|
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.
Aggressiveness In Amazons
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).
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. |
