The Red Lored Amazon has a personality as beautiful as his face. This parrot might make a great addition to an Amazon lover's household.

When most people think of affectionate parrots they usually think of Cockatoos. The red-Lored Amazon is almost always described by their owners as, affectionate and cuddly. The affection and loyalty displayed by the Red-Lored Amazon is only one reason why they make such wonderful pets, another is their striking beauty. Their colorful faces have caused many to claim they are one of the most beautiful Amazons. Some owners also report they are good talkers. Others report only a couple words. As with any parrot breed, there are never any guarantees your pet will talk. In the wild, the Red-Lored Amazon is often characterized as shy and gentle. He is often seen hiding in the leaves of trees in the presence of any unknown disturbance. While generally described as sweet, the temperament of any Amazon can never be guaranteed. Some owners of Red-Loreds have experienced aggression from their Red-Lored, because of jealousy. This parrot is noted to be good at training, perhaps due to his intelligence. Like most other amazons, the Red Lored can be very loud. He will not make a good pet for those wanting a quiet pet. They are notably louder in the spring. There are several subspecies of Red-Lored; we will be discussing the nominate form (Amazona autumnalis autumnalis) here. Red Lored Amazons like to chew and they should be provided plenty of toys.

The Red-Lored Amazon is most noted for his red lores and yellow cheeks. The later explains why he is also commonly known as the 'Yellow Cheeked Amazon'. Like most Amazons, the Red Lored's plumage is mostly green, around his crown, and the green is edged in a beautiful lilac-blue. The Red-Lored is quite spectacular when he spreads his beautiful wings. The rainbow of colors include secondaries that turn a marvelous deep blue at the tips, and the first five feathers display red wing speculum. His tail is also quite pretty, in green with greenish yellow tips and outer web in blue. His beak is gray with a yellow horn color on the upper mandible. His legs are greenish gray. The Red-Lored is a medium sized Amazon, who at maturity averages 13.5 inches (34 cms) with a wingspan of 7.5 to 8.5 inches (195- 215 mm). The male and female Red-Loreds are difficult to distinguish; though some sources say that eye color is a good way to tell the difference. The males are reported to have golden irises, while mature females have brown irises. To accurately determine the sex of your Red-Lored you should have him or her sexed by your veterinarian.

Unfortunately, the Red-Lored Amazon is on the endangered species list (Number II) for natural occurrence in its native origins, which include Central American and Mexico. For this reason, captive breeding is greatly encouraged and it is not legal to take these parrots from the wild. For this reason, one should NEVER ever buy an imported Red-Lored Amazon.

Like all parrots, the Red-Lored Amazon requires lots of attention. They are intelligent animals and will become bored and unhappy if left alone too long. Plenty of toys and a spacious cage are also a must. As with any parrot, a well-balanced and healthy diet is the best way to keep your parrot feeling his best; also follow with regular veterinary checkups.

Red Lored are NOISY. If you do not want noise in your household, you should choose another pet.

The Red Lored Amazon reaches sexual maturity at approximately three to four years of age. They form monogamous pairings during mating season and will generally produce two to eight offspring. The incubation period ranges from 18-30 days. After hatching, the young remain in the nest for one month. They may raise more than one brood a year.