Dear Parrots magazine,
Don’t write them off!
I am very pleased Champa has found a forever home at Feathers Together (Parrots magazine October 22 (297). I would however like to make an important point. I quote: “Champa the Yellow Crowned Amazon came to Feathers Together back in May 2021 at the grand old age of 19.”
Nineteen years for the average Amazon is not old, in fact this Yellow Crown (A.ochrocephala ochrocephala) is in it’s prime. I have kept and parent-reared this species. I was the stud book keeper for this species when the Amazon Society UK was first established, so I know the species well.
I have written in the past about the late Berna Perry, who herself lived well into her 80’s kept parrots from a child. She had the same parrots for their entire lives and proved Amazons can breed well into their 40’s, because she did it. It proved a point and bearing in mind some of her parrots were imported, some could have been older.
The reason Amazons die prematurely is due to stress, poor diet, lack of exercise and lack of TLC etc., I do not believe in wing clipping, as I believe all parrots need flight to keep healthy and live out their natural life spans.
In the past I have taken in Amazons in their 40’s and 50’s so I know they will live into their 60’s. My own pair of Amazons are 27 years of age and in their prime. It is such a misconception to believe Amazons, African Greys and the larger parrots are old at late teens early 20’s. Nothing could be further from the truth, if they are correctly fed and cared for and their needs met.
Pam Fryer, by email