Amazon of the Week 5/30/10

[Jayd]

This week Amazon is: The Blue-fronted Yellow-shouldered Amazon

(Amazona aestiva aestiva)

Also known as the Turquoise-fronted Amazon and Blue-fronted Parrot. Its name derives from the distinctive blue marking over its beak.

The Blue-fronted Amazon is one of the most common companion parrots, and a favorite pet bird in the United States. However, it is endangered in its natural habitat in North-eastern Bolivia, South-Western Mato Grosso, Brazil, Paraguay, Northern Argentina and Northernmost Buenos Aires.

The Blue-fronted Amazon Yellow-shouldered Amazon Parrot is found in the arid areas of northern Venezuela, the Venezuelan islands of Margarita and La Blanquilla, and the island of Bonaire (Netherlands Antilles). It has been extirpated from Aruba and possibly also Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles).There is also a small feral breeding population that has established itself in Stuttgart, South-western Germany.

Blue-fronted Amazons average 14 - 15 inches (~35 cm) in length (from head to tail tip) and weigh 9.7 to 18 oz (275 to 510 grams) - the average being 14.1 to 15.2 oz (400 to 430 grams).The Parrot is mainly green and about 33 cm long. It has a whitish forehead and lores, and a yellow crown, ocular region and - often - ear coverts and chin. The bare eye-ring is white. The thighs and the bend of the wing ("shoulder") are yellow, but both can be difficult to see. The throat, cheeks and belly often have a bluish tinge. As most members of the genus Amazona, it has broad dark blue tips to the remiges and a red wing-speculum.Its beak is horn coloured.

A wide range of color combinations have been produced. Some birds have no blue head feathers whatsoever; others have turquoise blue on their forehead or even the whole front of the bird (face, neck and chest) is blue. Most have yellow somewhere on their head or face; some have blue, a little white and then yellow as head markings. There are also significant individual variations in both facial pattern and amount of yellow/red to the "shoulder". In one extreme, individuals with essentially no yellow to the head and entirely green "shoulder" are known from north-western Argentina.

References

1. ^ "Species factsheet: Amazona barbadensis". BirdLife International (2008). http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=1677&m=0. Retrieved 22 August 2008.

http://www.parrots.org/index.php/parrotgallery/category/C172/P0/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-shouldered_Amazon

http://www.avianweb.com/bluefrontedamazon.html

[pearllyn]

Ooh what a beautiful bird - I love their eyes - gorgeous! Thanks Jay.

[Georgiesmum]

I want one Not enuf time at the moment with new baby but an amazon is def on the list for the future

[judygram]

Just when I think the last entry was the most beautiful amazon this week's entry trumps it, what a beauty Jay, thanks for doing these weekly amazon threads, love it.

[Yossi]

Blue fronts are great amazons! Great article thanks!

[Luvparrots]

Thanks Jay. I think the cinnamon blue-front amazon is gorgeous. Thanks for this great thread!

[JillyBeanz]

Those amber eyes are just something else! They are absolutely beautiful. I love the colour of the "off green" one - what a strange shade. Thanks again Jay - fantastic addition to my repetoire!