Blue-fronted Yellow-shouldered Amazons
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The Blue-fronted Amazon (Amazona aestiva) is 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
Description:
Blue-fronted Amazons average 14 - 15 inches in length (from head to tail tip). A wide range of color combinations have been produced. Some birds have no blue head feathers whatsoever; others have turquoise blue on their foreheads 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. The beak is dark grey and their feet are grey.
Striking mutations have occurred in aviaries, including the cinnamon featured below:
Personality:
The Blue-fronted Amazon has been appreciated for its intelligence, beauty, and talking abilities for over a century. Their talking ability is ranked third among birds when compared to African Grey Parrots or Yellow-naped Parrots.
Males tend to be slightly more aggressive.
They are hardy and have a long livespan, some living to the long age of 100 years or even older (oldest known lived to 117 years).
Blue-crowned Amazons as Pets:
Janet has been owned by Kaci for 30 years, raising him from a chick. She describes her experience of living with a blue-crowned amazon as follows:
"They are wonderful pets but they do have a tendency to get a little attitude of independence. You have to be careful. Sometimes for no reason he'd get aggressive but I think it was only if he was startled, scared or didn't trust you. The center of his eye would get very small and that's when I'd start the "big birds don't bite" line. He knew what that meant.
I got Kaci at about 12 weeks. He didn't even have all of his feathers and I had to feed him with an eye dropper every 3 hours. My husband did not interact from the beginning so he and Kaci had a love/hate relationship. He bonded very closely to me and he loved most women and children.
He started to talk within two months. If I'd been a trainer and really pushed it I think he would have talked a lot more. He spoke and communicated without repeating. He'd always say goodbye or hello or just Hi when coming or going, he'd tell you when he wanted to go to his room by rubbing his head and eyes and saying "Go Nite, Nite or Go to bed".
He'd climb our carpeted steps with his brother cat and go to his room. If he wasn't ready to go to bed after I covered him up he'd stand in the bottom of his cage and cry. I'd give him 5 more minutes of play time, wind up his music box cover him back up and he'd be fine. During dinner he ate with us and we shared the healthy food. If I had something he shouldn't have he'd stand on his play stand and say Hmmmm,,, that good ????? and beg like a dog.
He'd always tell you to come here when he wanted something and if you'd call him he sometimes said "What?". I didn't let him fly so he didn't really try very often. He did have a weight issue from his slow thyroid so it was dangerous to clip his wings in case he bailed out off of the cage on accident. I think if everyone handled this type of bird from infancy and formed bonds he wouldn't become a one person bird like Kaci was. He had a lot of friends and he loved to laugh with you and loved company.
He sounded exactly like me (my friends said) and he even lowered his voice to imitate my husband when he said "Hi Buddy" when my husband would enter the room. They were definitely close friends in the end. It just took patience and time and a little bit of bribery :)
Since Kaci did have a bit of an aggression issue I was very careful when he was around children. Though, he loved it when kids came to visit and always wanted to be picked up and sit on our shoulders. He'd get very upset and fight me when I decided his time was up when playing with the kids. I've read that the younger you get your amazons and interact them with the family (kids included) the more likely you are to have a gentle kind bird. I believe that to be true.
Kaci wasn't mean, he was just apprehensive of men due to my husbands attitude toward him as we were raising him. Kevin wasn't always kinda at voice. He didn't understand training and learning so he got bit a couple of times. I got bit too but you must know your bird's moods. I don't know anyone who has a bird that hasn't gotten nipped a couple of times.
So, that's our life with Kaci. I'd urge anyone to get a Blue Front Amazon. The younger the better. Janet"
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: 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.
- Calling / Voicing / Screaming: 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
- Breeders:
- NY City: Birds New York - a
private aviary located in New York City.
- R&B Aviary - Breeder & Parrot Connoisseur
- NY City: Birds New York - a
- 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
- Bird Nutrition ... In the wild, its natural diet consists of seeds, nuts, fruits and plant material. To learn more about the diet of the captive Amazon Parrot, please visit this webpage.
- Parrot Products
Second photo provided by: R&B Aviary - Breeder & Parrot Connoisseur
Taxonomy:
Species: Scientific: Amazona aestiva xanthopteryx ... English: Blue-fronted Yellow-shouldered Amazon ... Dutch: Bahia Amazone, Geelschouder-blauwvoorhoofdamazone ... German: Gelbflügel Blaustirnamazone ... French: Amazone à front bleu à ailes jaunes
Sub-Species: aestiva, xanthopteryx
Sub-species:
Species: Scientific: Amazona a. xanthopteryx
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots - Please scroll down to no. 2, click on link to view picture
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with the AvianWeb visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the AvianWeb Webmaster.
Photo contributions and articles are welcome!
