Yellowhead Amazon molting question

[DClark]

Hi ,
I recently purchased a DYH from a breeder (Loki). He is around 7 months old and has recently started to lose a decent amount of feathers over the last 2 weeks. He is on a pellet diet and gets daily fruits , veggies , ect. Just noticing a little bit of patchy-ness and wanted to make sure it's normal. He is definitely molting and is getting alot of pin feathers. I haven't noticed any picking or anything , just want to make sure the patches of grey are normal. Thank you ! .

 

[Emma&pico]

He’s gorgeous my baby gcc is moulting and had similar on his chest and head
But hopefully someone can help you better

@Clueless

 

[expressmailtome]

Are you sure that that is a yellow headed amazon, and not a yellow crowned amazon?

 

[Lo_]

Looks like patches of down feather to me, showing through the places he’s molting. Nothing I would be concerned with

 

[DClark]

Are you sure that that is a yellow headed amazon, and not a yellow crowned amazon?

It's possible. Not gonna say much about the breeder except wasn't very happy after noticing some things. Noticed I put DYH in the original post and not YH. Is there any difference between the Yellow Crowned/Yellowhead (single) ?
I attached the only info I got , marked out identifiers

 

[Clueless]

He's a cutie!

I often worry when Secret let's loose of feathers.... wait until you come back in and see him twirling a LARGE one in his foot! Or scratching his head with it....

 

[Shezbug]

They’ll often look a tad scruffy when molting, as long as you are not seeing bald patches (skin) a bit of scruffiness is ok.

 

[aooratrix]

I used to be The Amazona Society state rep for Indiana, when I resided there. My DYH turned 29 in July. She occasionally looks like your bird, just a bit rough. I think your bird is fine, just molting. He does appear to be a juvenile DYH. To my knowledge, yellow front and yellow crowned is the same species, just 2 common names.

 

[expressmailtome]

He does appear to be a juvenile DYH. To my knowledge, yellow front and yellow crowned is the same species, just 2 common names.

You are absolutely correct. I was just questioning as the member was under the belief that this was a double-yellow headed amazon, not a yellow-front.

 

[aooratrix]

You are absolutely correct. I was just questioning as the member was under the belief that this was a double-yellow headed amazon, not a yellow-front.

Yeah, I figured that's what you meant.

 

[jessem101]

looks like a yellow naped amazon, not a DYH, if it was would have red on their wings and more yellow. even when my boy was younger he had a lot more yellow on his head. it Las depends where they originated, i.e. from Mexico or further south..ones from Mexico tend to have more yellow and the ones further south do not. and yes they molt 1 - 2 times a year. for my DYHA he will molt in late spring early summer and in the winter as well. at times it may differ but this is what its been like for the past 3 to 4 years or so.

 

[SumitaSinh]

looks like a yellow naped amazon, not a DYH, if it was would have red on their wings and more yellow. even when my boy was younger he had a lot more yellow on his head. it Las depends where they originated, i.e. from Mexico or further south..ones from Mexico tend to have more yellow and the ones further south do not. and yes they molt 1 - 2 times a year. for my DYHA he will molt in late spring early summer and in the winter as well. at times it may differ but this is what its been like for the past 3 to 4 years or so.

He looks like a real 'spicy ' pepper .

 

[aooratrix]

looks like a yellow naped amazon, not a DYH, if it was would have red on their wings and more yellow. even when my boy was younger he had a lot more yellow on his head. it Las depends where they originated, i.e. from Mexico or further south..ones from Mexico tend to have more yellow and the ones further south do not. and yes they molt 1 - 2 times a year. for my DYHA he will molt in late spring early summer and in the winter as well. at times it may differ but this is what its been like for the past 3 to 4 years or so.

It's a baby DYH. Napes do not have a yellow triangle on their head, except for the parvipes subspecies. Parvipes often have a stripe or small bit of yellow starting at their nares. Different birds have different amounts of color, depending on subspecies, intergrades, etc. My DYH is 29 but has less yellow than your bird.

 

[DClark]

Hey , thanks everyone for the responses ! So it's been around a month now , Loki has started to loose multiple secondary flight feathers and a handful (5) of his tail feathers. Mainly over the last week , except for 3 of the tail feathers. Pin feathers everywhere. The breeder absolutely butchered his wings when she clipped him. So I'm happy for these feathers to be replaced. I am however concerned at the amount of wing/tail feathers he has lost. The tail feathers have be symmetrical but, the ones on his wings , not so much. All that in a week or 2 has me worried. There isn't a Avain vet here specifically but I have found a vet that apparently is very knowledgeable , so have set a appointment. I can send pics of the feathers that have fallen out. 1 or 2 of them he got a hold of after falling out.

I haven't noticed any plucking or destruction at all. I noticed the nips of his tail feathers when I purchased him , not sure where they came from. Possibly the other Amazon he was being held with. Everyone here seems to be very knowledgeable , so just curious of your opinions. He seems to be a very happy bird and has made alot of progress with stick training and being handled. Even wants head scratches now. He was extremely timid and scared of hands when I brought him home.

I have him on a Pellet diet (60-70%) with Fruits/Veggies and Seeds (30-40%). I've been giving him a little bit of boiled egg here and there. I've also got him getting full spectrum lighting basically timing with the sunlight. Plenty of toys , activity , and possibly too much attention.

any advice is greatly appreciated. I just want him to be happy and healthy. .

 

[Clueless]

I've caught Secret with big feathers before, generally using it to scratch her head.

 

[jessem101]

It's a baby DYH. Napes do not have a yellow triangle on their head, except for the parvipes subspecies. Parvipes often have a stripe or small bit of yellow starting at their nares. Different birds have different amounts of color, depending on subspecies, intergrades, etc. My DYH is 29 but has less yellow than your bird.

the only thing that is leading me to believe its a DYH is the bird's beak. otherwise its leaning more towards a yellow-crowned amazon..i understand some have more pronounced yellow than other DYH amazons due to their geographical locations..but this seems very minimal. Looks much more like a yellow-crowned/Yellow-Fronted as seen here:



Sorry but thats not a DYH amazon.

 

[jessem101]

He looks like a real 'spicy ' pepper .

hes hilarious! his vocabulary is growing by the month lol He loves to go camping and hangs out with the family. very intelligent, very impressive. im grateful to have him. And already got him acquainted with my daughter, as she will be taking him over when i die lol

 

[SumitaSinh]

Amazons are awesome!

 

[aooratrix]

That close up picture suggests a parvipes yellow nape. That bird has some black bristles on its nares. DYAs do not. Yellow crowned amazons do not have horn-colored beaks. I don't think it's a Panama, either. I'd like to know who the breeder is and see a picture of the parent birds. @melissasparrots ???

 

[DClark]

That close up picture suggests a parvipes yellow nape. That bird has some black bristles on its nares. DYAs do not. Yellow crowned amazons do not have horn-colored beaks. I don't think it's a Panama, either. I'd like to know who the breeder is and see a picture of the parent birds. @melissasparrots ???

Hey , im the one who owns the bird. The only information I got I posted above earlier in this post. It was sold as a Yellowhead , implying single (front,crown) which is why I asked. All the Yellow crowns I've seen have alot of black in their beaks. I have contacted the breeder with the questions and asked for pics of the parents. I'll keep you posted