawk-head is very territorial and does not hesitate to defend any areas that it regularly frequents.  They will often attack any other hawk-head, they encounter during their daily travels, that is not a member of their family group.  In fact that is the personality trait that trappers used against them in order to facilitate their capture.  In Guyana the trappers would wait along their flyways in a blind that they would build high up in a tree.  They would put a semi-tame hawk-head out on one of the limbs.  When another hawk-head would fly by, it would fly down to pick a fight with the trappers “call bird.”  It was at that moment that the trapper would try to snare the fly in. 

The indigenous Indians refer to the bird as the “heea heea” which is a fairly accurate redition of their call.  It gets its’ English name from the beautiful ruff of red and blue elongated feathers that it has on its’ nape.  Whenever the bird is excited it raises these feathers so as to form a large ruff that crowns the top and sides of its’ head. This is a trait that is common to hawks, although in hawks it’s not as spectacular.  Their black beak and yellow eyes are offset by the pleasing chocolate brown coloration of their cheeks.  As we move up to the forehead the birds vary drastically in color depending on the area that they come from.   Those from the western part of the range have a white-buff forehead.  As we move east and then south into Brazil the coloration on the forehead darkens to a deep chocolate brown.  Hawk-heads with this dark brown coloration are much rarer in the U.S. because Brazil has never sent out any commercial shipments.  Their wings are a beautiful deep green as is their long and very broad tail.  Traits that are reminiscent of the king parrots from Asia rather than anything else in South America.  Their chest feathers are colored the same as the elongated nape; dark red with bright blue stripes that run the width of the edges.  This is accented by their green vent and the deep black underside of their broad tail.

As far as personality is concerned this bird is a show stopper.  Its’ comical antics and high intelligence make it a real member of the family.  In years past, hawk-heads were considered very difficult to breed in captivity.  The biggest problem was the lack of females.  Toward the end of commercial importation, enough females came in so as to allow a good number of serious aviculturists to acquire  a pair or two.  One of the factors that slowed development of this species in commercial aviaries was  misinformation.  Rumors spread that they were so territorial minded that they would not breed if there were any other pairs in the same aviary. 

Unfortunately many top aviculturists believed these rumors and refrained from setting up more than one pair.  They believed that if the birds could hear another pair they would not produce.  We at the institute have three pairs that are within earshot of each other.  All three pairs produce regularly.  There are now several other farms that  have regular production of these fabulous birds.  This is a bird that despite its’ high price tag, is in constant demand. 

The hawk-head even has high value in the countries that it is indigenous to.   This is because it is the bird that is the most highly coveted as a pet by tribal peoples of the Amazon Basin. The fact that Amazonian Indians, who certainly have a wide variety of choices, would choose this bird over so many others is the best testimonial to their incredible personality.  It is not until you move into thr areas of the big cities of Venezuala that its’ popularity gives way to the yellow-shouldered Amazon.

A: The common confusion concerning this name has its roots with the publication of PARROTS of the WORLD by Forshaw. He wanted his book to carry world wide appeal and there were “issues” concerning the common names of the same bird in different English speaking countries.

The problem was not the fact that the same bird would have a different common name in a different country but that the same common name was often applied to different birds.

That was the case with the “SPECTACLED” Amazon. (a name that refers to spectacles as in “eye glasses”, not speckles as in spots of color)
Amazona albifrons, a small Central American bird had been given the “trade name” “Spectacled Amazon” by bird importers in the USA. This referred to the outline of red feathers around the area of the eyes.

The problem was that Amazona pretrei, a rare and endangered South American Amazon had been going under the common name “Red- Spectacled Amazon” for several decades and was used among European aviculturists that specialized in the breeding of rare birds.

In order avoid confusion in his publication, he chose to give legitimacy to the name “Red- Spectacled Amazon” in relation to Amazona pretrei. At the same time he decided that Amazona albifrons be more properly referred to as the “White-fronted Amazon” which was in keeping with the meaning of it’s scientific name “albifrons” which means “white-front”.

To this day, there are still many people that call the white-fronted Amazon, the spectacled Amazon because that’s what they were told and that was acceptable many years ago. This is also very commonly mispronounced as “Speckled Amazon” which even further adds to the confusion.

So in short–
In order to avoid confusion concerning the rare Amazon that European breeders were working with, Forshaw changed the name in his famous publication of the more commonly kept bird which added decades of confusion here in the USA to something that nobody was previously confused about.

