Having kept and bred several of the larger popular talking parrot species since 1986, I can state unequivocally that members of the genus Amazona make absolutely outstanding pet and companion birds. They are very much more than just great talkers. This article is written to further a better understanding of this genus and to dispel some of the inaccurate information that is unfortunately still being perpetuated by those who do not understand the behavior realities of this species.

Blue-Fronted Breeding Pair Don't you dare come near our eggs!

Some of this inaccurate information is certainly rooted in past history. Not that many years ago, our knowledge and experience with Amazons was based primarily on wild-caught adult birds, or at best, with chicks removed from the wild and passed through a "mechanical" quarantine and weaning process for the pet trade. This experience did little for the eventual pet quality of the birds involved. Proper socialization was non-existent and most birds suffered considerable stress during all phases of the process. Thankfully, those days are gone for the most part. Amazons have since been domestically bred and kept for multiple generations by caring and competent aviculturists. Consequently we have a much better and certainly more accurate understanding of their behavior than ever before.

Properly raised, properly socialized and properly cared for Amazons are wonderfully gregarious and entertaining parrots. In fact they are one of the true extroverts and show- offs of the parrot world. They adapt beautifully to a busy household situation and can cope relatively easily compared to some other species (e.g. African Greys or Cockatoos), with changes or disruptions in their daily routine. Most individuals actually thrive on new daily adventures. For example, one of my Blue-Fronted Amazons resides in a senior's care home. It rides around on the service cart visiting and entertaining the residents and their guests on a daily basis and thoroughly enjoys all the action. Amazons are also very self-confident birds and you won't have to worry about coming home to a parrot that has instantly denuded itself while under the temporary care of a "babysitter". In short, Amazons are one of the least prone of all the parrot species to developing neurotic behaviors as a result of errors in their care and keeping. They are highly resilient in that regard.

Amazons certainly enjoy and thrive on attention from their humans. However, their need for attention is neither overly demanding nor insatiable as it often is with other species. They are very capable of happily entertaining themselves while their human companion is busy or temporarily away at work. Naturally, they should have as large an enclosure as possible and a number of safe toys to play with and challenge their inquisitive minds.

What more could one ask for in a pet parrot? Well, many of the popular Amazon species such as the Blue-Fronted and various members of the Ochrocephala group have exceptional talking ability. Their vocabularies can easily rival that of a talented African Grey. Double-Yellowheaded and Yellow-Naped Amazons are also know for their singing ability. They love listening to and mimicking opera music in particular.

As a breeder, I am often asked to address one common concern from individuals considering the purchase of a pet Amazon:

Is it true that all Amazons (especially the males) become mean and vicious, and unsuitable as companions once they reach sexual maturity?

This is a very misunderstood subject that requires some explanation. It is essentially a myth. All too often, breeders of other parrot species who have had little experience or success with Amazons repeat it in the hope that they will convince people to purchase an alternate species they have available rather than the Amazon they really want. Here's what Layne David Dicker a well-respected author and lecturer on parrots has to say about this myth, "Garbage, garbage, garbage." (Bird Talk Magazine November, 1998)

The truth is, none of the larger parrot species will stay sexually immature forever. They grow up all too quickly and will show signs of sexual maturity within a few short years. Any species is capable of becoming aggressive under certain circumstances and Amazons are certainly no exception. However, they display middle of the road behavior in this area of concern compared to many other species.

During the breeding season (springtime for Amazons) the instinct for species survival takes over. Nature has programmed them over the centuries to protect their territory, mate (including their favorite human), nest, eggs and chicks from all perceived intruders. This comes automatically as an integral part of the package with any large parrot species. If a person cannot accept this, they should definitely consider a pet other than a parrot. In the future if breeders selectively breed for gentleness, it may be possible to mellow this behavior over time.

