Amazona ochrocephala
yellow-crowned parrot

Amazona ochrocephala is found from central Mexico to central South America, including to the southern Amazonian Basin east to Peru, and including Trinidad and other Carribean Islands. They have been introduced to southern California and south Florida. (Decoteau, 1983; Perrins, 1990)

Yellow-crowned parrots are found in a variety of habitats ranging from humid lowlands and tropical forests to deciduous woodlands and tall scrubland. They can also be found in pine forests and agricultural areas. (Grzimek, 2003; Perrins, 1990; Rodner, et al., 2000)

Yellow-crowned parrots have a mass of 402 to 561 g and are usually around 35 cm in length. They generally have bright green feathers edged in black with yellow markings on the head and face. Yellow-crowned parrots have yellow feathers directly above the beak. The cere and hairs around the nostrils are black. The beak is usually dark gray to black. The tail is short (about 10.16 cm) and squared-off at the base. Males and females are similar. (Decoteau, 1983; Freud, 1995; Grzimek, 2003; "Avian Web", 2006; Davis, 1972; Decoteau, 1983; Freud, 1995; Grzimek, 2003; Ridgely, 1976)

Yellow-crowned parrots are monogamous birds. They have simple courtship displays for attracting mates that include bowing, wing-drooping, wing-flicking, tail-wagging, foot-raising, and dilation of the eye pupils. When roosting, pairs remain close together. (Forshaw and Kirshner, 1998; Grzimek, 2003)

The breeding period for yellow-crowned parrots is December through May. In this time, they lay clutch sizes of 2 to 4 eggs, laying only one clutch per season. It takes about 25 days for the eggs to hatch and about 56 days for them to become fledglings. Offspring become independent about 2 months after they hatch. Both male and female yellow-crowned parrots reach sexual maturity at about 3 years. (Grzimek, 2003; Sibley, et al., 2001)

Up to one month before the first egg is layed, female A. ochrocephala prepare a nest in a tree hollow. The female lays a clutch of 2 to 4 eggs (at 2 day intervals) which she incubates for 24 to 27 days. The eggs are plain white with no shell markings and have an elliptical shape. During this time, the male remains close to the nest entrance and feeds the female. After hatching, the female remains with the young for most of the day, occasionally taking breaks to forage. A few days after the eggs hatch, the male begins to enter the nest cavity to feed the young, although the female still does the majority of the feeding. (Grzimek, 2003; Rodriguez Castillo and Eberhard, 2006; Walters, 1994)

Yellow-crowned parrots, like most large parrots, have a very long lifespan. Little is known about the lifespan of yellow-crowned parrots in the wild. In captivity large parrots can live for up to 100 years. ("Avian Web", 2006; "Avian Web", 2006; "Avian Web", 2006; "Avian Web", 2006; Sibley, et al., 2001)

Yellow-crowned parrots are social birds. They are sedentary and only move locally in accordance to changes in food supply. At night, outside of the breeding season, yellow-crowned parrots can be found in large flocks at roosts. During the day, however, they are found in smaller parties of about 10 birds for feeding. During their feeding time, yellow-crowned parrots are generally quiet. They are strong fliers and fly high on long-distance flights. They have shallow wing beats with little or no gliding. They are also monogamous birds and the pairs remain close together. At clay-licks, yellow-crowned parrots associate with other species of parrots. (Grzimek, 2003; Stiles and Skutch, 1981)

The territory of yellow-crowned parrots consists only of the area immediately surrounding their nests during the breeding season. The home range is only slightly larger and is dependent on the food resources available in the area. (Grzimek, 2003)

Yellow-crowned parrots give off a variety of metallic shrieks, whistles, squawks, and repeated screeches. Like other parrots, they have a complex and flexible repertoire, giving them the ability to mimic human speech. They also use visual perception for courtship displays. (Perrins, 1990)

Yellow-crowned parrots are opportunistic feeders and gather in treetops in parties of around ten to feed. They eat seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, blossoms and leaf buds. They use their feet to manipulate food and extract nut kernels with their beak and tongue. Yellow-crowned parrots are fond of maize and cultivated fruits. (Grzimek, 2003; Perrins, 1990)

Yellow-crowned parrots do not have many predators as adults. Natural predation on yellow-crowned parrots is primarily from boa constrictors (Boa constrictor), accounting for a 9.5% decrease in breeding success each year. Boa constrictors feed on fledgings and females found in or around the nest. Poaching by humans is the primary cause of breeding failure. Because of combined predation by snakes and poaching by humans, yellow-crowned parrots have very low breeding success (10-14%). (Rodriguez Castillo and Eberhard, 2006)

Yellow-crowned parrots eat seeds, nuts, fruits, and berries, and are important seed predators and seed dispersers. (Grzimek, 2003; Grzimek, 2003)

Yellow-crowned parrots have an uncanny ability to mimic human speech. Because of this ability they are popular as pets. Feathers are sometimes used in native decoration and Amazon parrots in general are popular with birders, encouraging ecotourism in their native ranges. (Grzimek, 2003)

Their love of cultivated fruits makes yellow-crowned parrots pests to orchard and farm owners in their range. They cause damage to maize and fruit crops. (Grzimek, 2003)

Yellow-crowned parrots have a "least concern" rating on the IUCN Red List. However, along with most other parrots, they have a CITES Appendix I status.