Age of YN

[Merlee]

Can one determine approximate age by the amount of yellow on the nape of a yellow nape?

My bird is supposedly 27 years old but has less color on than nape than a bird that I have seen that is 14. This 14 y/o nape has a complete yellow circle and mine does not.

Is it possible to get some feed back from other owners or pictures of the nape for comparison purposes?

I am starting to think the previous owner's information has not been honest.

 

[JerseyWendy]

In my case no, you could never tell Hunter's age by looking at the amount of yellow in her neck. Well, up until she was 1 she had ZERO yellow, and by the time she was 5 or so, she had a few yellow feathers. She still has the exact same amount (not that I count them....), and she is now 14. Hunter is in my signature, you can see how little yellow she has for a Yellow Nape.

 

[SandyBee]

There is too many variances to determine by amount of yellow.
Family genes, native local etc...

The same for Double Yellow Heads, some adoloscents have more yellow than Bosley at 36.

 

[MonicaMc]

Considering that there are at least 3 different subspecies of yellow napes, and the amount of yellow each bird has varies (some even have a yellow patch right above their nose! others don't!), as well as the fact that breeders have been breeding for higher amounts of yellow in some amazons, I wouldn't say that a lack of yellow means anything! Just as much as a large amount of yellow doesn't necessarily mean a thing!

Some yellow napes have a blue wash to their facial feathers, some very obviously have blue feathers! But other yellow napes show no blue at all! Beaks may also range from black to horn colored.


Here are two photos labeled as yellow napes. These birds hardly look the same, but both could indeed be yellow napes! And neither one really look like Wendy's Hunter, either!

Yellow-naped Amazon | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Red, the yellow naped amazon | Flickr - Photo Sharing!



If your yellow nape is supposedly around 27 years old, then he could very well be around 27 years old! He could also be older or younger!

 

[Merlee]

The links were interesting! I had never seen a yellow nape with blue. My first thought was that it was a hybrid. I need to read what is on his leg band to see if there are any clues to establish his age.

 

[MonicaMc]

It could be a hybrid. Photo doesn't say. What if it's not, though? I'll admit though, I've never seen a yellow nape with *THAT* much blue! It's usually more a blue wash to the green feathers than actual blue feathers!