Amazona farinosa – Southern Mealy Amazon
The Southern Mealy Amazon – Amazona farinosa (Boddaert, 1783) – is somewhat rare in captivity but is known to be very calm and gentles as a pet. It is one of the largest parrots in the Amazona genus.
Previously the Sourthern Mealy Amazon and Northern Mealy Amazon were considered conspecific but was split by IUCN in 2014 into separate taxa.
They can be seen in pairs or in small flocks with up to 20 individuals if there are plenty of food nearby. They gather in tall trees for communal roosts outside the breeding season; sometimes with several hundred birds gathered. They feed quietly in the forest canopy but can be very noisy at dusk and dawn.
Southern Mealy Amazon is listed on CITES Appendix II and EU Annex B.
It is categorized as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.
Description
Green body with yellow patch on crown (size may vary) and blue/black wash on back of neck. The green feathers on the head and back of neck is dull green with black tip resulting in scaly pattern. Red carpal edge. The tail is green with a yellow/green stripe at the end. Red eye with white eye ring. The beak is horn color.
Juveniles has similar colors but brown eyes.
Size: 38 cm
Weight: 705-766 g
Subspecies
None.
Some sources mentions the subspecies A. f. farinosa , A. f. chapmani and A. f. inornata but these are not recognized by IOC
Habitat
The Southern Mealy Amazon is endemic to the tropical Cental and South America: Its natural habitat ranges from eastern Panama and Colombia to north-eastern Bolivia, eastern Brazil and the Guianas.
It resides in dense lowland rainforest but also near clearings and forest edges. Also seen visiting plantations with tall trees.
Diet
Wild birds feed on various figs, pods and arils. They may also feed on maize.
Aviculture
Use a vertical box about 30 x 30 x 60 cm as nest box.
The clutch usually contains 3 eggs, that are incubated for 24-27 days. The chicks reach fledging age 9-10 weeks after hatching.
Taxonomy
- Order: Psittaciformes
- Family: Psittacidae
- Genus: Amazona
Synonyms
- Danish: Farinosa-amazone
- English: Southern Mealy Amazon, Southern Mealy Parrot, Mealy Parrot
- French: Amazone poudrée, Amazone poudrée (farinosa)
- German: Mülleramazone
- Portuguese: Papagaio-moleiro
- Spanish: Amazona Burrona, Amazona harinosa sureña
- Scientific: Amazona farinosa
IUCN Red List
BirdLife International 2022. Amazona farinosa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T45430572A210109682.
https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T45430572A210109682.en
Accessed on 20 May 2023
