Animal-World > Pet Birds > Amazon Parrots > Orange-winged Amazon

Orange-winged Amazon

Family: Psittacidae

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"Juvenile" Amazona amazonica Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   The Orange-winged Amazon is a very affectionate and popular pet with a fairly good talking ability!

   Known for being quite friendly, they are easy to tame and quite clever. They make a wonderful companion and will quickly form a strong bond with their owner, they can however be rather noisy.

   The Orange-winged Amazon is a robust and hardy bird that can do well indoors or outdoors. As is true with all Amazons, they are very social and enjoy the company of people as well as other birds.

For more information about the care of Amazon parrots see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Amazon Parrot.

Distribution:
   These birds are found in most of northern and central South America as well as the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. They inhabit damp woods, mangrove swamps, and forests.

Description:

The Orange-winged Amazon is green from head to tail, with the under parts a bit lighter green, the feathers on the back of the neck and upper back being edged with a dusky black, and there are hints of blues in the throat and on the crown. The tail is green tipped with a light yellowish-green, has some oranges on the underside, and some green barring on the top.

   They have a distinct yellow-orange on the crown, on the bend and speculum of the wings, and on the front of the cheeks. The rest of the cheek is a bright green and they often fluff their cheeks out, making them look like they have "mutton chop" sideburns. The beak is a horn color becoming gray at the tip, the eye is orange, and the legs are a pale gray.
   Juveniles are mostly green with few of the yellow-orange or blue feathers and their eyes are dark brown.

Size - Weight:
   Mature birds are about 12 1/2 inches (31 cm) long from the head to the tip of the tail.

Care and feeding:
   A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out for extended periods. Many birds can spend a good deal of their time on a play pen or parrot perch.
   In the wild these birds eat fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, blossoms and leaf buds, as well as foraging in corn fields. The Amazon's main diet should primarily be seeds, nuts, fruits, and green vegetables. A commercially prepared parrot mix or pelleted diet can also be beneficial.

   See About Amazon Parrots: Housing and About Amazon Parrots: Care and Feeding for more information.

Social Behaviors:
   Amazons enjoy human interaction as well as interaction with other birds. In the wild they are very social birds living in groups. They are seen in flocks, from small groups to groups of more than six hundred birds. They also form permanent pairs when they are sexually mature.

   See About Amazon Parrots: Social Behaviors for information on developing a well rounded Amazon.

Activities:
  Loves to climb and play. Provide lots of toys. Also needs room to stretch its wings although climbing seems to be its favorite activity.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   These amazons are commonly bred in captivity. At the onset of warm weather (April to early May) courtship will begin. The hen will then lay two to four eggs which incubate for about 28 days. The young will leave the nest at 8-10 weeks. As with many parrots, the male will eat for both himself and the female while she incubates the eggs and feeds the young. The male regurgitates the food for the female to eat. He gets a lot less picky about what he eats at these times!

   See About Amazon Parrots: Breeding/Reproduction for more information on breeding.

Potential Problems:
   These birds are hardy and healthy if provided with a good environment and a good diet. Amazons can be noisy first thing in the morning, and just before the sun sets. This is easy to control, they can often be quieted by just covering their cage for a short period of time.

   See About Amazon Parrots: Potential Problems for information on health.

Availability: Readily available.

