Mexican Redhead Amazon
 Blue Fronted |
 Double Yellow Head |
 Red Lored |
 Yellow Crowned |
|---|---|---|---|
 Yellow Naped |
 Mexican Redhead |
 Lilac Crowned |
 Orange Winged |
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About Mexican Redhead Amazons (Amazona Viridigenalis)
The
Mexican Red-Headed Parrot is an affectionate and calm parrot that is
a favorite among many parrot lovers. Also known as the Green-cheeked
Amazon, it is quite popular in the pet trade in the United States, in
other countries they are also kept as pets but the demand is not as
high. In the wild this parrot can be recognized by its harsh call, "kee-craw...craw...craw".
The Mexican Red Headed Parrot's natural habitat is the tropical lowlands
of Mexico. They are also seen in tropical deciduous forests. These are
social parrots that live in large flocks. They are known for being quite
loud both in the wild and in captivity. Noisiness is not uncommon in
many of the larger parrot species. Their natural diet consists of fruits,
berries, seeds, flowers and nectar. In captivity the Mexican Red Headed
Parrot does quite well on a formulated parrot diet with daily bowls
of cut up fruits and vegetables. All Amazon parrots are prone to obesity
so be careful not to feed a staple diet of seeds, which can be very
fattening. These parrots are not known for their ability to talk, but
do not let this deter you. The Mexican Red Headed Parrot is an affectionate
parrot that will bestow much love upon the people it likes. The Mexican
Red Headed Parrot is reported to lack the extreme mood swings of other
Amazons, this makes him of much more even temperament.
A gorgeous example of an Amazon parrot, the Mexican Red-Headed Parrot is a scant 13 inches long from head to tail. It has brilliant green cheek feathers and a green body, the same color as the cheeks. Blue and red feathers populate lushly under the wings, with yellow tail feathers sticking out in a splash of vibrant color. Males tend to have redder heads than females, and their heads and beaks tend to be larger as well, but genetic testing is the best way to determine the sex of your parrot. Differences in coloration are by no means a guarantee.
Originating in Mexico, the Mexican Red Headed Parrot enjoys a wide range, from extreme North Eastern Mexico (just South of Texas, United States), extending all the way out to the Yucatan Peninsula. In the wild the Mexican Red Headed Parrot has seen a decline, and they are now considered endangered. This is due, in part, to demand for exportation in the pet trade and also to habitat destruction. Strict rules have been set in place to prevent wild caught specimens from being exported. Today it is almost exclusively bred in captivity for the pet market.
Mexican Red-Headed Parrots require a lot of space and love to play, so make sure you have the room ready for them to romp around. When shopping for a cage for your Mexican Red-Headed Parrot, make sure the cage has enough room for the bird to stand up and maybe fly up to a smaller perch above its head. They need to stretch their wings out without reaching either side of the cage. They also need toys to play with, and try to keep a mister on hand. Also, make sure you're paying special attention to their diets - with the tendency to get obese, these birds can easily become the victim of a disproportionate fat intake, and then they won't live anywhere near the 70+ years they're known to live. Pay careful, close attention to your parrot, and it will stay happy for a very long time.
