Red-crowned Amazon
Amazona viridigenalis
Conservation Status
EndangeredAves · Psittaciformes · Psittacidae
About
The red-crowned amazon, also known as the red-crowned parrot, green-cheeked amazon or Mexican red-headed parrot, is an endangered amazon parrot native to northeastern Mexico and possibly southern Texas in the United States. A 1994 study estimated wild populations of between 2,000 and 4,300 mature individuals; the IUCN Red List considers it a globally endangered species with a decreasing population. The main threats to the native bird's survival are the illegal export of trapped birds from Mexico to the United States for the pet trade and the destruction of their natural habitat, the lowland forests of northeastern Mexico.
Fun Fact
Red-crowned Amazons are critically endangered in their native Mexico but thrive in large feral populations across Texas and California, creating a conservation paradox.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Native to Texas in the Rio Grande Valley.
Diet
Diet consists of seeds, fruits, flowers and nectar.
Lifespan
70 years (captivity)
Threats
- Wild Capture for Pet Trade
- Deforestation of Tamaulipan Lowlands
- Feral Populations Clouding Conservation Focus