The Double Yellow-headed 



Parrot (Amazona oratrix) 

 By Dwight D. Stone 



Length: 13 inches. 



The Double Yellow-headed Parrots inhabit Mexico. The forests of their 

 range abound in trees of many kinds bearing nuts and fruits, upon which they 

 feed. Not infrequently these Parrots will also visit corn fields, for they seem 

 to be very fond of the kernels of corn. In the fields they are frequently caught 

 by the owners and sold, but the adult Parrots caught in this manner rarely 

 become fully tame in captivity, and do not learn to talk well. This Parrot to 

 become a good mimic of the human voice and a good talker, must be raised 

 from the nest by the hand of its keeper. It is said that by the time it is able 

 to eat alone, and if it has been friendly with its keeper, it will have learned to 

 repeat some words and possibly a few sentences. These Parrots are hardy 

 birds and become easily acclimated in other places than their natural habitat. 

 They do not resort to water courses to any extent, for in their habitat the dews 

 are heavy and the leaves become saturated with water. These the Parrots suck 

 at their roosting places before they leave in search of food. In captivity, how- 

 ever, they should be furnished w^ith w^ater. In some places abroad, it has been 

 thought that these Parrots can live without water and it was not furnished to 

 the captives for a long time. It was soon demonstrated, however, that the birds 

 suffered, and unless they were given water, did not remain active and died 

 quite soon. 



It is said by the observers of these Parrots that they do not build a nest, 

 but that deep hollows in high tree trunks are selected by the females. At the 

 bottom of these hollows their two eggs are laid. The Parrots are wise birds, 

 and not only are their eggs laid in places where they are free from usual dan- 

 gers but the birds are also very careful not to betray the locations of their nests 

 by their actions. The forests frequented by these Parrots are also the homes 

 of many species of birds which are beautiful because of their richly colored 

 plumage. It is said that there are nearly thirty species of parrots which range 

 from Mexico southawrd through Central America, and also from the West 

 Indies southward to Bolivia and Paraguay. 



The Double Yellow-headed Parrot inhabits a wild and picturesque region 

 of swamps, jungles, and savannahs and is greatly admired by those who frequent 

 such localities. By many this species is considered one of the best of the talking 

 parrots found in the Americas. The parents, while feeding their young, utter 

 clucking sounds which are answered by the young birds. 



It seems strange that in spite of the abundance of this species of parrots 

 as well as the large number of individuals of many of the species, that so little 

 has been published regarding their \vild habits. It is said that the live birds of 

 the species we illustrate will net the hunters about twenty dollars each when 

 captured and sold. 



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