Mexican Red Headed Amazon 101: Everything You Need to Know About This Stunning Parrot

To determine what type of Amazon parrot you own, check for the head coloration, then beak and foot color. You should also check the wing and tail coloration, as some species such as the Blue Fronted Amazons, have a variation in the amount of color.  Their natural diet consists of fruits, berries, seeds, flowers and nectar. In captivity the Mexican Red Headed Parrot does quite well on a formulated parrot diet with daily bowls of cut up fruits and vegetables. All Amazon parrots are prone to obesity so be careful not to feed a staple diet of seeds, which can be very fattening. These parrots are not known for their ability to talk, but do not let this deter you. The Mexican Red Headed Parrot is an affectionate parrot that will bestow much love upon the people it likes.

They can be perch potatoes as they age, so it is important to watch their diets. They can live to be 80 years old, so it is very important to get youngsters started off on the right foot by accustoming them to healthy foods, such as pellets, vegetables, fruits, pasta, bread and nuts.  It is recommended that owners purchase a good quality gram scale to accurately weigh their birds on a weekly basis. Weight loss can be the first indicator of a medical problem, and it is easier to catch subtle weight gains and address the problem early on, before it becomes more serious.

Unlike most other members of the parrot group, Amazons don’t have an uropygial gland (also called a preen gland). This gland is located on the back, on the midline, near the base of the tail. The gland produces vitamin D3 precursors, and the secretion waterproofs the feathers. The secretion also is antibacterial and antifungal. Since Amazons don’t possess the uropygial gland, their powder down (from down feathers) provides waterproofing. The only other parrots without the uropygial gland are the purple macaws (hyacinth, Lear’s, Glaucous and Spix).