SCALY-NAPED AMAZON
Amazona mercenaria

by Sally Blanchard

» Also called Mercenary Amazon
» 14” (35.5 cm)
» Two sub-species (A.m.mercenaria, A.m.canipalliata)
» From northwest Venezuela, Colombia, Peru
» Uncommon in captivity. Very rare as a human companion.
» Wild population: declining


I met a woman who insisted she had a companion Scaly-naped and showed me several photographs. It was difficult to know for sure because I have never seen one of these birds, but it didn't really have the coloration of any of the yellow-napes I have met.

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