White-fronted amazon
(Amazona albifrons)
Facts
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IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)
Facts about this animal
The white-fronted is a small amazon species, reaching a total length of only 25 cm and a body-weight of about 230 g.
The plumage is mostly green, scaled with black over head, breast and upper back. The forehead and forcrown are white, the midcrown blue, and the lores and feathered area around the eye red. Large wing feathers largely blue, inner webs of tail feathers red basally. In the male, alula and primary wing coverts are red.
Outside the breeding season, white-fronted amazons have communal roosts and are usually travelling in flocks of up to 50 birds or more.
Breeding occurs mostly during the dry season. Natural tree cavities or former woodpecker nests are used for nesting. A clutch consists of 3-5 eggs.
White-fronted amazons feed on figs, seeds, nuts, blossoms, corn, mangoes and other crops.
Did you know?
that there are three subspecies of white-fronted amazon? The nominate form, A. a. albifrons ranges along the Pacific coast from Central Mexico to Guatemala, A. a. saltuensis is confined to north-western Mexico, and A. a. nana occurs from southern Mexico to Costa Rica.
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | AVES |
| Order | PSITTACIFORMES |
| Suborder | PSITTACI |
| Family | PSITTACIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Amazona albifrons |
| Name (English) | White-fronted amazon |
| Name (French) | Amazone à front blanc |
| Name (German) | Weissstirnamazone |
| Name (Spanish) | Loro frentiblanco |
| Local names | Costa Rica: Lora |
| CITES Status | Appendix II |
| CMS Status | Not listed |
Photo Copyright by
Debi
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua |
| Habitat | Subtropical and tropical dry and moist lowland forests, including degraded former forests, savannas and agricultural districts. |
| Wild population | No global figures available, but population believed to be large |
| Zoo population | 88 reported to ISIS (2008) |
In the Zoo
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How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 11D of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.
Find this animal on ZooLex
Photo Copyright by
Bryce Edwards
Why do zoos keep this animal
Amazons are conspicuous and attractive birds, which are good ambassador species for the conservation of neotropical forests. They have an interesting anatomy and behaviour, are intelligent birds able to mimic human speech and even to associate words with their meanings, and are thus also of educational interest. Zoos may keep amazon parrots also for animal welfare reasons as they may have to take care of confiscated birds, or former pet birds.