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Latest Comments
I rescued a ow from a family that smoked really bad.. Nicky was over weight and could hardly get around without panting. I thought she was going to have a heart attack, when she flew a short distance she was out of breath and was panting really bad. I swear I could smell smoke on her breath. I have her on a diet and she has lost some of her weight and is able to get around her cage a lot better. She no longer pants and she seems to be happy just to breath fresh air. We have a conure but don't trust them together. I believe she enjoys the company. Nicky still doesn't like to be held but she does let us scratch her head. I just wish people wouldn't get birds without studying up on them first and if they didn't have time to spend with them don't bring them home, they deserve better. Karen Beard 2009-04-08
I received a displaced OW Amazon when his owners had to move out of the country. He had been raised beautifully and is a happy boy. It took about 3-4 weeks for him to feel comfortable in the new environment, but once he was he just jumped in. The most interesting thing about him is that he has a specific scent that doesn't seem to be connected to anything outside or in his environment. He smells like flowers, and if he gets excited the smell gets stronger. I haven't found any reason for it, but it sure is nice, the dogs should learn something from him. The sounds and words he knows are many and varied, its been 5 months and he still comes up with new phrases and sounds every week and he has me laughing at something he does at least once a day. CJB 2008-12-05
I got my OW from a breeder when he was 3 weeks old. He is now 2 months old. He is really active and affectionate! I have fun making him different things every day. Its great to watch what he really loves and what he doesn't. One of his favorite things I make for him is whole wheat waffles with tons of fruits, vegetables, and seeds in them. I say hi to him so much I think that will be his first word! He hasn't started "screaming" yet..... KiKi 2008-08-15
I am the proud owner of a rescued Orange Wing Amazon. Her name is Thunder, she is now 17 years old. I have had her for almost 3 years now. I rescued her from a woman who rescued her from someones lanai. She had spent 10 years out there with no one to talk to or to even listen too. She could not speak, the only noises she did make were loud screaming, and barking like an alligator. My mom and dad originally rescued her and she had been at their house about 3 days when I first met her. She hadn't eaten and hadn't peeped a peep. I walked in and said hello and she started yelling and making all kinds of noise. I walked up to her cage and asked her to step up and up she came. She crawled up to my shoulder where she perched for over an hour nestled up to my neck. I tell everyone that I didn't believe in love at first sight until I met Thunder, and it was truly love at first sight. I will never own another breed without at least having my Thunder first... I recently acquired a male and was wondering if I could get some advice. It seems that the two of them are bonded, I need to know what their typical behavior is when it comes to breeding, both before and after.. Thank you my email is yourlady1921@yahoo.com Niki Cook 2008-06-15
My friend brought me a orange winged amazon 5 days ago, she 10 months old! She's beautiful, I named her harriet aka mad harry! The only thing that concerns me is she will let me scratch her head through the cage but won't let me go near her inside the cage, will this change? I've never had a parrot, I'm trying not to take things to fast for her. Also she can say hello but only ocassionally unless there's a man in the house, she goes mad giggling saying hello really trying to get their attention! Will she have this bond with me eventually? thanks guys! Send me an email if you can help. zarzee@hotmail.co.uk zara robinson 2008-03-27
Some of the coolest comments:
My OWA did not turn out to be a good situation. The seller said he was tame and talking, but turned out he was NOT tame OR talking, a biter, and had a serious screaming issue. I had him for a year and did try hard to make him pet quality but he never really came around, and everyone in my home had enough of his brainshaking screams. I was forced to rehome him and he is now in a breeding program and is doing fine. I encourage potential buyers to have a lengthy visit with the bird they plan to purchase, and if you can't handle it, find another! Keep in mind there is no rush in getting a bird, and they live as long as hummans so the right selection is very important. Bobbi 2008-09-25
I have owned several parrots over the past 20 years, and after the death of my precious Cockatoo several months ago I just didn't think I would ever be ready for another bird. I had a chance to get an OW that needed a home, although it was so much sooner than I had counted on. At first I was so overwhelmed by this energetic, laughing ball of green feathers that I didn't realize she was showing me how much she liked being in her new place (even under the watchful eyes of 2 cats). It took very little time to establish a small household routine that she seems to like, and a little adjustment with her food. I knew from a past parrot that Amazons can be moody, so she has certain toys that she can beat up on, and she will even chase me to get them out of my hand. I can also tell her happy and content times by her movements and sounds. She is always watching my expressions and words like she wants to talk, but only manages to 'squawk' out the sound. These pets are just like children, so you need to remember to monitor everything they are doing outside of that cage! Life is never dull with a Parrot. Angela Kate Brown 2007-11-03
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
Hi. I have had an amazon parrot now for about 6 months. He came from a home with no love, toys, etc! He used to be shut in a room all on his own. Now I have him taking food from me and I can stroke his head all the time. He is still scared of some of his toys I have bought him...LOL... But I feel that I'm getting there. He spends most of his day out of his cage. I wish he would be more sociable with others, but I guess that will come in time. ps. What a great site this is! Deb 2005-10-18

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Author: Clarice Brough, CAS.