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Red-lored Amazon parrots are impressive and charming birds prized for their beauty and intelligence. One of the most popular pet parrots, they have comical personalities, and most have an incredible talking ability, which adds to their appeal. This species needs a lot of attention as well as training to prevent behavior problems.

Origin and History

The red-lored Amazon parrot is native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. Their primary range is from eastern Mexico to Ecuador, though there are a few flocks in central Brazil.

They enjoy nesting in tree cavities of the tropical forests and tend to live in small flocks. In some areas, human development and trapping for the pet trade have endangered these Amazons.

This species was first noted in 1758 by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus, creator of the modern taxonomy system. There are a few subspecies of the red-lored Amazon parrot, which look the same with differences in size.

Temperament

Red-lored Amazons are intelligent, charismatic birds that like to be with their owners as well as other birds. They bond quickly with human family members and will become a loyal part of the family.

These birds are very talented talkers and singers. Amazons, in general, are rather vocal birds that enjoy interacting with you verbally. Potential owners should also be aware that all Amazons can scream and most often do. If you adopt one, expect a wake-up call at sunrise and sunset every day.

• Like many parrots, these birds can be aggressive and bite if not properly trained. Protect against them chewing up electrical wires (a serious hazard) and other things around the house. They are known for having a naughty streak, especially after they bond with one person, and may use their beaks to "discipline" their keepers or other members in the household who aren't their bonded person.

Speech and Vocalizations

Like most Amazon parrots, red-lored Amazons have a renowned ability to mimic human speech. They pretend like they are talking or that they are a part of your conversation. It may sound like silly mumbling, but it is fun to listen to. They may develop a small vocabulary of words. These select words may be distinct and clear. They can imitate laughing, beeps, and alarms, which are usually the first things they learn and repeat.

Red-Lored Amazon Colors and Markings

The red-lored Amazon has primarily vivid green feathers. It boasts bright patches of red on its forehead, which is where it gets its name. There are also touches of red on the wings, and some birds have yellow or orange on their cheeks. They have horn-colored beaks with black tips and greenish-grey legs.

Red-lored Amazons are a monomorphic species, a fancy way of saying that males and females look alike. Their eye color can vary, from a golden orange iris to a brown one.

Caring for the Red-Lored Amazon

At a minimum, a cage for a red-lored Amazon should be about three-foot square. Of course, bigger is always better. Provide the largest cage you possibly can for your parrot. To keep these birds from getting restless and into trouble, time out of their cage is a must. Play gyms can provide an oasis for your Amazon where it can be away from its cage and viewed as a safe perch.

Red-lored Amazons have a reputation for being noisy. Potential owners should keep this in mind if they are sensitive to loud noises or have close neighbors. While training can help curb undesirable vocalizations, expect to deal with screaming; this is their natural behavior in the wild.

Common Health Problems

Amazons are prone to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections like psittacosis and aspergillosis. Birds that do not receive ample mental stimulation and exercise are susceptible to the self-mutilating behavior of feather picking. If not fed a well-balanced diet, red-lored Amazons have a history of developing fatty liver disease and heart disease, such as atherlosclerosis. Signs of this disease include a distended breast or stomach, lethargy, loss of appetite, and difficulty breathing.

Diet and Nutrition

In the wild, red-lored Amazons eat seeds, fruit, berries, nuts, greens, blossoms, and buds. An Amazon's diet should consist primarily of high-quality pellets and the occasional healthy seed.

A supplement of leafy greens, vegetables like peppers, occasional grains, and seldom nut treats will round out a balanced diet for an Amazon. To quicken your food preparation time and save some money, prepare a large batch of a supplemental mixture of vegetables and grains or "chop."

Offer vegetables or chop daily while fruits can be three to four times a week; fruits are high in sugar and too much can lead to weight gain. Greens should comprise at least 20 percent of the bird's diet. Food shouldn’t be left to linger in your bird’s cage. Any fresh foods or mashes that you place in your Amazon’s cage should be taken away when feeding time is over to avoid bacterial growth.

Exercise

Amazons are active parrots. They should be allowed ample time outside their cage to play and stretch their wings. These birds love to climb and chew. Provide Amazon parrots with plenty of toys, including ladders to climb, ropes, and swings to perch on.

These birds require sturdy toys to clutch and chew. Chewing on wooden and leather toys is an outlet for their instinct of digging for grubs in rotting wood as well as pulling on bark strips to eat or expanding a nest hole. Providing plenty of appropriately-sized toys will likely curb a lot of unwanted, potentially destructive behavior around your home.