Amazons

The DYH is known for its wonderful speaking and singing abilities. They have very clear speaking voices, and can learn not only a tune, but the whole song. I know of several DYHs that sing “Happy Birthday”, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”, and “Old McDonald had a Farm”. In fact, when teaching these birds to speak, it is often easier to say the words in a sing – song manner. Since Amazons are so easily trained, many are used as performing birds. They can be taught simple tricks such as lying upside down in your hand, or more complex tricks such as riding a tiny bicycle or fetching a toy.

Amazons, in general, can live to be very old; 40 to 60 years in captivity. If they are handled daily by several people, they can be quite the social character. But if left alone, they can become cage dominant, which translates into crabby, biting birds who don’t want to come out of their cages. Some Amazons have been reported to be more aggressive during the nesting seasons due to their hormones.

Amazons LOVE water. They love to take showers, baths, and just play in water. Because of this, it is essential to have a water bottle in their cage so that they don’t dirty their drinking water during their play. My birds always want a bath as soon as they hear the vacuum – it must sound like their natural habitat – the rainforest.

Cage requirements: As with all parrots, once you have the space in mind, purchase the largest cage you can afford so that the bird will have ample room for toys, perches, swings ect. Minimum should be 24 x 36 x 36, inside cage dimensions.