English 18

Parrots

Amazon parrots, as you would expect are¹ native to the New World. Indeed², Christopher Columbus himself apparently gave the name “Amazon” to the green, short winged parrots that he brought back to Europe. There are 27 species of Amazon parrot. Some of these are found in numbers so high and³ tropical farmers will sadly shoot them as pests, while others are on the brink of extinction.

Amazon parrots are very good at talking and to imitate⁴ sounds, talents rivaled only by the African Grey Parrot. There was much debate whether parrots actually were communicating or simply mimicking their owners⁵, research has distinct⁶ shown they are very intelligent and can speak in context: one test subject, Alex, can, for starters,⁷ name about 40 objects, identify seven different colors, and will say⁸ whether two objects are the same or different. Studies put the intelligence of these feathered chatterboxes on the same level as: three-year old⁹ humans, dolphins and monkeys.

Owning an Amazon is very similar to owning a dog with wings. Amazons are very energetic, playful, social creatures with their owners that crave lots of interaction¹⁰. Sometimes, however, an Amazon will temporarily become possessive of a toy, or a person, and may become quite aggressive toward anyone whom tries¹¹ to interfere. Careless owners have had fingers or ears bitten! Amazon parrots are definitely not for all pet owners – they need¹² much more love and attention than would be expected by most people¹³.

With lots of care and an occasional trip to the vet, an Amazon parrot will be a beautiful and entertaining companion animal for many, many years. [14] If you’re truly ready for a serious long-term commitment and a slightly offbeat adventure in pet ownership, consider the personable, playful Amazon parrot. [15]