BIG but healthy amazons!

[henpecked]

Hey LilC . welcome to the forum .So happy to see you taking him out and about. Good looking boy, Congrats.

 

[kimby1066]

My beautiful boy, Gus

 

[henpecked]

Hey kimby, welcome to the forum. BTW i think that;s a orange Wing Amazon.

 

[Kiwibird]

So I dug out some more old pics

When I was a kid, Lucy was ENORMOUS in comparison to me

Even last year before we moved, she is still the size of my head lol:

When Kiwi used to stay at my parents, my mom let him hang out with Lucy and Barney. Poor little Barney fluffed as big as he could to keep up with the BIG zons

(P.S. Barney has been bald longer than I've been alive. He's been tested for everything under the sun by numerous vets, but ultimately, it appears he simply has some kind of male pattern baldness. He's a healthy, in perfect feather everywhere else and happy mini green turkey buzzard. And his personality is an ambassador for all the smaller amazons, just the sweetest little bird you could meet)

 

[JerseyWendy]

So I dug out some more old pics

When I was a kid, Lucy was ENORMOUS in comparison to me

That is THE best sweater and picture - EVER!!!!! "Lucy Loves April!" Awesome!!!!

Thank you so much for digging those up, April!!

 

[Kiwibird]

Thanks Wendy. It's one of my favorite pics. My grandma had the sweatshirt made somewhere because she knew I was so attached to "that bird". And Lucy still loves Me She tries to climb through the phone whenever I call my mom. I've warned my mom if Lucy and Barney ever go missing....she shouldn't come poking around my place to find them:54:

 

[Birdman666]

I've seen some pretty big napes and DYH's.

None of mine, owned or fosters, have been anything other than normal sized.

Except for two that were "abnormally fat." Which they are prone to become when there's nothing to do but sit in front of a food dish all day...

 

[Birdman666]

So I dug out some more old pics

When I was a kid, Lucy was ENORMOUS in comparison to me

Even last year before we moved, she is still the size of my head lol:

When Kiwi used to stay at my parents, my mom let him hang out with Lucy and Barney. Poor little Barney fluffed as big as he could to keep up with the BIG zons

(P.S. Barney has been bald longer than I've been alive. He's been tested for everything under the sun by numerous vets, but ultimately, it appears he simply has some kind of male pattern baldness. He's a healthy, in perfect feather everywhere else and happy mini green turkey buzzard. And his personality is an ambassador for all the smaller amazons, just the sweetest little bird you could meet)

I've actually seen situations where one bird who was not a plucker, was kept with a plucker, and the plucker plucked the other bird's head feathers, and damaged the feather follicles so they didn't regrow...

 

[Kiwibird]

He was apparently separated from Lucy right after the balding started as per the vet at the time, but it kept getting worse and both became distressed being separated (he went bald gradually within the first 10-15 years of his life and this bird is now 42 years old). The other 2 birds have never plucked and even Barney is in perfect feather elsewhere. Also with the being plucked by another bird theory, why leave the red patch? He also suffered a stroke several years ago where a cause couldn't be pinned down (like metal poisoning or disease or nutritional deficiency). Since his tests always come back normal, the current vet suspects he has a unknown genetic problem. Apparently, when the first captive breeding programs were being done, there was a lot of inbreeding going on. But he's still a sweetie who is loved by anyone who meets him

 

[Birdman666]

One of the sweetest birds I ever fostered, believe it or not, was a wounded turkey vulture, who couldn't fly, and couldn't even perch very well.

That bird had a face that only a mother could love, but it didn't matter when he laid his head down sideways across my shoulder. Since he couldn't perch very well (broken feet) I used to tuck him under my arm, and carry him like an oversized football.

Beauty is in the interaction with them.

 

[Kiwibird]

One of the sweetest birds I ever fostered, believe it or not, was a wounded turkey vulture, who couldn't fly, and couldn't even perch very well.

That bird had a face that only a mother could love, but it didn't matter when he laid his head down sideways across my shoulder. Since he couldn't perch very well (broken feet) I used to tuck him under my arm, and carry him like an oversized football.

Beauty is in the interaction with them.

Sounds like the vulture knew you were there to help him. I do have to ask- is there a photo of you carrying this turkey vulture like a football? That would be hilarious to see And maybe it's because I grew up with a vulture-like bird:54: I think they are rather cute

My mom says Barney is so ugly on the outside, he has to make up for it by being extra beautiful on the inside He doesn't bite, he doesn't make a whole lot of noise, he doesn't get hormonal and any random stranger could go and pick him up around the body and kiss his little bald head he's that gentle and trusting.

 

[1945]

I have an 9 month old yellow crowned amazon (Sparky) and have had him a little over a month. My questions is, "At what age do Amazons reach their full size?

Thanks
Jamel

 

[RavensGryf]

April - I love the pic of Barney fluffing up to be as big as the other Amazons haha. Cute. I didn't see any pic of a sweater... The first pic isn't there.

Mark - I'd love to see a pic of the vulture if you have one

 

[henpecked]

I have an 9 month old yellow crowned amazon (Sparky) and have had him a little over a month. My questions is, "At what age do Amazons reach their full size?

Thanks
Jamel

He's about as big as he's going to be. he might fill out some (weigh more) but he wouldn't keep getting larger. By the time the young fledge you can tell how big they'll be.( and that's at about 7-8 wks) At weaning (12wks) they are adult size , just a bit leaner.