What Amazon?!

Hi All!

My boyfriend inherited an Amazon parrot in November 2006 (from his chiropractor via the secretary!).

We've always thought Charlie is a Yellow Crowned Amazon but I've just been browsing the parrot pages on Google and I'm now wondering if he is in fact a Panama Amazon??!

He's quite chatty, sings and laughs lots, does a great imitation of a cough very agile but rarely flies. He hasn't got his wings clipped but usually chooses to just clamber all over his cage rather than fly. His wings were clipped when my boyfriend first got him but they've grown back now. When he does fly his landings leave alot to be desired! I guess he's just got used to not flying.

Please can you have a look at his photos HERE and videos HERE and give me an expert's opinion?!

The more I look at him the less I'm sure what type he is!

Many thanks in advance!

Pippy

Need an expert opinion on what type of bird this is ... well, here is the Parrot Forums Formula ...

Take a few links with pictures ... much like these here ...

Pippy900 said:

Please can you have a look at his photos HERE and videos HERE and give me an expert's opinion?!

Click to expand...

And one very smart moderator when it comes to identification ...

And just wait for a reply from Zaraphia ...

But my personal opinion ... I have seen two or three YCAs before (and one almost came home with me) and I would bet money that he is a YCA, especially with the red on the shoulders like he has ...

TexDot33 said:

Need an expert opinion on what type of bird this is ... well, here is the Parrot Forums Formula ...

Take a few links with pictures ... much like these here ...



And one very smart moderator when it comes to identification ...

And just wait for a reply from Zaraphia ...

But my personal opinion ... I have seen two or three YCAs before (and one almost came home with me) and I would bet money that he is a YCA, especially with the red on the shoulders like he has ...

Click to expand...

Hi

Thank you for your reply! I'll go and look at some Panama piccies now to see if they have any red on their shoulders

Whatever Charlie is he's an absolute gem of a bird and we love him to bits

Hmmmmm....

Now this looks exactly like Charlie!

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/amazons/panamaamazon.php



Or is this him?!

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/amazons/yellowcrownedamazon.php

Confused!

Mmm, by most classifications those two listings are the same species. They are grouped in different subspecies based on exactly where they come from.

So aside from asking Charlie if he is from Panama or South America I'm not sure there is any way to tell. Visible traits can't say much as the characteristics overlap too much.

There are also several sub-species which are visually indistinguishable: Amazona ochrocephala ochrocephala, A. o. xantholaema, A. o. nattereri, and A. o. panamensis.

One source* even presents evidence that physical characteristics are misleading in judging between yellow-crowned, yellow-headed, and yellow nape amazons. Individuals can be found that have the plumage of one group but are genetically more related to a different group.

So, you cannot go wrong in calling Charlie a yellow-crowned amazon. Whether or not he belongs to the sub-group from Panama or South America is impossible to tell.

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*http://www.biology.lsu.edu/webfac/jeberhard/AochrocephalaAuk04.pdf

He looks like a classic yellow crowned to me. Brilliant birds, and a bit more even tempered than a nape. Looks like a really nice bird.