Bird · GBIF taxon 2479665
Red-crowned Amazon
Amazona viridigenalisAlso known as Red-Crowned Parrot, Green-Cheeked Amazon, Mexican Red-Headed Parrot
Red-crowned Amazons gather in noisy, highly social roosts, filling twilight skies with loud rolling squawks as they travel between feeding areas. Vibrant crimson crowns and bright emerald cheeks make them easy to distinguish in the canopy, where they feed on seeds, acorns, and wild berries. Heavily targeted by illegal trapping for the pet trade, these resilient birds now maintain feral urban populations in Southern California alongside their declining native Mexican range.
SocialVocal
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Pine seeds
- Acorns
- Wild figs
Predators
- Hawks
- Falcons
- Arboreal snakes
ThreatsIllegal trapping for the pet trade, habitat destruction, nest site loss
HabitatsLowland deciduous forests, pine-oak woodlands, suburban parks
Life span30–50 years in the wild, up to 70 years in captivity
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderPsittaciformes
- FamilyPsittacidae
- GenusAmazona
- SpeciesAmazona viridigenalis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Wild parrots can deliver a strong bite if cornered; observe from a respectful distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a bright crimson forehead, violet-blue nape, bright green cheeks, and loud squawking calls.
- Support conservation
- Keep distance near communal roosts and never share exact nest cavity locations publicly.
Responsible observation
- Listen for calls: Flocks announce their presence with loud squawking calls at dawn and dusk.
- Watch from a distance: Use binoculars near communal roost trees to avoid disturbing settled flocks.
- Look in suburban canopy: Urban populations frequently forage in non-native fruiting trees.
Close Relative (c) James M. Maley, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by James M. Maley · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Donald Davesne · cc-by
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