10 Top Amazon Parrot Species as Pets

By
Alyson Kalhagen
Alyson Kalhagen
Alyson Kalhagen is an avian expert and writer with more than 10 years of combined professional experience as a veterinary technician and manager of a chain of successful pet stores. Her specialty is in avian behavior and socialization. Alyson owns several birds and has been featured in Bird Talk Magazine.
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Updated on 01/15/20
Portrait of a Parrot of French Guiana
Michel Gunther / Getty Images

Amazon parrots are intelligent and sociable birds with many striking wild type color variations. For these reasons, they are popular pet birds. However, it takes an experienced bird owner to handle the parrot personality and to provide the care a parrot requires. They are mandatorily social creatures, constantly in need of interaction and attention. So before you choose an Amazon parrot to be your primary pet, be sure you know everything you'll need to know to properly care for one. Here is a look at 10 of the most popular pet Amazon parrot species, including what sets them apart from their close cousins.

Tip

Many species of Amazon parrot are dwindling in the wild due to over trapping of wild birds; trapping is now illegal in many species. Seek out only reputable captive-bred birds from breeders who actively support conservation efforts.

  • 01 of 10

    Blue Fronted Amazon Parrots

    Blue-fronted Amazon on perch. Amazona aestiva
    Raj Kamal / Getty Images

    Active and comical, Blue Fronted Amazons are natural performers. They love to be around their owners and will "ham it up" for extra attention. Prolific talkers and singers, they vocalize often and can be very loud. Thus, they are not suited to living in close quarters like apartment buildings.

    Species Overview

    Length: 15 inches

    Weight: 10 to 18 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body, blue face, yellow head

  • 02 of 10

    Red Lored Amazon Parrots

    Red-lored Amazon (Amazona autumnalus) pair, close-up
    Rene Frederick / Getty Images

    Red Lored Amazons are charismatic birds who bond quickly to human family members. Some have a tendency to pick their favorite people and be one-person birds. Red Lored Amazons are talented talkers and singers, but potential owners should be aware that all Amazons can, and do, scream.

    Species Overview

    Length: 13 inches

    Weight: 12 to 14 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body; yellow cheek, red feathers above beak

  • 03 of 10

    Yellow-Naped Amazon Parrots

    The yellow-naped amazon
    Rosita So Image / Getty Images

    Yellow-Naped Amazon parrots are quick-witted creatures that make wonderful pets for active owners who really want to form a great bond with their bird. Their obvious intelligence and remarkable speech abilities put them among the most popular and recognizable species of Amazon parrot.

    Species Overview

    Length: 14 inches

    Weight: 17 to 19 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body; area of yellow feathers at nape and lower dorsal neck

  • 04 of 10

    Double Yellow Headed Amazon Parrots

    Double Yellow-Headed Amazon
    Daniela Duncan / Getty Images

    Double Yellow-Headed Amazons make wonderful, affectionate pets when hand fed and raised in captivity from a young age. Highly gifted and possessing impressive speech abilities, the Double Yellow-Headed Amazon is a charming bird that loves being the center of attention. Just be sure you have four to six hours per day to devote to care, social play, and out-of-cage time before adopting one.

    Species Overview

    Length: 15 to 17 inches

    Weight: 17 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body; yellow head and neck; orange/red bend of wing and lesser wing coverts mixed with yellow; blackish to bluish violet flight feathers with a red patch on the outer secondaries; base of the tail also has an often hidden red patch

    Continue to 5 of 10 below.
  • 05 of 10

    Panama Amazons

    Panama Amazons

    TJ Lin / Flickr / CC By 2.0

    A good family bird, the Panama Amazon is a subspecies of the Yellow-Headed Amazon. It is a friendly pet that loves interacting with people. Their social nature helps them be gentle and affectionate companions. While they are loving, they are also a very active species, so they need an owner that can keep up with them. They must be provided with a safe space to climb and play outside of the cage each and every day.

    Species Overview

    Length: 14 inches

    Weight: 17 to 19 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body; triangular yellow on the crown; variation in coloring among individuals

  • 06 of 10

    Lilac-Crowned Amazon Parrots

    Lilac-crowned Amazon, Amazona finschi, Leticia, Department of Amazonas, Columbia
    altrendo travel / Getty Images

    Lilac-Crowned Amazons are curious and active birds by nature. Like all parrots, they need plenty of mental stimulation to keep them healthy and happy. These birds form strong bonds with their owners and must be provided with an adequate amount of daily social interaction to thrive. 

    Species Overview

    Length: 13 inches

    Weight: 11 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body, with black-edged feathers; dark red forehead; blue/lilac top of head, nape, and neck; some red hidden tail feathers; bill is horn in color; pale gray eye-ring; orange eye

  • 07 of 10

    Southern Mealy Amazon Parrots

    Portrait of a Mealy Amazon Parrot
    Michel Gunther / Getty Images

    Southern Mealy Amazons are known to be the most gentle and docile of the Amazon parrots. They are affectionate when kept as pets, and they form strong bonds with their owners. Due to their gentle nature, they are a good choice for bird owners who want a large parrot but would prefer a bird with a more laid-back attitude.

    Species Overview

    Length: 15 inches

    Weight: 25 to 27 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body with blue/black wash on the back of neck; yellow patch on the crown; eye-ring white, eye red

  • 08 of 10

    Green Cheeked Amazon Parrots

    red-crowned amazon
    Ronald Wittek / Getty Images

    Playful and sweet, hand-fed Green-Cheeked Amazon parrots are good family pets that enjoy interacting with their human "flock." While Green Cheeked Amazons are known as good-natured birds, they have a streak of curiosity that some owners say makes them more prone to mischief-making than some others of the Amazon species.

    Species Overview

    Length: 12 to 13 inches

    Weight: 10 to 12 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body, dark red forehead, and crown; purple/blue band from above the eye down the sides of the neck; pale gray eye-ring, yellow eye

    Continue to 9 of 10 below.
  • 09 of 10

    White Fronted (Spectacled) Amazon Parrots

    White Fronted Amazon Parrot (Amazona albifrons), Roatan Butterfly Garden, Roatan, Honduras
    Danita Delimont / Getty Images

    Beautiful and intelligent, White Fronted Amazon parrots can be delightful pets, with a tendency to bond strongly to one person. Although, these are the smallest of all of the Amazon parrots, their screams, barks, and trilling can sound quite harsh.

    Species Overview

    Length: 10 inches

    Weight: 6.5 to 8.5 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body with patches of white and blue on the forehead; bright red rings of feathers around their bright white eyes, appearing spectacled

  • 10 of 10

    Orange-Winged Amazon Parrots

    Orange-winged Amazon parrot
    Elfi Kluck / Getty Images

    Orange-Winged Amazons make sweet and affectionate pets and bond closely with their owners. They have excellent speech abilities and charming personalities. But like many Amazon parrots, Orange-Winged Amazons go through a hormonal "bluffing" stage as they reach sexual maturity. The nipping, hissing, and lunging of the "fake attacks" in this irritable phase mean you must carefully consider whether this bird (or any Amazon parrot) is suitable for you or your family.

    Species Overview

    Length: 12 inches

    Weight: 11 to 12 ounces

    Physical Characteristics: Green body, orange to yellow alula feathers mid-wing; pale orange cheek, possible blue feathers around or above eye or forehead

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