The yellow-naped amazon parrot (also known as the golden-naped amazon) is a strikingly beautiful and intelligent bird widely considered a subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon parrot. It is predominantly native to forests, woodlands, and tropical zones in Pacific coast regions from southern Mexico to northern Costa Rica. Unfortunately, these parrots are also currently endangered, largely by deforestation and the illegal pet trade. Here’s what you need to know about the lives of yellow-naped amazons and how they function in their ecosystem.

The Life Cycle and Habits of Yellow-Naped Amazons

These vibrant birds can live to be about 20-30 years old in the wild. They are monogamous and choose a life partner when they reach maturity at 2 years of age. Females make nests in tree cavities as high as 30 meters off the ground, and males guard their nests from outside. Males also feed the nesting females, but never enter the nest itself. Breeding pairs are territorial, so although these parrots live in large groups, it’s important for them to establish, defend, and keep their own area.

Yellow-naped amazons are highly social birds, which means it’s important for their numbers in the wild to remain significant enough to support their preference to live in large groups. This is just one reason to protect them as an endangered species; they also contribute to keeping their ecosystems healthy.

The Yellow-Naped Amazons’ Dispersal Duty

As herbivores, yellow-naped amazons eat fruits, seeds, berries, nuts, blossoms, and leaf buds. For this reason, and because they fly for long distances, these parrots are able to help significantly with seed dispersal. They generally leave seeds intact after eating the fleshy part of fruits and drop these wherever they perch to eat. This helps palms and a wide variety of other trees regenerate. Trees in turn help to feed and house other species as well as convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, all of which is crucial for amazon ecosystems as a whole.

Help Save Yellow-Naped Amazon Parrots with Paso Pacífico

An excellent way to help save endangered species like yellow-naped amazon parrots is to support conservation organizations. Paso Pacífico is accomplishing important steps in protecting these beautiful and intelligent birds.

At Paso Pacífico, our mission is to create wildlife corridors that safeguard biodiversity while connecting people to their land and ocean. Our goal is to restore and conserve Mesoamerica’s Pacific Slope ecosystems. The threatened mangrove wetlands, dry tropical forests, and eastern Pacific coral reefs are among these ecosystems. All conservation programs at Paso Pacífico benefit directly from your donations. These include education programs that teach children the principles of biology, ecology, and environmental citizenship. Contact us today!