Red-Lored Amazon
Red-Lored Amazon

Red-Lored Amazon

Yellow cheek amazon, Red-lored parrot

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Psittaciformes
Family
Psittacidae
Genus
Amazona
SPECIES
Amazona autumnalis
Population size
below 10,000
Life Span
75-80 yrs
WEIGHT
314-485 g
LENGTH
32-35 cm
WINGSPAN
38-43 cm

The Red-lored amazon is one of the Amazon parrot species, native to the tropical regions in the Americas. It is a wonderful pet that is gentle, loyal and affectionate, and is one of the commonest pet parrots in North America, although endangered in some countries, notably parts of Venezuela and Mexico. It appears to adapt well to the human habitat. However, the main threat to this bird is being trapped for the pet bird trade.

Di

Diurnal

He

Herbivore

Fr

Frugivore

Gr

Granivore

Ar

Arboreal

Al

Altricial

Se

Sedentary

Mo

Monogamy

So

Social

Fl

Flocking

Photos with Red-Lored Amazon

Red-Lored Parrot
Red-lored Parrot (Amazona autumnalis)
Amazona autumnalis | Lora Petirroja
Red-lored Parrot (Amazona autumnalis)
Red-Lored Parrot

Distribution

The Red-lored amazon inhabits North, Central and South America, especially from eastern Mexico to western Ecuador, with most of them being found in Panama. One subspecies lives only in northwestern Brazil between the Negro and Upper Amazon Rivers. This species is arboreal and lives primarily in rainforests, preferring wild areas.

Geography

Continents
North America, South America
Subcontinents
Central America
Countries
Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela

Biome

Tropical moist forests

Climate zones

Tropical
Amazona autumnalis-- Red-lored Parrots

Habits and Lifestyle

These birds are often sedentary, living in the same place for the whole year, daily moving between their roosting and nesting areas. They are gregarious and live in flocks, though during the breeding season the birds live in pairs, and are often seen flying as a pair. Their calls are loud, screeching, and unmelodic. They have the strongest calls out of Panama's three Amazonia species. Unless resting or eating, they tend to be noisy. Like all Amazons, they call out an alert in the morning first thing, and then again when the sun is setting, for about 10 minutes. This species is highly intelligent. When flying they use shallow stiff wing-strokes and so are very easy recognizable in the air. They are good mimics, though they do this only in captivity. Their beaks and feet are used to husk seeds and climb trees, and they will use their beaks to test new surfaces.

Group name
flock, company, pandemonium
Lifestyle
Arboreal, Altricial, Sedentary

Diet and Nutrition

The Red-lored amazons are herbivores (frugivores and granivores), they eat seeds, fruit, berries, nuts, greens, blossoms and buds.

Diet Herbivore, Frugivore, Granivore

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
Monogamy
REPRODUCTION SEASON
February-April, in Colombia: starts in December
INCUBATION PERIOD
20-32 days
INDEPENDENT AGE
60 days
FEMALE NAME
hen
MALE NAME
cock
BABY NAME
chick
BABY CARRYING
2-5 eggs

Red-lored amazons are monogamous and pairs probably mate for life. Pairs mutually preen, or clean each other's feathers, and will feed their partner. Breeding is between February and April, though in Colombia and several other places it is from December. Their nest is in a hollow tree and they usually lay 2-5 white eggs, which they incubate for 20 to 32 days. Hatchlings are naked and blind. The female feeds and broods the chicks for 10 days and then the male helps. The young can leave the nest after about 60 days. Some young remain with the parents until the next mating season.

Red-Lored Parrot
Population Trend
Decreasing
POPULATION STATUS
Least concern (LC)
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Population

Population threats

Although this bird is not endangered, this is imminent. The forests that are its home are slowly being destroyed. These parrots are also hunted for food and for their colorful plumage, which is used in ceremonial dances. Demand for use as pets is also a serious threat.

Population number

This species has a very large range, but the IUCN Red List does not provide the Red-lored amazon total population size. According to the BirdLife resource, the population is less than 10,000 mature individuals. Overall, currently this species is classified as Least Concern (LC), but its numbers today are decreasing.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • Red-lored amazons were first described in 1758 by Linnaeus.
  • There are about 50 different species of Amazon parrots.
  • Although Red-lored amazons tend to be vocal, their talking skill is not regarded highly. Depending on the individual, some are good talkers while others only manage a couple of words.
  • Eggplants and avocados are poisonous for Red-lored parrots, as with all parrots.
  • A group of parrots is called, amongst other things, a "company", “prattle", "pandemonium", or "psittacosis" of parrots.
  • The Red-lored amazon will eat coffee beans.
  • It was apparently Christopher Columbus who named a green, short-winged parrot “Amazon”, that he brought from his first travel to the New World back to Europe.

References

1. Red-Lored Amazon Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-lored_amazon
2. Red-Lored Amazon on The IUCN Red List site - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22728292/0

Related Animals

Military Macaw
Ara militaris
Blue-and-Gold Macaw
Ara ararauna
Cuban Amazon
Amazona leucocephala
Orange-Winged Amazon
Amazona amazonica
Yellow-Crowned Amazon
Amazona ochrocephala
Yellow-Headed Amazon
Amazona oratrix
Yellow-Naped Amazon
Amazona auropalliata
Green-Winged Macaw
Ara chloropterus

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