DYHA - Red Nape Feathers?

[FoxersArtist]

Tonight I went to do a behavioral consult with a new client and he had a DYHA, male, over 20 years old. The yellow on his head was rich and full and he looked to be a little older than 20's to me. But what was really odd about him was that he had little flecks of red feathers scattered about the nape of his neck. It was stunning but of course there is always the worry that miscolored feathers are a sign of illness. I read somewhere that male double yellow headed amazons can sometimes have flecks of red on their nape and this is typically indicative of sex, but I have never before seen such a thing. Anyone else have a DYHA with red nape feathers? I want to find out for sure if this fellow should be concerned and have his bird seen by a vet regarding the coloring or if it is just a rare oddity that makes him that much more unique. Wish I had a picture but I don't. There were a large number of stray red feathers, but they were scattered enough not to form larger patches of red. Nearly each red feather was surrounded by yellow ones. But there were a ton of reds too. Thanks!
-Anna

[FoxersArtist]

I think I have answered my own question! It's a "Tres Maria" or "Greater-yellow headed amazon." The males have red on the nape.

Google Image Result for http://www.2giraffes.com/magnaamazon.jpg
-Anna

[expressmailtome]

Even if you did answer your own question I am sure that like me a lot of people will have learned something new from this thread!

Matt

[FoxersArtist]

Whoops...I stand corrected again....The bird I saw was specifically a "Tres Maria" which is not also called "Greater-Yellow Headed." Those are a seperate sup species. Still learning here...
-Anna

[Lisa B]

These are my notes from a lecture some time ago.............

There are 3 subspecies of the double yellow headed Amazon. One is the most common the A ochrocephala oratrix, this species is what you find most times when offered double yellow heads, with little or no yellow and red in bend of the wings and when young just the forehead and crown is yellow, with the entire head being covered in few years. This Double Yellow Head is from Mexico mostly central to northern areas.
The Magna subspecies, being the most colorful with the head being almost covered even when very young. As they age, the Yellow will grow down their chest, along with the Yellow on the legs expanding to the belly. The magna is from the eastern area of Mexico ranging even into the slopes on the eastern coast of Mexico.
The last is the more rare Tres Marie subspecies of the double yellow head. The Tres Marie is known for the lack of barring on the breast, with varying degrees of a blue cast to breast feathers. They originate from the Tres Marie Island in the pacific off the coast of Mexico.

Though all three subspecies are from the same general area, Harvard biologist Mike Schindlinger studied and noted that all three subspecies “speak” their own language. He was a very interesting speaker with his movies and tapes that he shared once he came home.

[FoxersArtist]

Thanks a bunch for sharing those notes. I always get really excited to learn something new about parrots. I am glad I ran into this fellow with the Tres Maria (I was wondering why his chest looked so bluish and was sure he must be OLD with his totally yellow head). Now I know their differences. :)
-Anna

[larrylow]

Query:- My YC has some red feathers on its crown too. Is this normal?

[Monica]

Lexicon of Parrots

5. Amazona o. auropalliata

Yellow-naped Amazon

Description: as ochrocephala, but forehead, crown and thighs green, a few birds with narrow yellow frontal band; band to nape variably yellow; bend to wing green, a few birds with scattered red feathers; bill dark grey; larger.

[larrylow]

Originally Posted by Monica

Lexicon of Parrots

5. Amazona o. auropalliata

Yellow-naped Amazon

Description: as ochrocephala, but forehead, crown and thighs green, a few birds with narrow yellow frontal band; band to nape variably yellow; bend to wing green, a few birds with scattered red feathers; bill dark grey; larger.

thanks but my Arnie is a definite YC its wing bends are red

[Monica]

For some reason I saw "YC" but thought "YN" The YN is a subspecies of the YC... as is the TM, YH, and GYH zons.... so it does not surprise me any if a YC has red feathering on the head area.... although I went back and looked over your pictures of your zon and cannot see any red feathering.... perhaps you could get a picture to show us?