Black-billed Amazon Parrots
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The Black-billed Amazon, also known as Black-billed Parrot, is an amazon parrot that is endemic to Jamaica and West Indies. Its preferred habitat consists of humid mountainous rainforest, usually limestone rainforest, at middle level of high ground.
Due to habitat destruction, poaching for food and trapping for the pet trade, this parrot - once as common as the Yellow-billed Amazon - has now become rare and endangered.
These parrots are seen in small groups or flocks of up to 30 birds where they blend into the canopy of the forest perfectly camouflaged by their green plumage. They are usually detected by their screeching calls during flight. They often form larger flocks with the Yellow-billed Amazon Parrot, usually when foraging.
Description:
This parrot averages 10 ins (25 cm) in length and is mostly green with small patches of red on the wing and sometimes flecked on the head. The ear-coverts are tinged blackish and the under wing-coverts and undersides of flight feathers are bluish-green. Its feet are grey and the irises are dark brown. Its grey bill, with a pale base, makes it easy to separate from most other Amazons, including the Yellow-billed Amazon, which also is a native of Jamaica.
Females look like males, except they are generally smaller and have some green feathers to primary-coverts.
Immatures have green primary-coverts and dark irises.
Aviculture / Pet Trade:
Newly imported parrots are not known to be hardy and they are susceptible to disease. They require careful acclimatization. During the acclimatization period, they should not be exposed to temperatures below 59°F (15°C). Supplemental heat may need to be provided.
These parrots have a calm temperament and become easily trusting with their caretakers. They are medium-noisy to noisy parrots, which needs to be taken into consideration when deciding on the Black-billed Amazon as a pet or for breeding. People who can't tolerate noise, should not consider this parrot as a pet nor for a breeding program. Proximity to neighbors also needs to be considered.
Breeding: As this is a rare parrot about which little is known, breeding successes are rare. Outside the breeding season, they are not known to be aggressive towards other birds. However, breeding pairs should be isolated at the beginning of the breeding season, which begins around April.
The hen lays 3 to 4 eggs, which she incubates for 26 days. The young fledge when they are about 8 weeks old.
Recommended Housing: Their outside flights should be spacious, at a minimum: 12 x 4.5 x 6 ft (4 x 1.5 x 2 m) with adjoining shelter 6 x 4.5 x 6 ft (2 x 1.5 x 2 m). As they are heavy chewers, metal construction is advisable. A good-size roosting / nesting box should be provided from the very beginning of the following approximate dimensions: 10 x 10 x 24 ins (25 x 25 x 60 cm) with entrance hole of 3 ins (8 cm) in diameter.
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
Amazon ownership generally presents multiple challenges, such as excessive chewing - especially at certain stages in their life. They do discover their beaks as method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage" and they can generally be somewhat naughty, and it really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. Aggressive behavior is especially common in "hormonal" amazons. Undisciplined amazons will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. They regard anything in your home as a "toy" that can be explored and chewed on; destroying items that you may hold dear or are simply valuable.
Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation.
Behavioral challenges that amazon present may include:
- Excessive Chewing: Any parrot will chew. In nature, they use their beak to "customize" their favorite tree, to enlarge the size of their nest in a tree hollow. Doing this keeps their beaks in good condition. The problem is excessive and undesirable chewing. Undisciplined parrots will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. The owner needs to provide plenty of "healthy" chewing opportunities (bird toys, natural wood branches, etc.) and training is necessary to teach an amazon parrot what is fine to chew on and what is "off-limits."
- Biting & Hormonal Behavior:
Dominant Behavior: Amazon Parrots, as most parrots, are likely to discover their beaks as a method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage." It really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established.- Training is vital to stop this aggressive behavior.
Hormonal Aggression: Amazon parrots are also known for their "hormonal" aggression phase. This phase usually appears between the ages of 5 to 12 years. During this time there will be one to two years in which they are likely to be very aggressive. Fortunately, once they go through this, they generally settle down with little or no aggression shown outside the breeding season - with some aggression, but to a lesser degree, when they are in breeding condition.
Amazons going through that stage are difficult to handle for many but the most experienced amazon owners. Species such as Lilac Crowns and Mealies are less excitable than other amazon species during the breeding season. Females tend to be calmer than males during this phase. An attack by a hormonal male can be vicious and will not be limited to one bite.
Many bird owners are bewildered by the fact that their previously so cuddly pet suddenly turns on them - their primary caretakers. To add insult to injury, their pet may pick another family member as their favorite. Dr. Jill Patt describes this being similar to a wild bird leaving its parents and choosing a mate. She suggests the following ways of dealing with it:
- Understand that this is a natural behavior.
- Have the family member the bird has picked limit their interaction with your bird, spend time with the bird when that family member is absent, and ensure that only you are the one to provide all favorite treats and activities.
- The environment can also be altered somewhat to attempt to reduce breeding behavior. Limiting the daylight hours to mimic a winter sun will often help.
- In some instances, the vet may prescribe drugs that balance out a pet's hormones.
- Click here for more information on reducing hormonal behavior in birds.
- Calls / Voicing / Screaming: The natural calls of the Black-billed Amazons are raucous, rolling screeches. Slightly more high pitched than Yellow-billed Amazon. When perched when resting or feeding they make soft croaking noises. Not everybody can tolerate the natural loud call of an amazon, and even though it can't (or should not) be entirely eliminated, there are ways to discourage screaming / screeching. Amazon parrots are excellent talkers though, and their natural loud call can be replaced with human speech with a little bit of training. Fortunately, they are quick learners.
Training and behavioral guidance will help your pet be the kind of companion you want it to be ...
- AvianWeb Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training. If you found a way to resolve a "parrot behavioral issue" please share it with others.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
If you are considering one of these magnificent parrots as pets, please visit the following websites for information:
- Amazon General Information
- What Bird Fits Into My Lifestyle
- Procuring your Parrot
- BREEDERS:
- Recommended Breeders
- Do you breed this species and would like to be listed? Click here to see your options.
- BREEDERS:
- The 3 Key Elements to Keep Your Pet Bird Happy & Healthy
- Housing Your Bird
- Diet:
- In its natural habitat, the Black-billed Amazon generally feeds on fruit (wild fruits in addition to cultivated fruits such as mangos and papayas), vegetables (i.e., cucumbers), seeds and nuts.
- In captivity, they may be fed a quality seed mix consisting of sunflower, safflower, wheat, oats, canary grass seed and various millets. Sprouted seeds in spring and summer are very appreciated by these parrots and sprouted seeds are very nutritious. They also serve as a great rearing food. Some pine-nuts and various fruit and vegetables, especially carrots, bananas, apples, citrus fruit; rose-hips, rowan and elderberries; half-ripe maize; greenfood should be fed, as well as a regular vitamin and mineral supplements. Vitamin C supplementation is especially important during the acclimatization period and cold, wet periods.
- Visit this website for more useful information on Amazon Nutrition.
- Parrot Products
Taxonomy:
Species: Scientific: A['mazona agilis ... English: Black-billed Amazon ... Dutch: Jamaica Amazone, Zwartsnavelamazone ... German: Rotspiegelamazone ... French: Amazone Agilis, Amazone active
CITES II - Endangered Species
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