33 Types of Amazon Parrots: From Popular Pets to Rare Island Natives
October 24, 2026
A parrot that can hold a conversation, mimic a ringing phone, and live longer than its owner sounds like the plot of a novel, but it describes an ordinary day for many Amazon parrot keepers. The types of Amazon parrots span 30-plus species in the genus Amazona, ranging from common green pets found in households across the United States to island natives so rare that only a few dozen remain in the wild.
Some of these birds, like the many other parrot species kept worldwide, have become fixtures of the pet trade. Others survive only on single Caribbean islands, protected by armed park rangers and decades of captive-breeding work. This guide walks through all 33 recognized types, organized the way researchers and breeders actually group them: mainland favorites first, then the island specialists that make the genus so conservation-critical.
Important Note: Taxonomic authorities do not fully agree on how many Amazon parrot species exist. Some treatments recognize around 30 species, while others split certain populations into separate species, pushing the count closer to 33. This guide follows the broader classification used by most aviculturists and regional field guides.
1. Blue-fronted Amazon
The Blue-fronted Amazon (Amazona aestiva) is one of the most widely kept parrots in American households, prized for a vocabulary that can run into hundreds of words. Native to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay, it gets its name from the patch of blue feathers above its beak, set against bright yellow cheeks and a mostly green body.
In captivity, Blue-fronted Amazons are known for strong personalities and occasional stubbornness, traits that make them rewarding but demanding companions. Breeders have also produced hybrid crosses between this species and other Amazon types, part of a broader pattern seen across hybrid animals in captive bird collections, though most conservation groups discourage the practice to protect pure bloodlines.
2. Yellow-naped Amazon
The Yellow-naped Amazon (Amazona auropalliata) wears a distinctive yellow patch at the back of its neck and has a reputation as one of the best talkers in the genus. Once considered a subspecies of the yellow-crowned Amazon, it is now classified as its own species. According to Wikipedia, this widespread amazon parrot inhabits the Pacific coast of southern Mexico and Central America and is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon.
Wild populations have collapsed over the past two decades due to poaching for the pet trade and habitat clearing along the Pacific lowlands. The species is now listed as Critically Endangered, a steep fall for a bird that remains common in aviaries.
3. Double Yellow-headed Amazon
Few parrots match the Double Yellow-headed Amazon (Amazona oratrix) for sheer vocal range. Native to Mexico and parts of Central America, this stocky green bird develops a yellow head that expands with age, sometimes covering the entire crown and nape by adulthood.
It ranks among the most sought-after pet Amazons in the United States, a popularity that has unfortunately fueled illegal trapping across its native range. Wild numbers have dropped sharply, and the species now depends heavily on protected reserves in Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf lowlands.
4. Yellow-crowned Amazon
The Yellow-crowned Amazon (Amazona ochrocephala) is a broadly distributed South American parrot recognized by a small yellow cap set against an otherwise green head. It ranges from Colombia and Venezuela through the Guianas and into parts of Brazil and Bolivia, occupying everything from gallery forest to semi-open savanna.
Feeding flocks of this species play a quiet ecological role wherever they occur, dropping partially chewed fruit and seeds that support the kind of mutualistic relationships between animals that keep tropical forests regenerating. Several regional populations are sometimes split into separate species or subspecies, which partly explains why total Amazon species counts vary between sources.
5. Orange-winged Amazon
The Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica) is named for the flash of orange and blue visible in its wings during flight, a detail hidden when the bird is perched. Per Wikipedia, it is a large amazon parrot and a resident breeding bird in tropical South America, from Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil.
Unlike many of its rarer relatives, this species is classified as Least Concern, thanks largely to its adaptability and wide range across the Amazon basin. It feeds heavily on fruit, nectar, and seeds found throughout the region’s dense canopy, alongside the countless insect species of the Amazon rainforest that share the same habitat.
