Description
Red-tailed Amazons weigh around 425 g (15 oz) and are approximately 35 cm (14 in) long. As expected from its common name, it has a broad red band on its tail, but as it largely is limited to the inner webs of the feathers, it is mainly visible from below or when the tail is spread open. Additionally, the tail has a broad yellow tip, and the outer rectrices are dark purplish-blue at the base. The remaining plumage is green, while the throat, cheeks and auriculars are purple-blue, the forecrown is red, and the retrices are broadly tipped dark blue. It has a yellowish bill with a blackish tip to the upper mandible, a pale grey eye ring, and orange irises. Juveniles have a duller plumage and a brown irises.
Habitat
The Red-tailed Amazon is associated with the Atlantic Forest system, and lives in forests, woodlands and mangroves near the coast. This species is almost entirely restricted to lowlands, typically occurring at altitudes below 200 meters (650 ft) above sea-level, though sometimes reaching altitudes up to 700 m (23000 ft) (BirdLife International).
Behavior
Red-tailed Amazons are usually found in pairs or flocks, which occasionally may number several hundred individuals in the non-breeding season. It primarily roosts and breeds on coastal islands, but most of the foraging takes place on the nearby mainland, where the birds forage mainly for fruits, but their diet also includes seeds, flowers, nectar, and, rarely, insects.
Breeding
The Red-tailed Amazon breeds in mangrove and coastal forests on islands. The breeding season lasts from September to February, where the parrots lay 3-4 eggs in a natural tree-cavities. The incubation period is 27 to 28 days, and the fledging period an additional 50 to 55 days. (ARKive).
