Psittacus ochropterus, Gml.

Single Yellow-headed Amazon (Ger., Kleiner Gelbkopf oder Sonnenpapagei, Gelbflugeliger Kurzflugeligpapagei, Gelb-fiilgeliger Amazonenpapagei, Gelbflugelamazone; Fr., Per-roquet Amazone a epaulettes jaunes, Perroquet Amazone ochroptere; Dut., Kleene Geelkop Papegaai) - Power of Mimicry - Physical Characteristics.

The little Yellow-shouldered Amazon is, by many of the friends of the feathered speakers, esteemed a great favourite, though considered as among the commonest parrots in the trade; while by others it is regarded, like all the smaller Amazons indeed, with actual contempt. This arises, probably, from the fact that the individual birds of this species display such an astonishing difference in their capacity for speech. Descriptions have been given by credible connoisseurs, according to which there are some extraordinarily-gifted Yellow-shouldered Amazons, which are particularly valuable, because they become uncommonly tame, are very amusing in their ways, and can imitate faithfully the voices of all sorts of animals, such as cock-crowing, cackling of hens, cooing of doves, mewing of cats, barking of dogs, etc.; on the other hand, we find many Yellow-heads which are certainly very lovable, but which cannot be taught anything. One advantage is possessed by all of them - they belong to the most easily and perfectly tamable of all cage birds.

The Yellow-shouldered Amazon may be distinguished according to sex. The male is pale-yellow on the forehead and lores; the front and top of the head, cheeks, sides of the head, round the ear, and the upper part of the throat, yellow; the shoulders are marked with a large yellow spot; the central spot on the wings scarlet; the four outer tail feathers, with about a third from the base of both webs, vermilion; all the rest of the upper body dark grass-green, each feather has a black edge, only the upper covert of the tail is of a uniform yellow-green; the lower part is of a scarcely perceptible lighter green, each feather having here also a dark edge; about the leg the colour is yellow; the beak is horn-white, inclining to bluish-grey; the cere greyish-white; the eyes dark-brown, yellowish-brown, or inclining to reddish-yellow, with a red circle outside the iris; the eye cere white; feet and claws whitish horn-grey. The female is universally duller in colour, and round the lower beak, and more or less on the cheeks, breast, and belly, of a cerulean blue. The plumage of the young birds has also a cerulean tinge, and this sometimes extends over the sides of the head and the throat. In many old birds the green feathers on the head, cheek, throat, neck, and shoulder are more or less yellow, or mixed with orange colour. Size, about that of a jackdaw (length 12 1/2in. to 13 1/4in.; wings, Tin. to 8in.; tail, 3 3/4 in. to 4 1/2in.).

It has been well described by old writers, Brisson amongst others, and Buffon gives a pleasing description of its cage-life; but many errors prevail respecting it. The little Yellow-headed Amazon may be distinguished from all its fellows by its lesser size, the dark edge on the feathers of upper and lower body, and by the broad yellow shoulder.