The Double Yellow-headed Amazon

The Double Yellow-headed Amazon Amazona oratrix, is an extremely intelligent, attractive and entertaining parrot. Also known as the Yellow-headed Amazon and Yellow-headed Parrot, this is a prize bird that is particularly handsome with a high aptitude for speaking. While young these mostly green birds have only a yellow forehead and maybe a dappling of yellow across the rest of the head. The completely yellow head of mature birds takes place through molting over a period of about 4 years. The adult is a lively, spectacular colored pet bird.

The Yellow-headed Amazon has been popular as a pet for several 100 years. These birds are very inquisitive. They are definitely not a timid or shy bird and are known to be drama queens/kings. The Double Yellow Headed Amazon will usually attach itself to one member of the family as a mate but will tolerate the other members of the family as part of the flock.

Similar to other Amazons they are very sociable and active, but with them it's to an unusual degree. Depending on the individual bird, Double Yellow-headed Amazons can have an incredible vocabulary. They are considered the best talkers of all the Amazon birds, and second only to the African Grey Parrots. These parrots also strongly desire the attention of their owners, and will perform all sorts of amusing antics to gain and keep it. Such things as fanning out their tails, quick wild head movements, turning their head upside down, and rapid in-out dilations of their pupils.

This particular amazon can be feisty. Early socialization and training will help alleviate that to a great degree. The Yellow-headed Amazon is very social on the one hand, enjoying its human companion and their company. Yet on the other hand it can be quite independent, needing and wanting alone time and its own territory. A human needs to understand their birds' body language. If they are not in the mood for company or interaction, they will let you know. . Learn when its head is down and its beak and wings are in position, that it means "NO", and if you are persistent you might get nipped. The Yellow-headed Amazon is also prone to a hormonal stage as it matures, which is why they are recommended for an experienced bird owner.

With the Double Yellow Head you get the best of both worlds. A parrot that will enjoy the interaction with its human, eating and playing or even watching television. Yet it can also entertain itself without being demanding, content just playing with its toys, for hours at a time.

The Yellow-headed Amazon and Yellow-headed Parrot. It is native to central and northwestern areas of Central America, the coastal regions of Mexico. In the wild they live in pairs or flocks, and are sometimes seen singly. They inhabit forests, savannahs along the forest edge, and wooded areas where they feed on fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, and the blossoms and leafy buds of foliage.

In the wild, the diet of the Double Yellow-headed Amazon consists of fruits, plants, seeds and nuts and probably some protein. A pet bird will enjoy a varied diet, including a quality seed mix or a pelleted diet, and many fresh fruits and vegetables. Pellets will work if started at an early age.

Plenty of human food that is nutritious can be offered, and they like chicken. They like to eat at the table and enjoy eating with their family. Avocado and chocolate are toxic to any parrot. They will let you know when it's dinner time.

A roomy cage is required for the Double Yellow-headed Amazons. Amazon parrot cages must not be too confining, so get one that your pet will be able to feel comfortable in. It is their territory and their safe place.This parrot likes to climb and play, and enjoys expanding its wings. It is recommended that a cage be 2 x 3 feet wide and 2 1/2 to 5 feet high, and with a play pen top. A great thing is to have a hanging perch above that for climbing.

Yellow-headed Parrots can tolerate varying temperatures, but they need to be kept away from any drafts. They love to be out of their cage on a playpen, and will enjoy interacting with their human as well as playing with toys. A variety of perches should be used of varying size and texture. A rougher textured perch instead of the smooth, doll-rod types, makes it easier for them to perch and is better for their feet and legs. A concrete perch can be placed as the highest perch in the cage and next to a toy. At times during the day they will perch there and it will save them (and you) from the ordeal of having their nails filed.

Learn to have fun during bath time. Whether you spritz your amazon with water or an aloe spritz, or just put him in the kitchen sink, make it fun. Your amazon will teach you how he likes to be bathed.

The basic cage care includes daily cleaning of the water and food dishes. Weekly you should wash all the perches and dirty toys, and the floor should be washed about every other week. A total hosing down and disinfecting of an aviary should be done yearly, replacing anything that needs to be freshened, such as old dishes, toys and perches.

The Yellow Headed Amazon enjoys human interaction as well as interaction with other birds. In the wild they are very social birds living in groups with the available food supply determining the size of the group. Many times there are several hundred seen in a group. They also form permanent pairs when they are sexually mature. However, they are also seen singly in the wild, which may be the reason for their more independent nature.

If you are looking for a quiet, shy, timid bird, this amazon is not for you. It is a highly social bird who loves to be the center of attention. They will learn tricks, and learn to play tricks on you. They look forward to interaction and games and will provide you with many fun moments and a lot of laughter.

The Double Yellow Headed Amazon quickly becomes accustomed to a new environment and its keeper, and is then ready to start bird training. Generally though, you should give a new arrival a few days to get use to you, your voice and its cage before trying to handle it. A hand fed baby will not need much taming and can often be handled right away, as it is use to human attention.

In the wild, amazons will call out to each other first thing in the morning and then again as the sun is setting. So early in the morning your Double Yellow Headed Amazon will be calling for you and he will warn you when the sun sets that it's bed time. These two periods of the day, which usually last about 10 minutes, can be a little noisy with an Amazon. These parrots when well cared for will seldom become ill. Though it is often difficult to determine illness, some visible signs of illness to be aware of are:

·        ruffled plumage

·        listlessness

·        drooping wings

·        sagging body

·        extreme mood changes

·        having no appetite

·        bulges in feathering

·        partially closed or watery eyes

·        swelling of the eyelids

·        rasping

·        difficulty breathing

·        excessive saliva

·        dirty vent

·        any change in the feces not apparently diet related.

Some of the more common illnesses are:

·        Psittacosis (chlamydiosis or parrot fever)

·        bacterial, viral, or fungal infections

·        feather picking (results of boredom, poor diet, sexual frustration, lack of bathing)

·        allergies

·        chewing flight and tail feathers by juveniles

·        beak malformations in chicks

·        Papillomas

·        kidney disease (gout)

·        toxicity

·        heavy metal poisoning

·        lipomas in older birds.

If you notice any of these bird illnesses in your Yellow Headed Amazon, immediately provide a warm, draft free, secure environment kept at about 86°F (30°C). Place food and water close to the perch where it is easily accessible. An ailing parrot should be taken to a avian veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.