There are two types (subspecies) of yellow-shouldereds. One exists in two localities along the coast of Venezuela. The other is found off the Venezuelan coast on a few islands that are part of a chain called the Lesser Antilles. One of them is as described above. The other is larger and has the yellow on its’ head covering a much greater area. This subspecies looks more like a super small yellow-headed Amazon.

There is some confusion as to which bird comes from the mainland and which is from the Islands. The island bird is the rothschildi subspecies. In some older texts it is referred to as Rothschild’s Amazon. In PARROTS OF THE WORLDS by J. Forshaw, the smaller one with less extensive yellow on the head is listed as the rarer island variety. Due to Forshaw’s masterwork this is also what most aviculturists in the U.S. believe. I however have good reason to believe the opposite. I know of at least eight birds that were brought into the U.S. by Venezuelan immigrants as part of their household possessions. All of them were purchased on the mainland from local trappers that have no means or reason to smuggle the island variety into Venezuela. Secondly the vast majority of all the birds I have seen in the U.S. are as well; the smaller, and in my opinion, prettier variety. It is agreed to that the island form, which ever it may be, is much rarer than the mainland form. I find it difficult to believe that the rarer form would exist here in greater numbers than the one from the mainland. Last but not least, personal communication with an aviculturists who traveled to the region has also solidified my feelings. He claimed that his travels proved to him that somehow the descriptions got reversed.

Although both types of yellow-shouldereds are listed as endangered species, they are still a very popular pet bird in Venezuela. In fact they are the pet bird of choice among cosmopolitan Venezuelans. Here in the U.S. they are breeding reliably and very steadily. The pairs that we have at the institute never disappoint us. Although they are on the international endangered list they are not on our federal list. This means they can be freely traded within the U.S. without permits. They are a bird that is very popular with aviculturists who make the decision to invest in some of the rarer Amazons. Aviaries are now producing enough of them to allow many to go into the pet trade. The pet potential of Barbies’ is extraordinary. Most that we have known remain sweet and gentile into adulthood. They also have the advantage of being very quiet, for an Amazon. These attributes endear them to all that have ever had them as a companion.

The most common variety that one finds available is the White-capped Pionus (Pionus senilis). The range of these is Mexico south through Central America. These multicolored birds are difficult to describe. Adults have a large white patch on the top of their heads. They have the typical patch of bronze coloration on the sides of their wings, and variable cobalt blue on areas of the cheeks and breast. Babies are much duller looking then adults. Since their color does not fully develop until they are about two years old their popularity suffers because prospective buyers have a difficult time imagining how pretty they are at adulthood.

More sporadically available are both the dusky (Pionus fuscus) and the bronze-winged Pionus (Pionus chalcopterus). The duskies’ range encompasses sporadic localities in northeastern and central South America. The Bronze-wings’ range is even more restricted; being confined to the north-western coast of South America from Venezuela south through Colombia and Ecuador to Peru. From the rear, both of these birds are a bit similar. An overall bronze coloration to their backs and wings give them a very unique look among the parrot family. From the front they do differ drastically. The bronze-wing has a light colored beak and a dark purple-blue breast; the dusky has a dark beak and the bronze-brown of its breast and belly is suffused with hues of blues and red-purple.

All are about ten inches long including a three inch tail. These pint sized parrots have captured the hearts of anyone that has shared their home with them. They are the perfect bird for those that live in apartments and are worried about the noise factor. They are also an excellent bird for those that are just beginning the experience of parrot ownership. Although they have no trouble learning a few phrases of human speech, they never develop extensive vocabularies. This is something that is dictated by their quiet nature. They do however more than make up for this with their sweet and affectionate personalities.

Serious inquiries by anyone wishing to purchase a beautiful Buttercream Yellow Amazon can be sent to inquiries@voren.com.

This beautiful Amazon is pure yellow with no melanin pigment in the feet and when hatched, has red eyes. The center of the wing coverts are almost white. Due to the fact that the flights have a slight tan coloration we know that this is a cinnamon and not a lutino.

Another beautiful Buttercream Yellow Red-lored Amazon showing the almost white centers to its wing coverts that are edged in a brilliant yellow.

A unique clutch of three beautiful Buttercream Yellow Red-lored Amazons.