Fun Lilac-crowned Amazon Facts For Kids

The lilac-crowned Amazon (Amazona finschi) is a species of parrots found in Mexico. These birds are endemic to Mexico only.

These parrots are also known as the Finsch's Amazon. These parrots are an endangered species and are often taken from their wildlife habitats and sold off in the pet trade.

The lilac-crowned amazon, as the name suggests, has a lilac crown which helps in differentiating them from other Amazon parrots as most of them can be often confused with one another.

As pets, these parrots are generally docile and easy to take care of, unlike other Amazon parrots. Their gentle mannerism and friendly nature make them great pets for bird lovers.

These parrots are low on maintenance too, as they will eat most food that is provided to them. Another great fact about keeping them as pets is their long lifespan of more than 60+ years, meaning they can in some cases outlive their owners!

If you like to read about macaws and parrots, do check out blue-headed parrot and turquoise parrot.
 

Lilac-Crowned Amazon Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a lilac-crowned amazon?

The lilac-crowned amazon (Amazona finschi), also known as Finsch's amazon is a parrot species endemic to Mexico. Their scientific name Amazona Finschi was given to them to commemorate German naturalist Friedrich Hermann Otto Finsch.

The lilac-crowned amazon belongs to the Amazona genus which comprises medium-sized species of parrots that are native to South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean islands, which make up the New World.

What class of animal does a lilac-crowned amazon belong to?

The troupial belongs to the Aves class of animals. The Aves class consists solely of birds and belongs to the family of Ardeidae.

How many lilac-crowned amazons are there in the world?

The lilac-crowned amazon parrot is currently an endangered bird due to a steady decline in its population. An estimated 10,000 individuals can be found in the wild.

This population decline is caused by the illegal capture of this parrot for the pet trade as they are popularly kept in captivity as pets due to their colorful and bright yellow and green plumage and friendly behavior. Lilac-crowned amazons are also endangered due to habitat loss because of human interference like deforestation of their native natural forests habitats.

A small flock of feral lilac-crowned amazon parrots can be found living in California.

Where does a lilac-crowned amazon live?

The lilac-crowned amazon parrot is endemic to the Pacific slopes of Mexico, unlike the famous scarlet macaw, and is mostly found in these areas. In the wild, lilac crowns are found in deciduous and semi-deciduous forests on the coastal plains as well as in pine-oak forests.

Regionally, the habitat range of this parrot species ranges from southern Sonora to south-western Chihuahua to Oaxaca. These species have, however, been stamped out of Oaxaca and some parts of Michoacán, Colima, Durango, Nayarit, and Jalisco.

Even with the weeding out process, they are most abundant in Sinaloa, Jalisco, and Michoacán.

An estimated 7000-10000 individuals have survived the pet trade as most of the Amazon parrots have been caught and sold off as pets. The population decline is estimated to become even more severe as locals destroy their wild habitat and sell them off.

What is a lilac-crowned amazon's habitat?

The optimal breeding habitats of the lilac-crowned amazon parrot are usually deciduous and semi-deciduous forests along humid valleys as they have a great food source during the dry season. In the woodland regions, this parrot has a better population as there is less human interaction.

The conserved semi-deciduous woodlands play an integral part in the species' life history, diet, and movement.

Who does a lilac-crowned amazon live with?

The lilac-crowned amazon parrots are social birds and in the wild, these parrots live in small flocks which can contain up to 100 individuals. This flock is usually made up of adults and their young ones.

As pets, amazon parrots have a better chance of bonding with their owners compared to other parrots or other species of birds. They have a friendly personality and a great nature which makes these birds a delight to keep!

How long does a lilac-crowned amazon live?

The lilac-crowned amazon parrots are one of the members of the bird family that have a long lifespan. These birds can live up to 50-60 years in their natural wildlife habitats.

As caged birds in captivity, the lifespan of the amazon parrots can be extended more than 60 years in some cases, provided good care and a properly balanced diet.

How do they reproduce?

In the wild, the breeding season of the lilac-crowned amazon parrots starts in the month of February and ends in the month of June. During this period the interaction among these parrots is at a high as they portray their own mating behavior.

After the male and the female have mated, the female will lay one to four eggs which is the average clutch size of these birds. The eggs are then incubated by the female for 28 days. However, in these birds, the survival chance of the young is low which is a result of climate variability in their range.

Unfortunately, amazon parrots are a tough species to breed which causes breeders a lot of problems, making their breeding in captivity a struggle because of their unpredictable behavior.

What is their conservation status?