6. Lilac-crowned Amazon
The Lilac-crowned Amazon (Amazona finschi), also called Finsch’s Amazon, is immediately recognizable by its maroon forehead fading into a violet-blue crown. According to Wikipedia, it is a parrot endemic to the Pacific slopes of Mexico, and BirdLife International classified this species as vulnerable in a 2006 assessment.
Habitat loss along Mexico’s Pacific coastline, combined with continued demand from the pet trade, keeps this species under pressure. Conservationists consider nest-site protection one of the most effective tools for stabilizing remaining populations.
7. Red-lored Amazon
The Red-lored Amazon (Amazona autumnalis) carries a red band across its forehead just above the beak, bordered by patches of yellow or blue depending on the subspecies. Its range stretches from eastern Mexico through Central America into northern South America, making it one of the more geographically widespread mainland Amazons.
Owners often describe this species as a confident singer as much as a talker, with a tendency to mimic whistles and musical phrases rather than just words. Like most Amazon parrots, it is a loud bird by nature, and prospective owners should weigh noise tolerance before bringing one home.
8. Mealy Amazon
The Mealy Amazon (Amazona farinosa) earns its name from a dusty, powder-like sheen across its green feathers. As Wikipedia notes, it is among the largest parrots in the genus Amazona, a mainly green parrot with a total length of 38–41 cm (15–16 in), and it is native to tropical Central and South America.
Despite its size and wide range, the Mealy Amazon holds a Least Concern status, a rarity among the genus’s larger-bodied members. Its calm, less excitable temperament compared to smaller Amazons makes it a popular choice among owners seeking a mellower companion bird.
9. Festive Amazon
The Festive Amazon (Amazona festiva) is a lesser-known South American species found along the Amazon, Solimões, and Ucayali river systems in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador. Its plumage is largely green with a red lower back and rump, a feature that gives the species its festive name.
It favors seasonally flooded forest edges along river margins, a habitat type that limits how easily researchers can survey its numbers. Current population trends are considered stable, though localized deforestation along river corridors remains a watch point.
10. Green-cheeked Amazon (Mexican Red-headed Amazon)
The Green-cheeked Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis), also called the Mexican Red-headed Amazon, is native to northeastern Mexico but has become better known outside its home range through feral colonies established in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Brownsville, Texas. Escaped and released pet birds formed self-sustaining flocks decades ago that persist in urban parks today.
Ironically, these feral US populations are now considered more secure than the wild Mexican population, which has declined due to habitat clearing and nest poaching. The species is classified as Endangered in its native range despite thriving as an introduced bird abroad.
11. Panama Amazon
The Panama Amazon (Amazona panamensis) is a smaller relative often grouped with the yellow-crowned Amazon complex, found along the Pacific coast of Panama and into parts of Colombia. It lacks the extensive yellow crown of its larger cousins, typically showing only a small patch or none at all.
Mangrove forests and coastal lowlands make up its primary habitat, placing it at risk from coastal development pressure. It remains less studied than many of its mainland relatives, with population estimates drawn mostly from localized surveys rather than range-wide census data.
12. White-fronted Amazon
The White-fronted Amazon (Amazona albifrons) is the smallest member of the genus, measuring roughly 10 inches from head to tail. A small white patch above the beak gives the species its name, while males show additional red feathering around the eyes that females lack, making this one of the few Amazon species with visible sexual dimorphism.
Its compact size has made it a popular option for owners who want Amazon parrot personality without the larger footprint of species like the Mealy or Double Yellow-headed Amazon. Native to Mexico and Central America, wild populations remain relatively stable compared to many Caribbean relatives.
Pro Tip: Before choosing any Amazon parrot as a pet, research its expected lifespan and noise level. Many species live 40 to 60 years in captivity and require a long-term commitment comparable to raising a child through adulthood.
13. Blue-cheeked Amazon
The Blue-cheeked Amazon (Amazona dufresniana) is a striking South American species with violet-blue cheek patches set against green plumage and an orange-red patch near the shoulder. It occupies forested regions of French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, and parts of northern Brazil and Venezuela.
