Yellow-Crowned Amazon

Amazona ochrocephala

The yellow-crowned amazon (Amazona ochrocephala) is a medium-sized green Amazon parrot from northern South America and parts of the Caribbean region, using forest edge, gallery forest, palm stands, and wooded savanna. Adults show a bright yellow crown and forehead, red in the wing, a heavy pale bill, and the square-tailed shape typical of Amazons. The yellow-headed Amazon group has a tangled taxonomic history, so names such as yellow-naped and yellow-headed amazon may be treated separately from or alongside older concepts of this species depending on the source.

As a companion bird it can be vocal, assertive, and long lived, with some individuals becoming strong mimics and others remaining mostly sound-based callers. Captive care needs a large secure enclosure, daily exercise, chewable branches, foraging work, bathing, and an avian veterinarian familiar with parrots. Seed-heavy diets commonly lead to obesity and vitamin problems, so pellets, vegetables, legumes, and limited fruit or nuts are a better foundation. Responsible acquisition means choosing captive-bred birds with clear paperwork; many older Amazons in rescues have noise, biting, or pair-bond issues that require patient, experienced handling.