Red-Crowned Parrot

Amazona viridigenalis

The pet trade and habitat losses threaten Red-Crowned Parrot populations. Thier natural range is northeastern Mexico and the southern tip of Texas. But released and escaped pets have established colonies in southern California, south Florida and Oahu (Hawaii). The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 failed to mention this species. So the regulatory laws of states and local governments provide their only legal protections.

Today’s science does not recognise any subspecies of Red-Crowned Parrot (i.e. they are monotypic).

The Lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas is the only location in the USA where these birds occur naturally. I enjoyed meeting a group of these parrots in my RV camp while staying in Brownsville in the spring of 2020. Nearby my campsite grew a cumquat tree. Once these birds discovered the ripened fruit, it took only three days to strip the tree. It was my good fortune to witness their feasting.

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