Amazon parrots include 27 different species of parrot with habitats from South America, through Mexico and some areas of the Caribbean. Some species are on the brink of extinction, but there are many species that are popular companion parrots and readily available as captive-bred, healthy pets. Prices can vary widely based on where you purchase an Amazon parrot, but you can expect to pay in the range of $400 to $1,800 for a pet Amazon.
Amazon parrots can be quite talented at making human sounds and imitating other sounds they hear in their environment. They are considered to have the most probability of learning to create human speech after the very talkative African Grey parrots. However, there is never any guarantee that any parrot of any species will learn to talk. A great deal of whether a parrot will talk or not has to do with their owner's ability to consistently train them, as well as that specific parrot's innate ability. Males are more likely to speak then females, but there are plenty of female Amazon parrots with vocabularies of hundreds of words. Amazons are quite intelligent and may learn to use words in proper context to truly communicate with their humans.
Amazon parrots are very intelligent creatures, operating on about the level of a three- to four-year old human child. They are social creatures, very playful and energetic and desire to be the center of attention. They can be a bit moody at times, especially adult birds during the spring and summer months when hormones are raging during the breeding season. This is true even for single parrots that have no mates and only a human flock to interact with them. They can also be quite stubborn, jealous, and sometimes irritable. These birds can also become so bonded to a single person that they will attack all others unless care is taken in their training and family interaction. They have a strong bite, making them less than perfect parrots for homes with young children.
The best Amazon parrots for pets are those that bond with humans early in life. If an Amazon parrot is handled by humans before it is weaned it doesn't have to be hand-fed to make a great companion. In fact, often hand-fed babies develop personality problems unless they were carefully socialized. Too often, parrots that are hand-fed and placed back into their incubators, such as parrots that are raised in commercial breeding facilities, will become feather pluckers or very emotionally needy as they grow up.
It is also true that Amazon parrots can be quite loud at times. There is no parrot that can ever be expected to be totally silent; parrots make noise. But Amazons have a loud voice and they will tend to use it when they do not get their way or when they hear their favorite person but can not see them. It is not uncommon for an Amazon owner to hear their parrot a block away! If you live in a tiny apartment with thin walls, this might not be the parrot for you.
The Amazon parrots can also be some of the most loving parrot around. If they are raised in a gentle home with lots of love and trained to understand the basic manners commands, they can make great companions. They are not for everyone, however. Before you decide you want to own an Amazon parrot, study the species carefully and visit several different parrots in various settings. Do not purchase an Amazon parrot as an impulse purchase. Too many parrots are already in shelters because someone purchased them without knowing what to expect and learned they couldn't live with the bird happily. Don't let this happen to you and an Amazon parrot.
Tags: Amazon Parrots
I have several types of Amazon parrots and I agree they are not a recommended pet for everyone. I do not encourage people with small children to purchase an Amazon due to the aggressive behavior Amazons can exhibit when they mature. As you mentioned Amazons usually bond with one member of the family so a family with children cannot devote the time needed to ensure the Amazon parrot becomes a part of the family environment. Many breeders of Amazon parrots are selling out their birds because of the low marketability of the birds. We are seeing a decline in many of the used-to-be common species of Amazons, such as the Red Lored, Spectacled (White-fronted) and Orange winged Amazon. I fear that many of the Amazon species are going to become rare in captivity here in the U.S. as breeding stock dies out. Most of the Amazons were imported into the U.S. during the 70s and 80s. People who acquired these Amazons as pets back then usually keep them in the family for quite a while (30 to 40 years) as these birds are great talkers. Sadly many of these Amazon parrots are sitting in a small parrot cage and never get out to spread their wings as the saying goes. Even with what most believe is poor quality of life, these Amazons are living into their 50s. The groups of Amazons we have truly enjoy a rainy day – they spread their wings and take full advantage of a good bath, yelling and flapping their wings for 15 minutes or more. Great fun to watch them.
We have owned our Double yellow headed amazon for eight years. He was only six months old when we brought him home (we don’t know if it is male or female, and it doesn’t matter to us!). He is the light of our lives! He greets our children each morning by name (he does not repeat what he hears, but can actually identify each child), laughs at our jokes (most of them from our youngest, who doesn’t quite understand they are supposed to be funny), dances to classical music (He looks like they conductor of the orchestra, moving his foot to the beat, and bobbing his head, and swaying), enjoys friday night pizza (he sits on his perch in the center of the table eating and talking and laughing with the kids). He knows that mommy is the dominant member of the family, he listens and obeys just like a good child should. When he is scared, he will lean in and hide his face in my shirt. But he loves daddy the most. Every day at 5pm he begins to get excited and chatter because he’s waiting for daddy to get home. And the minute my husband walks in, he runs straight to the birdcage for his kisses, and tickles the birds belly and they both laugh! Our experience with this bird has been one of absolute awe – at what a highly intelligent, funny, and loving animal it truly is. It is true, just as with EVERY animal, you must be careful with children around. Their beaks are incredibly strong, and sometimes they have bad days, just like we do. But with a good FAMILY, and lots of LOVE, and enough ATTENTION, these birds are more like adopting a small child. Ours now has such an extensive vocabulary that I honestly couldn’t count the number of words, but what amazes us is how he really “talks” to us, sometimes he can carry on a full conversation. I heard him talking to the UPS guy for over 10 minutes one day before the man realized he was talking to a bird! He will out live me and my husband, and our children will have to fight over who gets to take him next, because he is loved by all! I highly recommend amazons for wonderful people with lots of love and happiness in their lives. Because those are the only homes these birds deserve. We are the lucky ones – to have be honored by having an amazon in our home!
I had a blue front that I took out of a rescue center back in 2001. I had him for 5 wonderful years but he was not good with children or my husband, just me. He passed away in 2006. I miss him deeply. I just got another amazon. He is a single yellow head. Very bad conditions at his last home. I think it will take me months to really bond with him but his second day here, he let me scratch his head. It is a start. I happen to love amazons. They can be difficult during season but they are wonderful birds. I agree, not everyone can own one, but the people that can’t, don’t know what they are missing.
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