For years, ornithologists grouped a closely related Brazilian population under this same species. As Wikipedia explains, it has been considered a subspecies of the blue-cheeked amazon, but today all major authorities consider them separate species — a split that produced the red-browed Amazon covered later in this guide.
14. Red-spectacled Amazon
The Red-spectacled Amazon (Amazona pretrei) takes its name from the ring of red feathers circling each eye, paired with red shoulder patches and a red forehead. According to Wikipedia, it is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
This species depends heavily on Araucaria pine forests for nesting and seed feeding, a habitat type that has shrunk dramatically across southern Brazil. Its Vulnerable status reflects both this specialized diet and continued pressure from illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade.
15. Cuban Amazon
The Cuban Amazon (Amazona leucocephala) stands apart from most of its relatives with a white forehead, rosy throat and cheeks, and dark-edged green body feathers that give it a scalloped appearance. It is found not only in Cuba but also on the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, split across several recognized subspecies with distinct coloration.
The Bahamian population on Abaco and Great Inagua nests in limestone sinkholes rather than tree cavities, an unusual adaptation among Amazon parrots. Conservation programs on both islands have helped stabilize numbers after historic declines tied to hunting and habitat loss.
16. Hispaniolan Amazon
The Hispaniolan Amazon (Amazona ventralis) is native to the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where deforestation has hit harder than almost anywhere else in the Caribbean. It closely resembles the Cuban Amazon but lacks the white forehead, showing a more uniform green head instead.
Heavy deforestation across Haiti in particular has pushed this species toward smaller, more fragmented forest remnants. It remains one of the more commonly kept Caribbean Amazons in aviculture, which has created a captive population that may eventually support reintroduction efforts.
17. Puerto Rican Amazon
The Puerto Rican Amazon (Amazona vittata) is the only parrot species native to Puerto Rico and one of the most intensively managed bird conservation programs in the Western Hemisphere. Per Wikipedia, it is the only extant parrot endemic to Puerto Rico, measuring 28–30 cm with a red forehead and white rings around the eyes.
The species nearly vanished entirely, falling to just 13 wild birds by the mid-1970s. According to the World Parrot Trust, the current status is Critically Endangered with CITES Appendix I protection, and the population is about 1,000 individuals counting both wild birds and the breeding program. Decades of captive breeding at El Yunque National Forest and Rio Abajo State Forest made that recovery possible.
Key Insight: Every Caribbean Amazon species covered in this guide is listed under CITES Appendix I, which bans international commercial trade in wild-caught birds. Legally owned pet Amazons in the United States trace back to captive-bred stock, not wild capture.
18. Black-billed Amazon (Jamaican)
The Black-billed Amazon (Amazona agilis) is one of two Amazon species endemic to Jamaica, distinguished by its dark bill and smaller overall size compared to its island neighbor. It favors the island’s wetter interior forests, particularly the Cockpit Country region in the northwest.
This species is harder to spot than Jamaica’s other native Amazon, partly because it travels in smaller, quieter groups. Habitat loss from bauxite mining and agricultural expansion continues to shrink the forest it depends on for nesting cavities.
19. Yellow-billed Amazon (Jamaican)
The Yellow-billed Amazon (Amazona collaria) shares Jamaica with the black-billed species but is easier to identify by its pale bill and pink wash across the throat. Per Wikipedia, this predominantly green parrot with a short tail and pink throat and neck is also called the Jamaican amazon.
It tends to occupy a broader range of forest types across Jamaica than its black-billed relative, giving it a somewhat more stable outlook. Still, both Jamaican Amazons face shared threats from deforestation and occasional capture for the local pet trade.
