Yellow Naped Amazon General Info
The Yellow Naped Amazon is one of the rare and endangered breeds of Amazon parrots. And just like all the birds of this family, they too are intelligent, happy and energetic. They are extremely skilled talkers and will quickly become the family’s favorite entertainer. These Amazons are a breed with a long lifespan, making them excellent companion parrots and a lifetime friend. Amazon parrots are easily among the friendliest, loveliest and cuddliest pet parrots on the market, and introducing this pet into your life can only bring you decades of affection and fun.
Yellow Naped Amazons are great friends and amazing talkers. They are sure to brighten your day.
Native Region/Natural Habitat
These lively parrots found their home on the temperate Central America’s Pacific coast. This region is found almost entirely in southern Mexico and northern Costa Rica with very small populations in Honduras and Nicaragua. A sad truth is the fact that they are a vulnerable and constantly threatened breed in the wild. This is mostly due to illegal trapping and heavy deforestation.
Overall Description
Amazons are medium-sized birds, with small differences between the breeds. Yellow Naped Amazon parrots are almost the same as most of their close cousins and is often confused with related breeds like the Yellow Crowned or the Panama Amazon. The adults reach an average length of 14 inches (35 centimeters) and should weigh around a pound (450 grams). These are quite stout and robust birds and should be given plenty of room in order to prevent obesity and problems that occur with lack of exercise. Thanks to their great intelligence, the Yellow Naped parrots are prone to boredom, so avoid keeping them in the cage for very long periods of time.
Speech and Sounds
One of the biggest reasons for the popularity of the Yellow Naped Amazon in the pet trade is without a doubt their great ability to talk and mimic human speech. Being very smart, they will quickly build up a vocabulary and surprise you with their memory and a crisp clear voice. It is often surprising how they relate certain words with their meaning and use them at perfect times. Some Amazons are famous for their singing ability, easily memorizing lyrics and different tones. Still, these parrots can be loud, although not annoying, and should best be kept as house birds.
Colors
Most Amazons are not too colorful or exotic. Still, they can all be quite the charmers. But still, those who look for exotic and colorful parrots might be disappointed due to their very simple and straightforward coloration. They are almost entirely light green, with darker green shades on the back and wings. Their distinguishing detail is on the head – a yellow patch on the lower neck (nape) and a tiny little yellow patch on the forehead. Some lower flight feathers are colored red and blue but are seen only in flight. Still, even with this simplicity, the Yellow Naped Amazon has charm. In any case, what they lack in color they certainly make up with their talk!
They are amongst the simplest Amazons when it comes to looks.
Care and Feeding
Amazons in the wild thrive on a special diet of fruits, insects, seeds, pollen and more than often agricultural crops. In some areas of South America, they are considered as pests due to their big appetite for common crops. As a pet, they should be given a balanced diet which is best created with a commercial seed mix designed for Amazons. The second half of this diet is made of fresh fruits and vegetables. These treats are a great source of vitamins.
One thing to keep in mind is the importance of showers. Amazons simply love to bathe or shower and you should certainly let them enjoy it. It’s a great preventive against skin diseases.
Health and Common Conditions
One of the long-lived species, the Amazons are robust and loved for their good health. You can expect a lifetime friendship that can last up to 60 years. Of course, this lifespan can only be achieved with good care and dedicated attention. One of the main threats for Amazons is their tendency to become obese. Obesity can result in serious problems, so make sure to keep a balanced diet and avoid foods with a lot of fat. Regular check-ups and plenty of vitamins can keep you one step ahead and ensure a happy and healthy pet.
Amazon parrots are prone to obesity. Be careful of their diet and avoid fat-rich foods.
Personality & Behavior
Yellow Naped Amazon can be considered as one of the friendliest pet parrots around. With their intelligence, talking and down-to-earth friendly behavior, you can only expect to enjoy their company. A development of a strong bond with their favorite person is guaranteed, and this bond can result in some serious jealousy. Things might get heated during the mating season, though, when males could get a bit nippy and bite from time to time. Still, this is not a big deal and passes with time. In summary, if you’re on the lookout for an energetic and goofy parrot, but an affectionate and cuddly one as well, you can’t go wrong with a Yellow Naped Amazon.
Photo credit: Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH/Shutterstock; Eric Isselee/Shutterstock; Ondrej Prosicky/Shutterstock
