Yellow-naped Amazon

Suchitepéquez Department, Guatemala The yellow-naped amazon or yellow-naped parrot (Amazona auropalliata) is a widespread amazon parrot sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon (Amazona ochrocephala). It inhabits the Pacific coast of southern Mexico and Central America. It has recently been reclassified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List due to a dramatic decline across the extent of its range. Yellow-naped amazons have lost more than 92% of their population over the last three generations.

The primary cause for their population decline are deforestation and illegal removal of young for the parrot trade. This parrot readily mimics sounds, and in captivity, this includes human speech, which is probably the reason it is popular in aviculture. Like all parrots, however, mimicking abilities vary greatly between individuals. Recent surveys of the Costa Rican population across an 11-year time span found a significant decline in their population. Despite this decline, the Costa Rican population is considered to be the stronghold for the species.