Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala)

Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala)
(aka Yellow-crowned Amazon, Yellow-fronted Parrot)

Yellow-crowned Parrot, Brazil, Sept 2000 - click for larger image

Rio Cristalino, Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil
September 2000

I have had a problem identifying this parrot but after a bit of investigation and a lot of expert help can now say that it is a Yellow-crowned Parrot.

I had quickly assumed that it was a Mealy Parrot (Amazona farinosa) and made the mistake of not having a closer look. Unfortunately, my photos do not show some of the more important identification features.

I was fortunate that both Jeremy Minns and Nolan Zeide were with me at the time. Jeremy made a recording of the parrot and Nolan later questioned the identification. This led us along several paths and finally to Bret Whitney who commented:
"Your parrot is Amazona ochrocephala (recording is 100% diagnostic, although photo alone would be difficult to judge) As far as I know, there are no confirmed records of A. farinosa (Mealy Parrot) from the lower Cristalino (upper Cristalino being essentially unknown). However, ochrocephala and kawalli are fairly common there."

There are illustrations in Hilty & Brown, Plate 11 and in HBW, Volume 4, Page 472

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