[order] PSITTACIFORMES | [family] Psittacidae | [latin] Amazona farinosa | [authority] Boddaert, 1783 | [UK] Mealy Amazon | [FR] Amazone poudree | [DE] Mulleramazone | [ES] Amazona Harinosa | [NL] Grote Amazone
Monotypic species
Genus
Amazon parrot is the common name for a parrot of the genus Amazona. These are medium-size parrots native to the New World ranging from South America to Mexico and the Caribbean. Most Amazon parrots are predominantly green, with accenting colors that depend on the species and can be quite vivid. They have comparatively short, somewhat square, tails. Just like the other parrots, amazons have four toes on each foot, two pointing forwards and two pointing backward. They feed primarily on seeds, nuts, and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter. Almost everywhere in the lowlands of tropical and subtropical America, the savannas, grassy openings in the forest, and roadsides are frequented by flocks of very small finches with short and thick bills, which feed on the seeds of grasses. In the genus Sporophila, the males are clad in black, black and white, or black and chestnut, while the dull females are olive or buff. Often the same species shows pronounced variation in plumage from region to region.
General plumage green with variable grey-whitish tinge; feathers on back of head and nape dull green with broad greyish-violet edging and blackish tips; crown with variably defined yellowish patch, entirely absent in some birds or reduced to scattered feathers; bend of wing reddish-yellow, sometimes with greenish-yellow marking; upper and under tail-coverts yellowish-green; primaries and secondaries violet-blue towards tips; red wing-speculum across 4 to 5 outer secondaries; tail green with greenish-yellow tips; outer tail-feathers occasionally with red marking; skin to periophthalmic ring whitish; bill dark-grey with pale base; iris brownish-red to red; feet grey.
Listen to the sound of Mealy Amazon
[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/PSITTACIFORMES/Psittacidae/sounds/Mealy Amazon.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: |
22 |
cm |
wingspan max.: |
25 |
cm |
| size min.: |
37 |
cm |
size max.: |
42 |
cm |
| incubation min.: |
26 |
days |
incubation max.: |
27 |
days |
| fledging min.: |
60 |
days |
fledging max.: |
27 |
days |
| broods: |
0 |
|
eggs min.: |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
eggs max.: |
4 |
|
Latin America : widespread
Primarily in rain forest or montane forest to 1500 meter. Also partially cleared areas with scattered trees and mangroves; prefers forest edges.
Breeding season in South America from November to February, in Central America from April to June. Nests in hollows in trees or dead palm stumps, mostly 20 meter to 25 meter above ground, however in one case only 3 meter above ground. In Guatemala a 60 cm deep nest was found in stone wall of Mayan temple; all observed nests with 3 young. In captivity incubation 24 to 25 days and fledging period 60 to 65 days.
Fruits (particularly figs), berries, nuts, flowers and buds foraged in tops of trees; probable daily intake of mineral soil.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUnQcjgnB_U
copyright: S. Behrens
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Range from Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, southern Venezuela in Bolivar and Amazonas Provinces and southeast Colombia in Vaupes Province south across Amazon basin to eastern Sao Paulo and northern Bolivia; overlaps with chapmani in northern Bolivia.
Semi-nomadic species, wandering locally to find suitable food resources.
