The Panama amazon, also known as the panamanian parrot, Panama yellow-headed amazon, (''Amazona ochrocephala panamensis'') is a subspecies of the
yellow-crowned amazon, and is endemic to
Panama
Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
(including the
Pearl Islands and
Coiba) and northwest
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
.
In aviculture, it is sometimes listed as a separate species (''Amazona panamensis''),
and this is potentially correct; at least as a
phylogenetic species.
Description
Adults are approximately in length, are bright green with a yellow area on the forehead, and a horn-colored (gray) beak, sometimes with a dark tip, but lacking the reddish coloring on the upper mandible that is present in the nominate yellow-crowned amazon.
''Amazona ochrocephala''
Lexicon of Parrots, online version. Arndt-Verlag. Accessed 16 February 2010. The plumage of the body is green with a little coloring at the brims of the wings. The yellow on the crown is more restricted, and tends to be triangular, compared with the more extensive and rounder distribution of yellow on the nominate race. There is much variation in coloring among individuals.
Aviculture
Because they are highly sought after as pets and because of trapping of wild birds, which is now illegal, there has been a population decline. This has made them difficult to find. Panama amazons are extremely playful, can be excellent talkers and tend to be loud at times; much like the (nominate) yellow-crowned, yellow-headed and yellow-naped amazons. Though their body language is the same, Panama amazons are much less likely to become physically aggressive. Many other amazon parrots are erroneously sold as Panama amazons, because of their scarcity and popularity.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4343844
Panama amazon
Birds of Panama
Birds of Colombia
Least concern biota of North America
Panama amazon