Would you like to know more about the Amazon family? Because if so, I’m sure that the amazon of St. Vincent, a very beautiful bird that has captivated the hearts of millions of people, will catch your attention.
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What is this bird?
Its name comes because it resides in the Caribbean island of San Vicente, and belongs to the parrot family within the category of Amazons receiving the scientific name of Amazona guildingii. It is usually found in humid forests in the lower areas, between 125 and 1000 meters.
It is in conservation problems, mainly due to habitat loss and human poaching for the pet trade. In 1982, there were between 370 and 470 specimens according to one study. In 1994, it is estimated that the population reached 800 specimens.
And how is this bird?
It is a large bird, measuring 40 centimetres in length, although this does not make it the largest of the Amazons. Their weight ranges from 500 – 650 grams in the largest specimens of this breed.
Its plumage is greenish, but mixed with a large number of other colours such as white, yellow, blue, a greenish colour on the head, a metallic shade on the upper parts of the body, and a mixture of violet and blue-green on the wings. Its potatoes are grey in colour, similar to the colour of the bones.
Their eyes are red, something characteristic of this breed, although they can also have a shade similar to orange, especially when they are young. No sexual dimorphism present, so it is very difficult to tell the male from the female. When they are young, the color of the plumage acquires the rest of the tonalities with each one of the molts.
No subspecies has been recognized for the time being, nor have many caregivers dedicated themselves to its breeding.
What else can I learn about this bird?
Because it is a bird that very few breeders have decided to breed, there is very little information about its breeding. It is known that there is very little success rate and that many eggs are infertile, because they do not adapt well to life in captivity or cannot reproduce the same conditions as in their habitat so that their chicks can hatch.
Like the rest of the birds of the Amazonian family, it is a bird that feeds mainly on seeds, both dried and germinated. However, when living in captivity, the diet must be made up of non-fat seeds, as they cannot fly and need a healthy diet to avoid overweight. To balance his diet a little more, he is usually given a piece of fruit or vegetables at least once a day, always being very careful with foods rich in fiber that can cause diarrhea to this bird.
It is not a very common pet bird, and because poaching appears to be affected by this species and then put on sale commercially, it is only allowed to buy these birds when they have been bred in captivity, even if there are very few specimens. It is not a crime to have one at home, but in order to import it from St. Vincent a number of conditions must be met to ensure the stability of this bird once it has arrived at its new home.
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