DESCRIPTION:
Forehead and crown green; variable yellow band across lower nape and hind neck. Bill is dark gray, paler towards base of upper mandible.

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE AND HABITAT:
Along Pacific slope of Central America from eastern Oaxaca, southern Mexico to north-western Costa Rica. Found in only 5 countries: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and Costa Rica.

DIET:
Fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, blossoms, and probably leaf buds.

LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL STRUCTURE:
Probably nests in the hollow of a live tree on a layer of chips. Eggs: 3 ovate, glossy. Most parrot species have both parents participating in incubating, feeding, and teaching nestlings and fledglings.

SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS:
They are strong fliers and fly quite high when traveling long distances. Call is a reiterated screeching; also a variety of metallic shrieks and whistling notes.

INTERPRETIVE INFORMATION:
The Yellow-Napped Amazon is thought to be a separate species of the Yellow-Crowned Amazon parrot which is a well known member of the genus. This parrot is very popular as a pet due to its prowess as a "talker". It's often taken as a nestling for the pet trade. The trade in wild-caught parrots is one of the primary reasons that so many species of them are endangered. The few wild-caught birds remaining alive(after being captured and smuggled) are sold at high prices, but traumatized from their ordeal and often beset by illnesses or psychological issues.

OUR ANIMALS:
One male is used in our Zoomobile education program and is not viewable by the public.

STATUS IN WILD:
Loss of habitat through large-scale deforestation is the primary pressure adversely affecting these parrots. Also, the mortality rate for wild-caught parrots (captured and smuggled into the "legitimate" pet trade) apporoaches 90%, making the pet trade an exacerbating factor threatening these birds. Generally abundant but in specific localities over-hunted as pets. On Appendix II of CITES (threatened).

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Forshaw, Joseph. 1978. Parrots of the World, 2nd edition, T.H. F. Publications, Neptune, NJ, p. 561.
2. Juniper, Tony & Parr, Mike 1998. Parrots: A guide to Parrots of the World, Yale University Press, new Haven & London, p. 542-3.