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In all the years we have raised birds, and after all the birds we have bred and owned, the Amazon is one of the most difficult birds to understand and raise. You will either grow to deeply love these birds, or totally hate them!

They are noisy, aggressive, demanding, destructive, and totally annoying! But they are also sweet, and loving (as long as it’s not breeding season.) They are great talkers, rated one of the top three talking birds.

If you plan to purchase an Amazon, you must do some careful research. All Amazons are not alike, and the wrong choice will most likely become a major disappointment to you. Amazons are one of the most common birds to be abandoned and given to rescue groups. The reason is that the owners just couldn’t control their temperament, and didn’t understand them. For this reason, we do not recommend Amazons to any novice bird owner.

Amazon Parrot Care And Feeding

You are going to quickly discover that Amazons are a smelly bird. Not that smelly, but they do have a odor. They will require weekly showers (if they will tolerate it). Frequent misting will encourage grooming and the bird will do its own personal hygiene.

Amazons will require a fairly large cage. We recommend at least 24×30x30. A play gym can be helpful to allow them to get more exercise, as they are an active bird.

Amazons love fruit. Use this to your advantage to supplement the birds diet with vitamins. Amazons have a major problem getting enough Vitamin A into their diet, and you will notice a problem quickly if the feathers begin to show a darkening of the tips. Be sure to offer your bird orange and yellow vegi’s and those with high Vitamin A. Those include such vegetables as carrots and zucchini. You can lightly dust their favorite fruit with a powdered vitamin mix to supplement their diet.

We never recommend and all seed diet to birds, and this is especially true for Amazons. Find a good pellet diet. Your bird should be eating at least half of his diet this way. Our Amazons also liked human foods, and we would usually give them leftovers from our meals. If you want a quite pizza night, and don’t want your Amazon to scream, be sure to leave him some!

Be sure to supply your bird with lots of wood chew toys. Amazons are very aggressive chewers, and if left unattended they will destroy your furniture and woodwork in your home.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BIRD

As I mentioned, there are a number of different species of Amazons. Each has their own unique traits. One bad thing is that Amazons are very moody. One minute they are sweet, the next they are very aggressive. The worst bites we have ever taken were from Amazons. You need to watch for the warning signs of an Amazon that may be agitated. This includes a fanned out tail, puffed up feathers, and if their pupils narrow to a point. When they show these signs…back away and let the bird calm down.

Here are some of the most common types of Amazons, and our comments on each:

Double Yellow-Headed Amazons

Very popular for it’s talking ability. Has a bit more color in it, accented by its brightly yellow face. The Magna Double Yellow headed is a subspecies, and has even more coloring to it, butt are usually more expensive. They are very intelligent, imaginative and easy to tame. They will quickly bond to their owners.

Yellow-Naped Amazons

Closely related to the double yellow headed Amazon, and carries many of the same traits. They are intelligent and rated one of the top three talking birds.. They are a bit noisier then other Amazons. They have a reputation for being very determined, territorial and demanding. For this reason they do not train well, and can become nippy and temperamental. They can change their attitude on a moment’s notice, one second being very sweet, and the next attacking you for no apparent reason. This is most evident in the males, and especially during breeding season. Not recommended for novice bird owners. Average price is around $1000-$1500 due to their popularity as a great talker.

Yellow-Fronted Amazons

Like the Yellow Naped Amazon, they are good talkers but are known to be moody and temperamental. Not recommended for novice bird owners. If hand-fed and raised as babies, they tend not to be as aggressive. They do not tend to bond to one owner the way other Amazons do. They are noisy, especially in the evenings. Not as expensive as other Amazons.

Blue-Fronted Amazons

There are three types of Blue Fronts, including the Yellow-Wing and Bolivian. The Blue Front is a very strong-willed bird, aggressive and is not recommended for novice bird owners. Yellow Wings are a lot tamer, and Bolivian’s are the best choice if you are looking for playful Amazon. All are good talkers and quite noisy. They do develop strong personalities.

Orange-Winged Amazons

Often confused with the Blue Front Amazon due to the blue patch on its face. They are easy to identify because they are the only Amazon with orange feathers on their wings. They can be temperamental, but can be tamed to become friendly, especially if raised as a hand fed baby. They are one of the smallest of the Amazons. They are not considered to be good talkers, but are good mimickers. They have a very loud, high-pitched scream. They are reasonably priced at $500-$800.

Green-Cheeked Amazons

Also called the Mexican Red-head, this bird is similar to the yellow-cheeked. They are very popular in the US. They have a unique call, and you will hear it in the mornings and evenings as they are quite vocal. Not the best talkers but they are great mimickers. They make much better pets as they are not as moody and temperamental as other Amazons. They are medium priced bird due to their popularity, and sells for $800-$1200.

Lilac Crowned Amazons

These birds also also referred to as Finsch’s. These birds make a good pet as they are not as temperamental or moody as other amazons. They can talk but are not known to be the better of the talking amazons. Are are quite vocal and will mimic, especially in the mornings and evenings. They are one of the smaller amazons, but also one of the most active and comical. They do best if supplied with lots of toys, and a play gym will keep them busy for hours. They are known to quickly bond to their owners. Also one of the more quieter of the Amazons, but do have a loud yell. They sell for $600-$800, making them a good buy for someone moving up to larger parrots.