Double Yellow-Headed Amazon

Double yellow-headed Amazons are beautifully colored parrots with a jocund disposition. Their waning numbers in the wild has necessitated the mandate that the pet trade is limited to captive-bred individuals.

Double Yellow Headed Amazon

Scientific Classification
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Psittaciformes
Superfamily	Psittacoidea
Family	Psittacidae
Subfamily	Arinae
Tribe	Androglossini
Genus	Amazona
Scientific Name	Amazona oratrix

Double Headed Yellow Amazon Parrot

Double Yellow Head Amazon Parrot

Quick Information
Also known as	Yellow-headed Amazon, yellow-headed parrot
Size	15-17 inches (38-43 cm)
Weight	15.68-22.88 oz (445-650 grams)
Color	Yellow head, red shoulders and green for the remainder of the body, except the back, neck, and legs, which are also yellow
Distribution	Northwestern and Central parts of Central America, and around the coastal regions of Mexico
Habitat	Mangrove forests, open woodlands, and tropical areas
Sounds & calls	Vociferous; loud screams can be heard at dawn and dusk, they can be excellent talkers and singers, especially at operatic levels; in the wild, they can be identified with their rolling kyaaaaaaaaah, kraoooooh, and ahhhrrr sounds
Clutch size	2-5 eggs
Incubation	26-28 days
Fledging	10-12 weeks
Breeding age	3-4 years
Lifespan	60-80 years
Diet	Fruits, seeds, nuts, berries; they also eat corn from farmlands
IUCN Conservation Status	Endangered

Mutations

Blue
Lutino

As pets

The double yellow-headed Amazon has been kept as pets for centuries and is highly regarded as a companion bird. Let us now delve into the details about how to care for a pet double yellow-headed Amazon.

Double Yellow Head Amazon

Amazon Double Yellow Head

Housing

As with all members of the larger parrot species, double yellow-headed Amazon parrots need a large cage (length of 8 feet, width and height of 4 feet each) to live in. They should have enough space within the cage for a free flight, and also a covered area where they can move to when they become tensed and anxious. If the budget allows, provide a playpen for the bird at the top of the cage. Perches are also a must. Give the bird enough toys to play with to maintain proper enrichment.

Temperature

Double yellow-headed Amazons (DYH) can withstand varying temperatures, but keep them in a place free from drafts.

Double Yellow Headed Amazon Pictures

Double Yellow Headed Amazon Parrot

Temperament & Personality

DYHs are an intelligent and imaginative bird. They long for the company of their owners and sometimes tend to become aggressive if it is left alone for extended periods. Also, an unattended bird has a tendency to chew on the household furniture. You can train them to do tricks with ease. They love to be their owner’s delight and will do its best to keep you entertained all the time. Their aggressive behavior involves them getting ruckus and resorting to biting, although such situations can be avoided if a cue is taken from their body language.

Double Yellow Headed Amazon Bird

Double Yellow Headed Amazon Images

Feeding

You should give your bird a varied diet, consisting of a pellet or seed mix. DYHs also enjoy fresh vegetables and fruits from time to time. You can share any nutritious food that you eat with your bird. Avocado and chocolate are a strict no-no as they are toxic to parrots and can invite serious health complications.

Double Yellow Headed Amazon Babies

Double Yellow Headed Amazon Parrots

Care

Clean the cage every day and replace the food and water dishes. Bathe your Amazon daily; this can be done either with water or aloe spray or simply in the kitchen sink. The feathers need to be clipped just enough so that they glide to the floor when they fly. The nails also need to be cut once every month. Disinfect the cage once per year.

Health problems

The common illnesses that a double yellow-headed Amazon might suffer from are:

Fungal, bacterial and viral infections
Psittacosis
Feather picking
Allergies
Papillomas
Heavy metal poisoning
Toxicity
Chewing the tail and flight feathers by juveniles
Beak malformation for chicks
Lipomas in aged individuals

Double Headed Yellow Amazon

Double Yellow Headed Amazon Birds

Price

A double yellow-headed Amazon can cost between $600 and $1,500.

Interesting facts

The double yellow-headed Amazon has subspecies like the Tres Marias yellow-headed Amazon, Honduras yellow-headed Amazon, Belize yellow-headed Amazon, greater yellow-headed Amazon (Magna) and the yellow-headed Amazon.
A museum in England has a portrait of a noblewoman with a double yellow-headed Amazon sitting beside her, painted 300 years ago.