Yellow-headed Amazon

The Yellow-headed amazon lives in mangrove forests near rivers or other bodies of water. It is a stocky, short-tailed parrot with a yellow-head, the yellow colour increasing with age. Its personality is lively, and it can quickly and expertly mimic most sounds, with a particular affinity for singing. An aggressive bird, the Yellow-headed Amazon is a member of the “Hot Three” (a reference to the bird’s “hot” temper), along with the Yellow-naped and Blue-fronted amazon. Its gregariousness and reputation as a “talker” have led the parrot to be popular in the pet trade. It is a highly social bird that lives in flocks of up to 700, however little is known about its social behaviour. It is a monogamous species and during the breeding season lives in pairs. It nests in hollow tree cavities, and the female lays and incubates 2- 3 eggs. The male feeds the female regurgitated food while she is sitting on her eggs. The chicks leave the nest between 8 – 12 weeks old.