The Orange-winged Parrot, Amazona amazonica, is a large Amazon parrot. It is endemic to the tropical areas in South America, from Colombia, Venezuela, Equador, Trinidad and Tobago south to Peru, Northern Bolivia, Central Brazil, and South-Western Mato Grosso.
Reproduction:
The Orange-winged Parrot lays three to five white eggs in a tree cavity, which are incubated by the female for 25 – 27 days, with a further two months to fledging.
Description:
Orange-Winged Amazons are one of the smaller Amazons. They average 12 to 13 (~31 – 33 cm) in length; but some subspecies are as small as 10 inches. They weigh around 340 grams.
They are often confused with Blue-fronted Amazons. However, the orange-winged amazons are the only amazon with orange feathers in their wings, thus the name Orange-Winged Amazon. The color flight feathers in the Blue Fronts are red.
The plumage is mainly green with a blue forehead, some yellow on the crown, cheeks and outer tail tips, and an orange speculum (= distinctive wing patch) . The beak is horn-colored with a gray tip. The feet are pale grey / horn brown.
Males and females look alike.
Please also refer to the below cinnamon mutation featured below to the right …
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
Orange Winged Amazons are considered to be temperamental – even more so than the Blue-fronted Amazons, which may present some challenges to the owners. However, they are quick learners and adapt well to most situations.
Amazon ownership generally presents multiple challenges, such as excessive chewing – especially at certain stages in their life. They do discover their beaks as method of “disciplining us” once they are out of the “baby stage” and they can generally be somewhat naughty, and it really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established.
Aggressive behavior is especially common in “hormonal” amazons. Undisciplined amazons will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires.
They regard anything in your home as a “toy” that can be explored and chewed on; destroying items that you may hold dear or are simply valuable.
Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation.
Other Relevant Web Resources
- Amazon Species … Photos of the Different Amazon Parrot Species for Identification
- Common Health Problems / Diseases of the Amazon Parrots
- Amazon Nutrition / Diet for Optimal Health
- Amazon Parrots as Pets
- Amazon Parrot Incubation Data
Amazon Parrots as Pets
Taxonomy:
Species: Scientific: Amazona amazonica amazonica … English: Orange-winged Amazon … Dutch: Oranjevleugelamazone, Venezuela Amazone … German: Venezuela Amazone … French: Amazone à ailes oranges, Perroquets amazone aux ailes orange – CITES II – Endangered Species
Sub-Species / Races Including Nominate: amozonica, tobagensis
Sub-species:
Micra Orange-winged Amazons:
Distribution: Guianas
Species: Scientific: Amazona amazonica micra … English: Micra Orange-winged Amazon … Dutch: Micra Oranjevleugelamazone … German: Micra Venezuela Amazone … French: Amazone à ailes vertes de Micra
CITES II – Endangered Species
Tobago Orange-winged Amazons:
Distribution: Trinidad and Tobago Islands
Average Length: 31 cm / 12.4 in (includes tail)
Species: Scientific: Amazona amazonica tobagensis … English: Tobago Orange-winged Amazon … Dutch: Tobago Oranjevleugelamazone … German: Tobago Orangeflügelamazone … French: Perroquet amazone de Tobago
CITES II – Endangered Species
Featured Bird Photograph: October 2009: Orange-winged Amazon Parrot
The Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica) is large parrot that occurs in tropical South America, from Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago south to Peru and central Brazil.
- It’s a popular pet bird – from 1981 to 1985, over 66,000 of them were captured for the pet trade. Orange-winged Amazons generally are great talkers and some of them learned to sing entire songs quite beautifully. They do require plenty space, have an intense need to chew and are, in general, high-maintenance parrots. Serious behavioral problems can develop if their demands are not met.
- In its natural habitat, the Orange-winged Amazon is persecuted as an agricultural pest and is also hunted as a food source.
Photographer: Carlitox D’acosta – https://www.flickr.com/people/heavykr/
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