Parrots- ORDER: Psittaciformes
- FAMILY: Psittacidae
Basic Description
Red-crowned Amazons usually announce themselves with throaty screeches, well before they're seen. They are native to a small region of northeastern Mexico and South Texas, and some escaped individuals have set up breeding populations in a few large cities. These large, leaf-green parrots fly with shallow, fluttery wingbeats and then abruptly disappear when they land in treetops. Like many parrot species, their numbers have been decimated by the illegal cage bird trade, and Red-crowned Amazons are on the Red Watch List.
More ID InfoFind This Bird
Within their native range, which includes South Texas cities such as Brownsville, Red-crowned Amazons can be easy to find. Watch for them flying fairly high with distinctive shallow wingbeats, especially in morning and evening as they travel to and from roost sites. These long-lived birds often use the same areas for decades, such as in the pecan trees of Oliveira Park in Brownsville, making them easier to locate.
Other Names
- Amazona Tamaulipeca (Spanish)
- Amazone à joues vertes (French)