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Blue-cheeked Amazon

 (Amazona dufresniana)

Also known as: Blue-cheeked Parrot, Dufresne's Amazon or Parrot

Click photo to visit gallery

Blue-cheeked Amazon pair
© TJ Lin [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The first known hatch of a captive Blue-cheeked Amazon in the USA occurred on May 22, 2006.

Academic Research

Related publications: Amazona dufresniana

Species Profile

Genus: Amazona | Species: dufresniana

Size:

34cm (13.3 in)

Weight:

480-600g (16.8-21 oz)

Subspecies including nominate:

one

Colour Adult:

Both adults green body, feathers of neck to mantle scalloped dusky black; forehead and lores orange/yellow; feathers of crown and occiput yellow, widely edged dull green; forecheeks to under eye bright blue; lower cheeks to ear coverts violet/blue; carpal edge green/yellow; secondary feathers 1 to 5 bright yellow, the remainder green. Tail green, the side feathers widely tipped yellow/green, and faint orange marking on inner webs of four outer feathers. Bill grey with pink/red at base of upper mandible. Eye ring grey, eye orange/red.

Colour Juvenile:

As in adults but duller; forehead and lores dull yellow; crown and occiput green; lower cheeks to ear coverts green, slightly washed blue; less yellow on outer secondary feathers. Bill pale pink tinged grey. Eye ring grey/white, eye brown.

Call:

Trilling call cheeet cheeeet cheeet followed by whistle.

Listen Now

Video Links:

Video 1

More Information:

Avibase

Content Sources:

CITES
BirdLife International
Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Birds of the World
Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World, Juniper and Parr, 1998
ML Media Collection Catalogue 131039, Blue-cheeked Parrot Amazona dufresniana, Robbins, Mark, Guyana, Aug. 26 1998, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Site
Parrots: Status Survey and Conservation Plan 2000-2004, Snyder, McGowan, Gilardi and Grajal, 2000.
Parrots of the World, Forshaw and Cooper, 1977, 1989. 2010 edition
Parrots of the World, Forshaw, 2006.
Parrots in Aviculture, Low, 1992.

Click photo to visit gallery

Blue-cheeked Amazon pair
© TJ Lin [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The first known hatch of a captive Blue-cheeked Amazon in the USA occurred on May 22, 2006.

Academic Research

Related publications: Amazona dufresniana

Species Care

Captive Status:

Very rare

Longevity:

Not recorded.

Housing:

Walk-in aviary or enclosure, minimum length 4.5m (14.7 ft) or aviary or suspended cage, minimum length 3m (9.8 ft).

Diet:

Fruit such as: apple, pear, orange, cactus fruits, pomegranate, banana, etc, forming about 30% of diet; vegetables such as: carrot, celery, green peas and beans, fresh corn; green leaves such as: Swiss chard, lettuce, dandelion, sowthistle, chickweed; spray millet; mix of small seeds: canary, millet, smaller amounts of oats, buckwheat, safflower; limited sunflower seed; cooked beans and pulses, and complete pellet.

Enrichment:

Not recorded.

Nest Box Size:

Not recorded.

Clutch Size:

3 eggs

Incubation Time:

In captivity 23-26 days.

Fledging Age:

Assume 8-10 weeks.

Hatch Weight:

15g (0.5 oz)

Peak Weight:

Not recorded.

Weaning Weight:

Not recorded.

Click photo to visit gallery

Blue-cheeked Amazon pair
© TJ Lin [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The first known hatch of a captive Blue-cheeked Amazon in the USA occurred on May 22, 2006.

Academic Research

Related publications: Amazona dufresniana

Species Wild Status

World Population:

6000 - 61,000, decreasing.

IUCN Red List Status:

Near Threatened

CITES Listing:

Appendix II

Threat Summary:

 Is considered to be fairly common in Venezuela, but the country constitutes only a small portion of its range. Across the rest of its range the species is generally uncommon. Suspected to be declining significantly from habitat loss. Also some threat from trade.

Range:

Exact range uncertain; recorded from N Guyana, NE Surinam, NE French Guiana and E Venezuela in La Gran Sabana and area of Sierra de Lema, E Bolívar; possibly in NE Brazil in northern Amapá to northern Roraima.

Habitat:

Found up to 1700m (5576 ft). Occurs in rainforest and cloudforest in lower subtropical zone and from savanna woodlands in Venezuela. Guianas birds found in gallery forest.

Wild Diet:

Not recorded; presumably fruits, seeds and flowers.

Ecology and Behaviour:

Habits not well known; probably resident with seasonal movements. Said to visit coastal forests in July-August. Found in pairs or small flocks with larger groups at communal roost at night. Keeps mainly to canopy.

Clutch and Egg Size:

Not recorded.

Breeding Season:

March, Guyana.

Related Links:

Research: The Blue-cheeked Amazon Amazona dufresniana: a review

Click photo to visit gallery

Blue-cheeked Amazon pair
© TJ Lin [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The first known hatch of a captive Blue-cheeked Amazon in the USA occurred on May 22, 2006.

Academic Research

Related publications: Amazona dufresniana

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