Despite their name, Yellow Headed Amazon Parrots did not originate in the Amazon. They actually originated along the coastal regions of Mexico. Their beautiful colors and bold striking marking are what helped to make them so popular as pets. They are predominantly bright green with a vivid yellow head and a beautiful red patch on each wing. Their native habitat is now primarily in Central America where there are large tropical forests and swamps that allow them to nest safely. Their beauty has caused them to become rare and endangered. Poaching of the birds as well as deforestation of the region has caused a dramatic drop in the number of birds.

Yellow Headed Amazons which are breed in captivity are readily available but they have become quite expensive to buy. People then to like them because they can be very verbal and talkative. The problem is that the ability to talk varies greatly with each individual bird. Some will talk your ear off while others may never say a word. They are amazingly intelligent. They are also playful and have great a great sense of humor. Add to that the fact that they can be extremely noisy and you’ve got a housefull of excitement. They like attention and if they do not receive it they will certainly let you know that they are needy at the moment. The challenge to the owner is to get the bird to replace all of it’s screeching with intelligent words. A wonderful and rewarding challenge.

These birds tend to be very active and they need an environment that will allow them the space to fly and move around. There cage is a wonderful place to house them but they need time each day to get out and about. The good news is that even though they are quite large and can be quite destructive, their intelligence allows them to be very well trained where they will not tear your house apart. Obviously, part of the training is to provide lots of chew toys and branches for them to play with.

The male yellow headed parrot will grow to about 15 inches long while the female will be slightly smaller. Their hooked beak is used to crack seeds and nuts and also as a hand to help them to grab and climb. Their feet have two toes pointing forward and two toes pointing backwards. The perfect setup for grasping branches and food.

In their natural habitat their diet consists mostly fruit, nuts, corn, flowers, etc. At home, the owner needs to not only provide fruits and vegetables but also seeds and pellet food.

One of the biggest considerations for a person considering adopting a Yellow Headed Amazon Parrot is its life expectancy. Birds this large can live 60+ years with some reported to reach 100 years. For the right person, these birds will give years and years of happiness, pleasure, and entertainment.