Yucatan amazon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yucatan amazon |
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| Female at Xcaret Eco Park, Mexico | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Amazona
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| Species: |
xantholora
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The Yucatan amazon (Amazona xantholora) is a colorful parrot found in Central America. People also call it the yellow-lored amazon, Yucatan parrot, or yellow-lored parrot. It belongs to the family of parrots found in Africa and the New World, called Psittacidae. You can find this bird in countries like Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
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What is the Yucatan Amazon?
The Yucatan amazon is a unique type of parrot. It is the only species in its group, meaning it doesn't have any close relatives that are also considered separate species. This is what "monotypic" means.
How to Identify a Yucatan Amazon?
This parrot is about 25.5 to 28 centimeters (10 to 11 inches) long. It usually weighs between 200 and 232 grams (7 to 8 ounces). Most of its body is green.
Male Yucatan Amazon Features
- Males have bright chrome yellow feathers on their lores (the area between their eyes and beak).
- The sides of their forehead are also yellow.
- The rest of their forehead and most of their crown (top of the head) are white.
- Around and behind their eyes, you'll see red feathers.
- Their ear feathers are a bit dusky (darkish).
- The back of their head is greenish-blue.
- Their neck is green.
- The rest of their upper body and underparts are yellowish-green.
- Many body feathers have black edges, making them look like scales.
- Their middle tail feathers are green with light yellowish-green tips.
- Other tail feathers have more red mixed with yellowish-green.
- The front edge of their wing and some wing feathers are red.
- The outermost flight feathers are green with blue tips.
- Other flight feathers are a rich blue color.
- Their eyes have an orange center with bare white skin around them.
- Their beak and legs are yellow.
Female Yucatan Amazon Features
- Females have a greenish-blue forehead and crown.
- Their yellow lores are lighter than the males'.
- They have very little red on their face.
- Their ear feathers might have slight dusky marks.
- Their wing feathers are green.
Where Do Yucatan Amazons Live?
The Yucatan amazon lives mostly in the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. This includes the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatán, and Campeche. You can also find them a little bit into northern Belize. A large group of these parrots lives on Isla Cozumel, an island. Some have also been seen on the Honduran island of Roatán and in northern Guatemala.
These parrots live in and around forests. They prefer both old and new deciduous forests (trees that lose their leaves). They also live in pine savannah areas. They can be found from sea level up to about 100 meters (330 feet) high.
Yucatan Amazon Behavior
How Do Yucatan Amazons Move?
Yucatan amazons often fly in large groups. These groups can have thirty or more birds. They travel together between places where they sleep and places where they find food. Some sleeping spots can have as many as 1500 parrots!
What Do Yucatan Amazons Eat?
Scientists haven't fully studied what the Yucatan amazon eats. However, they likely eat similar foods to other parrots. This probably includes seeds, fruits, flowers, nuts, and beans. They might also eat some farm crops.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for the Yucatan amazon seems to be from March to May. They build their nests in hollows inside trees or tree stumps. A female usually lays four or five eggs. The eggs hatch after about 22 to 28 days. We don't know much about how long it takes for the young birds to fly or how the parents care for them.
How Do Yucatan Amazons Communicate?
These parrots are very noisy, except when they are eating. Pairs often make a barking sound like "rek-rek-rek-rek" or "rek-rek rek-rek rrehr". Other calls they make include a rolled "reeeah-h" and "kyeh-kyeh keeei-i-iirr". They also make screechy sounds like "ree-o-rak zeek ree-o-rah."
Is the Yucatan Amazon Endangered?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says the Yucatan amazon is a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. They live in a large area. There are an estimated 20,000 to 50,000 adult birds. However, this number is thought to be going down.
Logging (cutting down trees) and the pet trade are possible threats to these parrots. Also, new vacation properties are being built. This development can destroy and break up the forests where these parrots live in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
Images for kids
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A Yucatan amazon kept as a pet.
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A female Yucatan amazon at Xcaret Park.
