White-fronted Amazon

Overview

The white-fronted amazon, also known as the spectacled amazon parrot, is a Central American species and the smallest of the amazon parrots. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Approximately 25 cm long, featuring mostly green plumage with blue colouring on the outspread wings.
• Characterised by a bright white patch on the forehead, with blue colouring behind the patch and red colouring around the eyes resembling spectacles.
• Adults exhibit sexual dimorphism, with males having bright red feathers on the shoulders and females having green shoulders.
• Juveniles possess pale grey irises, less facial redness, and a smaller yellowish area on the forehead instead of white.

Habitat

Native to Mexico and Central America, the species inhabits a variety of environments ranging from wet regions like rainforests to drier cactus savannahs. While most often observed in small flocks of up to 20 birds, larger groups numbering in the hundreds may congregate, occasionally including other species such as the red-lored amazon.

Did you know?

Tame individuals can imitate a range of 30 to 40 different sounds and are known to live for over 50 years in captivity.