Common Name: Yellow-shouldered Amazon
Scientific Name: Amazona barbadensis barbadensis
VULNERABLE Yellow-shouldered Amazon Distribution: Northern South America
Habitat: Arid Coastal Scrubland
Height: 33cm Diet: Herbivorous
The yellow shouldered Amazon has green feathers which have black edging. The ring of bare skin around the eye is white and the cheeks and crown are yellow. The area around the top of the nose is white and the bill is light yellow. The shoulders are yellow hence the name and there are flashes of red on the side of the wings and on the underside of the tail. The eye is orange and the feet are grey. The yellow shouldered Amazon is found in arid, woody and rocky habitat in coastal Venezuela and the Netherlands Antilles. The species is found in areas of vegetation consisting of cacti, thorn bush and small trees and may also visit gardens where it can be very destructive. The Amazon eats fruits, including cactus fruits, seeds and flowers depending on the time of year. The Amazon parrot forms flocks to feed which may range is size from 6 – 80 individuals. They also form communal breeding roosts outside the breeding season. During the breeding season they form pairs. The nest is constructed in hollow trees or tree cavities and the female lays two eggs. The species is exploited for the pet trade.