Amazon Colony Notes    Colony Full 

                                                                             

 

 

The Amazon Colony is an unexpected success.  Admittedly, we are not experts in Amazon behavior nor, strive to be.  When a number of Amazon’s pairs became available, we consulted the experts. The unanimous opinion was, that Amazon pairs, would not tolerate other Amazon’s in a colony. To expect fights and injuries as, the males defended their mates.

 

 

That limited the housing options. Looking for a solution, we decided to build a full sized colony for the exercise area, with pair “condo’s,” off the back.  This style was also used for the Mini Macaw’s and the Killer Cockatoo’s. It was planned that the pairs would, alternate the use of the full sized colony for exercise. Every three days we planned to open the condo door and allow one pair out until the next day, when it was the others turn. The day that the Amazon’s were introduced to their new habitat, we decided to briefly, let them all loose to see what would happen. Fully expecting the worse. Net ready, we let them loose……...and nothing. They walked around investigated the colony and ignored each other. Each condo had it’s own feeding station, eventually we combined the food and water onto one platform like the Cockatoos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The original pairs have remained together over the years and they stay together most of the day. Several still sleep in their condo’s at night, we leave the doors open.

 

Since starting the Amazon Colony in 2001, we have added several new birds over the years. New birds, male or female were accepted, reluctantly, but without incident. Until the 9th bird. Eventually, after a rigorous hazing she was accepted. We thought  it may have been caused by a clash of personalities, or species. Then the 10th bird, a domestic, came several months later. All of the residents seemed cranky with the new bird, even though he had a passive personality. By that time, we had realized that, the colony was most likely, at capacity.

 

I think that the Amazon’s need more elbow space, between each other than the other species we house.