White-fronted Parrot
Encyclopedia
The White-fronted Amazon, Amazona albifrons, also known as the White-fronted Parrot, or adopted slang term Spectacled Amazon Parrot is a Central America
n species
of parrot
. Not to be confused with the Red-spectacled Amazon
. They also can imitate a range from 30 to 40 different sounds. Like other large parrots, the White-fronted Parrot has a long potential life span, usually around 40 years.
s. This species is named for the bright white patch of feathers on their foreheads, although the amount of white varies from individual to individual. They have mostly green plumage with some blue colouring on their outspread wings. They have bright red coloring around their eyes (in some individuals almost like spectacles) and blue coloring behind the patch of white on their foreheads. Together with the Red-spectacled Amazon
and the Yellow-lored Amazon
, it is the only Amazon species in which adult males and females easily can be distinguished by external appearance (sexual dimorphism
): Males have bright red feathers on their "shoulders" (alula
), while females have green "shoulders". Juveniles have pale grey irises and less red on their face and the white area is replaced with a smaller yellowish area.
with slight differences in colour and size:
and Mexico
; and is most often seen in small flocks
of up to 20 birds. They are seen in a variety of different habitats from wet regions such as rainforest
s, to drier areas such as cactus
savanna
hs. In the wild, they are not shy and people are often able to approach them. Flocks may congregate and people have seen groups that number into the hundreds. These groups may also contain flocks from other species such as the Red-lored Amazon.
The White-fronted Amazon nests in tree cavities. Their breeding season is usually in the spring, starting in February and ending in the summer (in June and July in most areas). After breeding, the female will lay an average of three to four white eggs
. Eggs are incubated
for about 26 days and chicks leave the nest
at the age of about 60 weeks from hatching.
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
. Not to be confused with the Red-spectacled Amazon
Red-spectacled Amazon
The Red-spectacled Amazon is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay....
. They also can imitate a range from 30 to 40 different sounds. Like other large parrots, the White-fronted Parrot has a long potential life span, usually around 40 years.
Description
The White-fronted Amazon, at about 25 cm (10 in) long, is the smallest of the Amazon parrotAmazon parrot
Amazon parrot is the common name for a parrot of the genus Amazona. These are medium-size parrots native to the New World ranging from South America to Mexico and the Caribbean....
s. This species is named for the bright white patch of feathers on their foreheads, although the amount of white varies from individual to individual. They have mostly green plumage with some blue colouring on their outspread wings. They have bright red coloring around their eyes (in some individuals almost like spectacles) and blue coloring behind the patch of white on their foreheads. Together with the Red-spectacled Amazon
Red-spectacled Amazon
The Red-spectacled Amazon is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay....
and the Yellow-lored Amazon
Yellow-lored Amazon
The Yucatan Amazon , also known as the Yellow-lored Amazon, Yucatan Parrot or Yellow-lored Parrot is a species of Amazon parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is found in Belize, Honduras, and Mexico...
, it is the only Amazon species in which adult males and females easily can be distinguished by external appearance (sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
): Males have bright red feathers on their "shoulders" (alula
Alula
The alula, or bastard wing, is a small projection on the anterior edge of the wing of modern birds. The alula is the freely moving first digit, a bird's "thumb," and is typically covered with three to five small feathers, with the exact number depending on the species...
), while females have green "shoulders". Juveniles have pale grey irises and less red on their face and the white area is replaced with a smaller yellowish area.
Taxonomy
The species is divided into three subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
with slight differences in colour and size:
- White-fronted Amazon (A. a. albifrons)
- Lesser White-fronted Amazon (A. a. nana)
- Sonora White-fronted Amazon (A. a. saltuensis)
Distribution and habitat
The White-fronted Amazon is native to Central AmericaCentral America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
; and is most often seen in small flocks
Flock (birds)
A flock is a group of birds conducting flocking behavior in flight, or while foraging. The term is akin to the herd amongst mammals. The benefits of aggregating in flocks are varied and flocks will form explicitly for specific purposes...
of up to 20 birds. They are seen in a variety of different habitats from wet regions such as rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
s, to drier areas such as cactus
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
hs. In the wild, they are not shy and people are often able to approach them. Flocks may congregate and people have seen groups that number into the hundreds. These groups may also contain flocks from other species such as the Red-lored Amazon.
Breeding
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
. Eggs are incubated
Avian incubation
Incubation refers to the process by which certain oviparous animals hatch their eggs, and to the development of the embryo within the egg. The most vital factor of incubation is the constant temperature required for its development over a specific period. Especially in domestic fowl, the act of...
for about 26 days and chicks leave the nest
Fledge
Fledge is the stage in a young bird's life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. It also describes the act of a chick's parents raising it to a fully grown state...
at the age of about 60 weeks from hatching.