Superfamily Psittacoidea Subfamily Arinae | ||
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Similar Parrot, Amazon parrot, Bird, Red‑crowned amazon, Yellow‑crowned amazon | ||
The lilac-crowned amazon (Amazona finschi) is a parrot endemic to the Pacific slopes of Mexico. Also known as Finsch's amazon, the parrot is characterized by green plumage, a maroon forehead, and violet-blue crown. Their coloring resembles that of the red-crowned amazon Amazona viridigenalis, though the lilac-crowned amazon is less vibrant.
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The binomial of this bird commemorates the German naturalist and explorer Otto Finsch.
In 2006, BirdLife International classified this species as vulnerable. In 2014, IUCN uplisted this species to Endangered.
Description
The lilac-crowned amazon is a medium sized mainly green parrot. It has a maroon forehead, a violet-blue crown, and a bone colored beak. It resembles the red-crowned amazon (Amazona viridigenalis) though the lilac-crowned amazon is less vibrant.
Feral populations
There are feral populations of this bird in several counties in southern California. It has been observed in residential and suburban areas, but also in native coniferous forest in the San Gabriel Mountains, California, United States. Some have also been spotted in southern Texas, likely to be escapees.
Aviculture
Hand reared lilac-crowned amazons can be quite friendly in captivity and can learn quite a vocabulary, even though they are not known as talkers. They make good companion parrots.
