The double yellow-headed Amazon parrot, or yellow-headed parrot, is among the most popular companion Amazons, probably due to its striking coloring and its ability to amass a substantial vocabulary. These birds are especially talented in learning opera and other types of singing, making them charming companions. They have been known in captivity since the 1500s, kept by people ranging from pirates to nobility, and are documented as having a more solid temperament than the similarly gifted yellow-naped Amazon.
These 14 to 16 inch active birds are recognizable by the generous amount of yellow over the head, with flecks of yellow extending to the back and neck and yellow feathers on the legs. The shoulders are red and the rest of the body is deep green. The ring around the eye is white and the beak is horn colored. Immature birds are primarily green with a little yellow above the beak and slight red markings on the shoulders. They come into full color at the onset of maturity, at about 3 to 5 years of age.
