Yellow Naped Amazon parrots, Amazona ochrocephala auropalliata, are beautiful Amazons that are mostly green with large patches of yellow on the napes of their necks. Some individuals also have a yellow blaze on their foreheads. Immature birds have no yellow on their napes; the yellow nape begins to molt in when they are between 18 months and 2 years old, and continues to get larger as they get older. Yellow Naped Amazons tend to be a lighter, brighter green than the other Amazon species. They range in the wild from the Pacific slope of southern Mexico through Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Yellow Naped Amazon parrots are approximately 14-15 inches in length and weigh from 480-550 grams. Our Yellow Napes at Avalon Aviary tend to be very large.
The Yellow Naped Amazon is a dominant species that is closely related to the Double Yellow Headed Amazon. These highly intelligent birds need firm boundaries set in order to keep them as loving companions. They love to play and swing around on their toys and play gyms, and it is easy to teach them a variety of games and tricks. They are exceptional talkers and can be quite the singers. They start talking especially early in life, and can be a bit noisy. The parrots most often seen singing opera on late night TV are Yellow Naped Amazons.
Living with their parents gives these birds a wonderful start to life, and does not diminish in the least their ability to interact with people. Yellow Napes enjoy being the center of attention and participating with the people in their lives.
Yellow Naped Amazons are, in my opinion, the most intelligent of the Amazon parrots. They are also the most willful and determined. They are fascinating, complex creatures who learn to talk and sing very easily. Yellow Napes are not for everyone. They really need boundaries set for them, otherwise they will take over your house. While we do extensive socialization with them, in most instances we do not train them well enough to run your house!
Yellow Naped Amazons, like the other Amazon parrots with lots of yellow, can become more easily overloaded (perceived as aggressive) during breeding season in the early spring. See the explanation on our Amazon parrots page. Watching their behavior closely is very important in dealing with these intelligent birds. Luckily, Amazons are very emotionally honest, and it is easy to read their behavior. Pinning eyes and flared tail is a good sign to not pick them up with your hand unless you want to take the chance of being nipped. There may be times when living with a Yellow Naped Amazon that it becomes necessary to pick up your bird with a stick to maintain a positive relationship. If you are willing to be compassionate and respectful of their wild natures, if you are willing to set firm boundaries that can help them manage their behavior, Yellow Naped Amazons are flexible, entertaining companion parrots.
Beautiful coloration, intelligent and outgoing personalities and the potential to talk and sing exceptionally well make Yellow Naped Amazons wonderful lifetime companions.