20. St. Vincent Amazon
The St. Vincent Amazon (Amazona guildingii) is the national bird of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and arguably the most colorful Amazon species, appearing in either a golden-brown or green color morph. As Wikipedia describes, it is a large, approximately 40 cm long, multi-colored amazon parrot with a yellowish white, blue and green head, greenish-bronze upperparts plumage, and violet blue-green wings.
Population estimates compiled on Wikipedia’s parrot population list put the wild total at about 730 individuals, classified as Vulnerable with an increasing trend. That upward trajectory makes it one of the rare conservation success stories among island Amazons, credited largely to a long-running captive breeding aviary on the island.
21. St. Lucia Amazon
The St. Lucia Amazon (Amazona versicolor), known locally as the Jacquot, serves as the national bird of St. Lucia and features a mix of green, maroon, and turquoise plumage unique among Caribbean Amazons. It survives only in the island’s remaining rainforest interior, particularly around the Edmund Forest Reserve.
A sustained public education campaign through the 1980s helped shift local attitudes away from hunting this bird, contributing to a slow but steady population recovery. It remains classified as Vulnerable, with ongoing habitat protection considered essential to its long-term survival.
22. Imperial Amazon
The Imperial Amazon (Amazona imperialis), also called the Dominica Amazon, is the largest Amazon species and the national bird of Dominica, where it is known locally as the Sisserou. According to Wikipedia, it is a critically endangered species, with an estimated 50 mature individuals left in the wild as of 2019.
The bird occupies high-elevation mountain rainforest, typically found primarily in mountain rainforest, sometimes in elfin forest, occurring mostly at elevations of 600–1300 m above sea level. Hurricane damage to Dominica’s forests in recent decades has repeatedly set back recovery efforts for this already small population.
23. Red-necked Amazon
The Red-necked Amazon (Amazona arausiaca) shares Dominica with the Imperial Amazon but occupies lower-elevation forest, reducing direct competition between the two native species. It shows a distinctive patch of red feathers across the throat and neck, set against otherwise green plumage with touches of blue on the head.
This species has fared somewhat better than its mountain-dwelling neighbor, though it remains Vulnerable due to the island’s limited forest cover. Dominica’s forestry department has worked for decades to monitor both native parrots as flagship species for the island’s conservation program.
24. Vinaceous-breasted Amazon
The Vinaceous-breasted Amazon (Amazona vinacea) takes its name from the wine-colored wash across its chest, a subtle feature against mostly green plumage. It ranges across the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, one of the most heavily deforested biomes in South America.
Less than ten percent of the original Atlantic Forest remains standing today, and this Amazon species has suffered accordingly, now listed as Endangered. Seasonal movements tied to Araucaria pine seed availability make it one of the more nomadic members of the genus.
25. Tucuman Amazon
The Tucuman Amazon (Amazona tucumana) inhabits Andean cloud forests in northwestern Argentina and southern Bolivia, occupying elevations well above where most Amazon species are found. Its coloring includes a red forehead and red shoulder patches set against green plumage adapted to cooler mountain climates.
Seasonal altitudinal migration is common for this species, with birds moving to lower elevations outside the breeding season to follow food availability. Habitat fragmentation along the Andean foothills has earned it a Vulnerable classification in recent regional assessments.
26. Kawall’s Amazon
Kawall’s Amazon (Amazona kawalli) remained undescribed to science until the 1980s, making it one of the more recently recognized members of the genus. It is found in a limited stretch of lowland forest in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon, overlapping partly with the range of the mealy Amazon.
Because it was identified so recently and occupies a remote range, population data remains sparse compared to better-studied Amazon species. Some researchers continue to debate whether it deserves full species status or should be treated as a Mealy Amazon subspecies.
27. Scaly-naped Amazon
The Scaly-naped Amazon (Amazona mercenaria) gets its name from the scalloped, scale-like pattern formed by dark feather edges on the back of its neck. It occupies a long stretch of Andean cloud forest running through Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
This wide elevational range, often between 1,000 and 3,000 meters, helps explain why the species remains relatively secure compared to lowland Amazons facing heavier deforestation pressure. It is considered one of the more vocal members of the genus, with a harsh, far-carrying call often heard before the bird is seen.
