Home > All About Parrots > Parrot Encyclopedia

|

Species Profile

Genus:
Amazona

Species:
ochrocephala

Size:	Adult Weight:
31-38cm (12.1-14.8 in)	380-500g (13.3-17.5 oz)

Races including nominate:
A. Yellow-crowned or ochrocephala group: A.o. ochrocephala, A.o. xantholaema, A.o. nattereri, A.o. panamensis
B. Yellow-naped or auropalliata group: A.o. auropalliata, A.o. parvipes, A.o. caribaea
C. Yellow-headed or oratrix group: A.o. oratrix, A.o. tresmariae, A.o. belizensis, A.o. hondurensis

Colourization Adult:
A. Yellow-crowned or ochrocephala group: A.o. ochrocephala (Yellow-crowned Amazon): both adults green, nape to back feathers edged dusky black; yellow forehead and lores marked green; forecrown yellow; thighs green washed with yellow; bend of wing red; yellow/green carpal edge; feather bases of secondaries 1-5 red, the remainder green; green tail with red at base. Bill dark grey with orange at sides of upper mandible. Eye ring white, eye orange. A.o. xantholaema: both adults green in general; yellow reaching to nape, ear coverts and upper cheeks; frontal band green; yellow thighs; larger in size. A.o. nattereri: both adults as in ochrocephala but darker green in general; green cheeks, ear coverts and throat washed with blue; occasional tint of blue to underparts. A.o. panamensis: both adults yellow forehead, forecrown and lores; hindcrown blue/green to area above eyes; minimal red on bend of wing; thighs usually green, and sometimes washed with yellow; smaller in size. B. Yellow-naped or auropalliata group: A.o. auropalliata: both adults green forehead and crown to area around eyes; yellow patch on lower nape to hindneck that varies with the individual; red on bend of wing absent; yellow on thighs absent. Bill dark grey with pale grey on sides of upper mandible. Eye ring narrow and grey. A.o. parvipes: both adults as in auropalliata but yellow on nape more extensive; occasional other yellow markings on forehead; red on bend of wing. Bill pale grey with dark grey markings. A.o. carbaea: both adults as in parvipes but more olive/green to underparts; paler in general; grey/horn coloured lower mandible. C. Yellow-headed or oratrix group: A.o. oratrix (Double Yellow-headed Amazon): both adults in general green with lightly dusted black neck, back and breast to abdomen feathers; yellow head and neck, occasionally with scattered green feathers in neck area; yellow thighs; orange/red bend of wing and lesser wing coverts mixed with yellow; yellow carpal edge, sometimes mixed with orange/red; bases of secondaries 1-5 red, the remainder green; green tail with red at base. Bill pale yellow/horn in colour. Eye ring white, eye orange. A.o. tresmariae: both adults as in oratrix, but yellow of head paler and reaching to foreneck and upper breast; paler green upperparts; blue wash on underparts. A.o. belizensis: both adults different from oratrix by the restriction of the yellow of the head to the lores, forehead, crown and around eyes to ear coverts and upper cheeks; yellow patch on nape to hindneck in yellow-naped morph and none in yellow-faced morph; yellow absent on carpal edge. Eye ring grey/white. A.o. hondurensis: both adults have varying plumage, differing from belizensis by having only the forehead and crown yellow, with or without yellow patch on nape to hindneck; red mixed with yellow on bend of wing; carpal edge green.

Colourization Juvenile:
A. Yellow-crowned or ochrocephala group: immatures duller than adults, have yellow on forehead only, less visible red on bend of wing. Bill dark brown/grey. Eye brown. B. Yellow-naped or auropalliata group: immatures have no yellow on head or neck; crown washed with blue/green. Bill dark grey. Eye brown. C. Yellow-headed or oratrix group: juveniles have yellow only on crown to lores. Bill grey at base. Eye brown.

Call: Wide variety of shrieks and whistles. Also boisterous screams. Excellent mimic in captivity.

Listen now

Recent Academic Research: Google Scholar - search results