Amazona guatemalae – Northern Mealy Amazon
Northern Mealy Amazon / Guatemala Mealy Amazon – Amazona guatemalae guatemalae
Photo: Randal Schwartz – License: Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.0
Northern Mealy Amazon – Amazona guatemalae (Sclater, PL, 1860) – is a large mainly green parrot endemic to tropical central America.
It was previously thought to be a subspecies of Amazona farinosa but was recently split into Amazona guatemalae.
They are very social and usually seen in pairs or in large flocks. They also interact with parrots, e.g. macaws. They are usually quiet but may be noisy at dusk and dawn.
The lifespan is up to 50-60 years.
The Northern Mealy Amazon is Near Threatened according to the IUCN Red List due to loss of habitat due to deforestation; hunting and trapping for international trade is also a threat.
Description
The nominate subspecies is mostly green with a blue crown, forehead and lores. The carpal edge of the wing is green/yellow and the edges of wing feathers are blue with red on secondary feathers. The tail feathers are dark green with light green tip. The tail is relatively short and squarish like other Amazons. The eye is red with a white eye ring. The bill is dark grey.
The juveniles have similar colors but brown eyes.
Size: 38 cm
Weight: 705-766 g
Subspecies
- Amazona guatemalae guatemalae (Sclater, PL, 1860) : Native from south-eastern Mexico to north-western Honduras
Also known as Guatemala Mealy Amazon - Amazona guatemalae virenticeps (Salvadori, 1891) : Native from north Honduras to western Panama.
It differs from the nominate subspecies A. g. guatemalae by having less blue crown and more green/yellow colour. Also the beak is black/horn coloured.
Also known as Costa-Rica Mealy Amazon.
Taxonomy
- Order: Psittaciformes
- Family: Psittacidae
- Genus: Amazona
Synonyms
- Danish: Guatemala Amazone, Blåisset Amazone, Nordlig Farinosa-amazone, Costa Rica Amazone
- English: Northern Mealy Amazon, Guatemala Mealy Amazon, Guatemalan Amazon, Blue-crowned Amazon, Blue-crowned Mealy Amazon, Costa-Rica Mealy Amazon
- French: Amazone guatémaltèque
- German: Guatemalaamazone
- Portuguese: Papagaio-guatemalteco
- Spanish: Amazona harinosa norteña
- Scientific: Amazona guatemalae, Amazona farinosa guatemalae
IUCN Red List
BirdLife International 2020. Amazona guatemalae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T45430583A179386817.
https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T45430583A179386817.en
Downloaded on 9 July 2021
Costa-Rica Mealy Amazon – Amazona guatemalae virenticeps
Photo: Copyright © by Mark Steensen
Habitat
The natural habitat ranges from south-eastern Mexico to western Panama, where it is found in lowland rainforest as well as lower montane forest and plantations.
Diet
Wild birds feed on figs, pods, arils, leaf buds, seeds and nuts. May also feed on maize.
Aviculture
Northern Mealy Amazon is rarely seen in aviculture.
A vertical box about 30 x 30 x 60 cm is used as nest box.
The clutch usually contains 3 eggs that are incubated for 24-27 days. The chicks reach fledging age after 9-10 weeks.