28. Yellow-shouldered Amazon
The Yellow-shouldered Amazon (Amazona barbadensis) is native to arid coastal regions of Venezuela and the islands of Margarita and Bonaire, an unusual dry habitat compared to the rainforest home of most Amazon species. A yellow patch at the bend of the wing gives the bird its common name.
Illegal poaching for the pet trade devastated this species through the late twentieth century, particularly on Bonaire, where coordinated protection programs have since helped the population recover. It remains classified as Vulnerable despite these conservation gains.
29. Diademed Amazon
The Diademed Amazon (Amazona diadema) is one of the least documented members of the genus, found in a small range within the Brazilian Amazon near the Rio Negro and Rio Branco basins. Some taxonomists classify it as a full species, while others treat it as a subspecies of the mealy Amazon, another reason total species counts for the genus vary between sources.
Its remote range has limited field research, and much of what is known comes from historical museum specimens rather than extensive wild surveys. Deforestation pressure in this part of the Amazon basin raises concern for a species already poorly understood.
30. Red-tailed Amazon
The Red-tailed Amazon (Amazona brasiliensis) is confined to a narrow strip of coastal forest in southeastern Brazil. As Wikipedia notes, it is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae native to the Serra do Mar coastal forests, and the bird has been threatened by habitat loss and capture for the wild bird trade, becoming a symbol of efforts to conserve one of Earth’s most biologically diverse ecosystems.
Conservation groups in Brazil have used this species as a flagship for protecting the remaining Atlantic Forest fragments along the coast. Its Near Threatened status reflects modest population stability following decades of targeted habitat protection.
31. Salvin’s Amazon
Salvin’s Amazon (Amazona ochrocephala salvini) is generally treated as a subspecies within the yellow-crowned Amazon complex, found across the upper Amazon basin in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It shows a more extensive yellow crown than some other yellow-crowned populations, a detail that helps field researchers distinguish regional variants.
Because it is classified as a subspecies rather than a full species by most authorities, dedicated population data is limited. Its conservation status generally tracks with the broader yellow-crowned Amazon group, which remains relatively stable across its wide South American range.
32. Dufresne’s Amazon
Dufresne’s Amazon refers to the same species discussed earlier as the blue-cheeked Amazon, Amazona dufresniana, with the name honoring French naturalist Louis Dufresne. Older ornithological literature and some French Guianese field guides still favor this name over “blue-cheeked,” which has become more standard in English-language references.
The naming split between this species and the red-browed Amazon illustrates how Amazon parrot taxonomy has shifted over the past century, with populations once lumped together now recognized as distinct species based on genetic and plumage evidence.
33. Red-browed Amazon
The Red-browed Amazon (Amazona rhodocorytha) closes out this list as one of Brazil’s most threatened endemic parrots. Per Wikipedia, it is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae, endemic to Atlantic Forest in eastern Brazil.
Fragmentation of the Atlantic Forest has left this species confined to isolated forest patches, pushing its status to Vulnerable. Captive breeding programs in Brazil now play a growing role in maintaining genetic diversity as wild habitat continues to shrink.
From the chatty Blue-fronted Amazon perched in a US living room to the Imperial Amazon clinging to survival on a single Caribbean mountainside, the 33 types of Amazon parrots reveal just how much range exists within one genus. Mainland species tend to hold steadier populations thanks to larger, more connected habitat, while island endemics remain some of the most conservation-dependent birds on the planet.
Anyone drawn to these birds as pets should remember that popularity in aviculture has rarely translated into safety in the wild; several of the most commonly kept Amazon species are also among the most endangered in their native range. Supporting reputable captive-breeding programs and conservation groups working on the ground in Dominica, St. Vincent, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica remains one of the most direct ways to help secure a future for these birds outside of captivity.