A springtime hormone rush occurs in Amazons (and other species) as a result of the days getting progressively longer. Individual birds react differently and some males may react more strongly to hormone changes than others. This is a temporary situation, which peaks at around 14-hours of daylight. It is almost 100% controllable in a pet Amazon through sound socialization and behavior techniques. For the odd difficult bird reducing the photoperiod to less than 14 hours of daylight can help (cover the cage appropriately). Once the days begin to get shorter, the hormone rush naturally subsides and the bird reverts back to being it's well behaved old self. This time period can be very entertaining for the Amazon owner because birds will display certain behaviors not seen during the rest of the year. It is an event to be enjoyed rather than feared. Males will display by flaring their tails, flashing their eyes, holding their wings away from their bodies and doing "the Amazon strut". This is really neat to witness. Their normally hidden colors are shown to good advantage and their beauty is absolutely astounding. They may attempt to protect their owner by chasing "enemies" away and biting. Owners should obviously use common sense when handling their bird during this period. Observe the bird's body language to avoid getting bitten unnecessarily. Remember, their hormones are in control. Females may squat down low on the perch, raise their tails and quiver their wings. They will also flash their eyes as a sign they are excited. Most Amazons begin to show decreased reaction to hormonal changes at about 10 years of age. So, they can naturally become mellower with age.

Another situation to be aware of which promotes aggressiveness is keeping several mature males in close proximity to each other. During the spring they will spend considerable time and effort vocalizing and threatening each other. They have lots of time to use their hormones to full advantage. In this case, the environment is the major contributing factor to over aggressive behavior.

Just like human children and other companion animals, baby Amazons will not automatically grow up to become well-behaved companions without receiving proper training, socialization and nurturing from their owners. Also, people must understand that parrots are at best only a few generations removed from their wild caught counterparts. They are by no means fully domesticated creatures like dogs or cats, which have been bred in captivity for centuries. Even dogs and cats can become dangerous to people under certain conditions.

A knowledgeable, informed and observant owner should be able to handle any behavior problem that arises with their pet bird. The key to achieving this is proper education and information.

The first thing every new Amazon owner should do is become knowledgeable with the basic principles of parrot behavior and training. A subscription to Sally Blanchard's Pet Bird Report publication (www.petbirdreport.com) is an excellent investment in that regard. It will provide the information necessary to prevent critical mistakes from being made that cause or contribute to bad bird behavior. An informed pet owner won't be one of the individuals who complain about how mean their bird is down the road because they will always be in control of the situation. Additionally, parrot owners must establish a bond of trust with their bird for training to be truly effective. This comes as a result of working properly with the bird. Young parrots are eager to please their owner and they enjoy verbal or special treats as a reward when they do things right.

Training sessions are best done away from the bird's cage to avoid territorial problems, which can arise. Another room is best. Sessions should be kept relatively short in duration based on the bird's actual attention span (typically 5-10 minutes). The Up, Down and No commands should be taught and reinforced continuously. Reward positive behavior and never reward or reinforce negative behavior or the parrot will receive mixed messages which it will undoubtedly use to surprise you at the wrong time. Consistency and discipline on the part of the trainer is an absolutely must. Amazons can be very strong willed and if the trainer is inconsistent with the bird, it will soon learn that it can rule the roost. For example, if the bird is allowed to ignore the up command periodically, it will soon learn that it that it can get away with not obeying whenever it wants. It will become progressively more difficult to pick up the bird consistently. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to be flawless with training in order to achieve the desired optimal results. Good Luck with your Amazon.

Becoming a member of The Amazona Society is an excellent way to learn more about this specific genus. This Society, founded in 1984 by the late James J. Murphy and Jan Roger van Oosten, is now celebrating its 17th anniversary. TAS was created and is dedicated to the following primary goals:

• To the building of self-sustaining captive bred populations of as many
  Amazona species as possible.
  
• To disseminate avicultural and scientific information on the genus Amazona to all members and other interested parties through Amazona Quarterly magazine.

Society President Diana Holloway invites everyone to visit the TAS web site.

This web site contains several informative articles about Amazons, a photo gallery of rare and gorgeous Amazons as well as a baby album. For more information, contact: