The mealy Amazon parrot has earned for itself the title “the gentle giant of the Amazon parrots“.
This bird is a docile and easy to train parrot that makes a wonderful pet.
Even though this large-sized parrot isn’t as colourful and flashy as other members of the parrot family, it’s a loving and friendly bird and that makes up for that part.
The amazon mealy parrot is the best choice for anyone who wants a large sized bird that is a bit laid back in attitude.
Common names for the Amazon mealy parrot
The blue crowned mealy parrot, mealy parrot, and mealy Amazon.
Scientific name of the Amazon mealy Amazon
The scientific name for the amazon mealy parrot is amazona farinosa.
History and origin
The mealy amazon parrot is native to south america and central america. Their range extends from the southern part of mexico to some parts of Bolivia and even Brazil. You can also find them in countries like Colombia and Peru.
These birds are found a home in the tropical rain forests and woodlands of these countries where that can be found.
You can mostly find them in large flocks that can be a collection of over 100 birds however meeting peugeot fly off in search of a tree cavity where they will nest come breeding season.
They do not have difficulty finding food as mealy amazon parrots are known to ravage people’s farmlands and become serious pests.
It is very common to see farmers making lots of noise and weaving off these birds whenever a flock flies past their farmland just to scare them away from their crops.
Size
The mealy amazon parrots are one of the largest birds in the amazon parrot family. When measured in length, the mealy amazon parrots can measure up to 15 or 17 inches from beak to tail.
When fully grown this parrots can weigh as much as 1 to 2 pounds on average. However it is not rare to have some of them grow bigger than this size.
Average lifespan
When in captivity the amazon mealy parrots can live up to 60 or 70 years with a balanced diet and proper care. If you choose to adopt this parrot, have it at the back of your mind that it’s a lifetime commitment it isn’t one you want to take lightly.
Temperament
The Mealy Amazon parrots are known to be the most docile and gentle members of the Amazon parrot family. These birds are very affectionate when domesticated and they are quick to develop a strong bond with their owner.
This character can be traced to their natural instinct that causes them to monogamous pairing with a lifetime mate ( talk about faithfulness in a relationship ).
These parrots love to engage in interactions with their human family. Many owners have claimed that their Amazon parrots may simply wander around the house in search of a human to give it some much needed attention.
When they find a human in the house who looks interested in playing with them, they simply wait patiently to be played with or picked from the ground.
Mealy Amazons are non aggressive which is very unique considering the fact that other Amazon parrots are aggressive.
In fact they are sometimes called the “non-nippy Amazons” because they rarely bite or nip. They are also friendly to other birds.
In the aspect of vocalization, this big bird has quite a big voice and when it screams the sound of its voice can be heard from a very long distance.
However, it will not yell out unnecessarily like some other feistier parrot species.
The Amazon mealy parrots are wonderful talkers so get ready for plenty of chitchat and laughs as you listen to them repeat some phrases and using different inflections every single time.
Colours and markings on the Amazon mealy parrot
Amazon mealy parrots are mostly green colored with a lighter shade of lime green towards their tail area and a darker shade of green towards their upper body.
It is easy to differentiate them from other parrots because they posses a grey-green pattern that lines their neck down to their back. These parrots look like they feel into a bag of flour which is why they are called “mealy” parrots.
The reason these birds are also called blue crowned parrots is because they have a tiny patch build feather on their head of crown.
Some Amazon mealy parrots may have a purple patch rather than blue and some others may have a yellow patch as well on their foreheads.
You can also find some burst of blue and red on the edges of some of their feathers and their legs are a beautiful flesh colour.
Their break comes in a range of colours from yellow to horn coloured and even dark grey. Their eyes are circled with a white ring that is completely free of feathers.
Caring for the Amazon mealy parrot
Amazon mealy parrots can not leave a live void of social interaction because it is almost all that need to live happy and healthy lives.
When an Amazon mealy parrot is neglected, it becomes frustrated and begins to exhibit destructive behaviors and even fall into depression.
When depression sets in due to neglect you may notice characters like feather plucking, emotional and physical problems, as well as biting.
It is vital that the owner of an Amazon mealy parrot must set out a specific time daily when he or she will engage in a face to face interaction with their pet.
The reason for this important daily interaction between pet and owner is not only to help keep the bigger tame but also to help create and maintain a healthy bond between the both of them.
What this bird basically wants is to be close to its owner and if possible, sit on its owner’s shoulder so that it takes part in whatever happens around.
Even though hand feed mealy parrots usually turn out to be easy to train and very affectionate, many of them go through a certain stage during adolescence where the hormones kick in and they start to act naughty. This stage will certainly pass but some owners can’t deal with the aggressive tendencies that come with it.
This phase may last as long as two years so Amazon mealy parrot are usually recommended for only experienced bird owners for this reason.
What is most important is an owner’s ability to study the bird’s personality and also put in effort to form a strong bond with it.
You would eventually discover that the Amazon mealy parrot can be a well behaved pet with good training.
As long as you are fully committed to providing the needs of this bird and you are financially ready to cater for the expenses that comes with owning that size of parrot.
If you feel like you can care for a mealy parrot, try to contact some local breeders and fix an appointment to meet their birds.
When you observe how these parrots behave at the breeder’s then you can easily decide if they suit your lifestyle and if you can deal with their level of activity.
Feeding the Amazon mealy parrot
Just like most other Amazon parrots, the mealy parrot will do best when feed with a diet of high quality pellets.
Nevertheless endeavor to supplement the diet with seed mix and some nice daily servings of fruits since veggies that are bird friendly.
Your bird’s daily diet should comprise of only fresh foods so as to keep it well nourished.
Exercise needs of an Amazon mealy parrot
Amazon mealy parrots are easy weight gainers and they can put on excess weight without a warning.
For this reason, it is important that you give them plenty of room to exercise daily. Giving your mealy parrot at least three to four hours outside its cage daily is enough to help it burn some energy and stretch out it’s muscles while getting enough mental stimulation.
When it comes to getting a cage for a big bird, the bigger the cage the better. When a cage has enough space you can easily introduce things like a perch, and other toys that can help keep your pet busy and prevent boredom.
It is also important to rotate your mealy’s toys so that it stays interested in playing and doesn’t look for something else to nibble on.
Amazon mealy parrots may not be bitters but they are definitely chewers so if you do not provide this they can chew on they just might find your furniture chew friendly and dig into it at the slightest chance.