Currently, the lilac-crowned amazon parrots are listed as an Endangered species on the IUCN Red List. Due to these birds' beautiful plumage and friendly nature, they are seen as great pets because of which they are often taken from their natural habitats and sold in the pet trade.

These beautiful birds have seen a steep decline in their population because of this and have been stamped out of their natural range of habitats.

Lilac-Crowned Amazon Fun Facts

What does lilac-crowned amazon look like?

Lilac-crowned amazon parrots have a brilliant green plumage with a red forehead which transitions to a lilac-colored patch on heads and necks. The flight feathers have a hint of blue and red and they have a bluish foot.

The red forehead sometimes shows a maroon shade with the violet-blue crow that extends down the back of the neck. They have bright green cheeks and a red speculum in the wing.  

The lilac-crowned amazon species resembles the red-crowned amazon species with a less vibrant crown which has a shade of purple-lilac instead of the bright red, with a long tail and brighter tail feathers.

How cute are they?

Lilac-crowned amazons are amazingly cute because of their bright-colored feathers and friendly human interactions! These species have amazing personalities towards their owners and can be great fun-loving pets! However, they are not as colorful as military macaws.

How do they communicate?

Lilac crowns are not much of a talkative bird but they can learn large vocabularies of phrases and words if they are repeated enough times in front of them! The more your parrot spends time with you, the more they'll learn! They have a natural 'kree-kree' sound that can be heard in the wild, but not much in captivity.  

How big is a lilac-crowned amazon?

Lilac-crowned amazons are on the smaller side of the Amazon parrots. An adult will grow a maximum of 12-13.5 in (30.4-34.2 cm) with a wingspan of 7.5-8.4 in (19.3-21.5 cm). In comparison, the red-crowned amazon, the closest relative of the lilac-crowned amazon is a bit smaller as an adult red crown grows between 11-13 in (27.9-33 cm).

How fast can a lilac-crowned amazon fly?

Due to a lack of data, the speed at which these parrots fly cannot be stated.

How much does a lilac-crowned amazon weigh?

These small parrots weigh a maximum of 10.5 oz (300 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Much like all other parrots species, the male lilac crowns are called cocks, and the female lilac crowns are called hens.

What would you call a baby lilac-crowned amazon?

A baby parrot is called a chick. Juveniles resemble adults but have a few differences that help them stand out. One of the differences found in the young ones is the dark brown iris compared to the amber iris of the adults.

What do they eat?

Lilac-crowned amazons in their natural habitats have a diet that mainly comprises flowers, fresh leaves, grain, fruits, and various types of seed. fresh

In captivity, they should be fed high-quality food like a nutritional seed mix and a fresh serving of fruits and vegetables.

Are they dangerous?

No, they are not. Lilac-crowned amazons are a fairly docile species and have a friendly personality and pose no harm or threat to humans or other birds.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes! Lilac-crowned amazons are amazing pets.

This bird will cost you an average of $1800 USD. Finsch's amazon can bond with their owners well compared to other amazons and are more affectionate as well. A fun-loving personality, with a sweet nature and a stunning look because of their vibrant green feathers and violet-blue forehead and crown makes them a visual treat!

Provide your lilac-crowned amazons with good care, a proper pelleted diet with lots of fruits, seed mix, seeds, and fruits and vegetables to extend their lifespan and give them a good life with lots of friendly interaction! However, do make sure that you're feeding them a balanced diet as over-feeding might cause health issues.

Did you know...

Another amazon parrot, the double yellow-headed amazon is cheaper than the Finsch's amazon and costs around $600-1500 USD.

There are several collective nouns for parrots. A group of parrots can be called a 'company', 'prattle' or a 'pandemonium'.

These birds are prone to obesity so make sure not to overfeed them with seeds and vegetables.

Finsch's amazon is smaller in comparison to the other Amazon species like the yellow-crowned Amazon and the double yellow-headed amazon.

Which country is the lilac-crowned parrot (Amazona finschi) indigenous to?

Lilac-crowned amazons are endemic to Mexico. They are found in 11-100 different locations all across the Mexican regions and are mostly plucked from these habitats by traders and sold in the pet trade.

How can you tell the difference between a male and female Amazon parrot?

It can be tough to tell the difference between a male and a female amazon parrot as the genitals of these birds are not visible as they are internal. In most cases, the one way to tell the difference between males and females is usually done by DNA testing.

In case you have got your Finsch's amazon from a bird aviary, chances are they will provide you with a certification that can help you in knowing the sex.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these oriental pied hornbill facts and oriental dwarf kingfisher facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable lilac crowned amazon coloring pages.