How Much Do Amazon Parrots Cost?

Amazon parrots have their origins, as the name suggests, in South America. Their range extends from South America, and Central America to the Caribbean.

There are 27 known species of Amazon parrots, some of which are so prolific that, unfortunately, locals consider them harmful and fight them. Other species are already on the verge of extinction and global conservation measures have been taken, including trade bans, and bans on captive breeding and breeding programs. The most commonly kept pets are the Yellow-headed, Blue-fronted, Green-cheeked, and Lilac-crowned Amazons.

The main feature that makes them attractive is the ability to mimic sounds. Along with their overseas relatives, African gray parrots, Amazonian parrots are part of the select group of talking parrots.

Amazon parrots are known for their longevity, often having a 40-60-year lifespan or more with proper care and diet.

How Much Does an Amazon Parrot Cost?

If you are thinking about buying an Amazon parrot you should budget around $1,550 (≈2.6 weeks of continuous work at a $15/hour wage) for an average bird, while for a rare subspecies, you will have to pay around $3,500 (≈1.3 months trading your time for $15/hour). However, the average cost of an Amazon parrot will be anywhere between $1,200 and $1,700 (≈2.8 weeks of continuous work at $15/hour).

It's important to note that parrots sold by reputable breeders have great social behavior and good health conditions.

There are many ads with Amazon parrots for sale on the market at costs less than the average.  This may be appealing, but you should pay attention to all the details before purchasing this pet. Sometimes a cheap parrot doesn’t mean a healthy parrot.

Impulse buying Amazon parrots online is extremely irresponsible and risky for the bird’s wellbeing. Stressful shipping conditions and lack of quarantines spread deadly diseases.

Instead, research carefully to locate established avian-experienced veterinarians and breeders nearby who focus on proper rearing and weaning Amazon babies for the best start to a decades-long companionship.

As there are many subspecies of Amazon parrots, we will present the average costs for some of them. The demand for these birds will always be high, and so will the costs.

The price of the blue-fronted Amazon parrot

The Amazona Estiva is also called the fronted Amazon parrot. Due to its talking abilities, it can be noisy, and those who buy it complain that they can’t live with it in a small space. This Amazonian is a popular medium-sized parrot species. Blue-fronted parrots are the most distinctive of the Amazon species. They have very vivid and beautiful colors.

The price of the blue-fronted Amazon parrots will be anywhere between $1,550 and $2,600 (≈4.3 weeks of continuous work at a $15/hour wage).

The cost of the lilac-crowned Amazon parrot

Lilac-crowned Amazon parrots are loved by many seasonal bird owners. The average price of such a parrot is around $1,200 (≈2 weeks dedicated to affording this at $15/hour), but this price can be even bigger than $2,100 (≈3.5 weeks dedicated to affording this at $15/hour).

The price of a yellow-naped Amazon parrot

The nature of this species is very playful and talkative, so they attract a lot of people around them. You should budget anywhere between $1,250 and $2,600 (≈4.3 weeks of continuous work at a $15/hour wage) if you want to buy a yellow-naped Amazon parrot.

The cost of the double yellow-headed Amazon parrot

This species, also one of the most beautiful species of Amazonian parrots, is the kind of bird that likes to be at the center of attention due to its gregarious personality. If you will, he is the equivalent of an educated, well-mannered man, who learns certain manners from the time he is young and in adulthood will be a very well-bred Amazonian parrot.

Plan on spending anywhere between $1,550 and $3,100 (≈1.2 months working every single day at $15/hour) for a double yellow-headed Amazon parrot.

The cost of a red-lored Amazon parrot

If you are a parrot enthusiast looking for an extremely intelligent bird, slightly melancholic, but at the same time cheerful and perceptive, then the red-lored Amazon parrot fits what you're looking for.

The owner who is lucky enough to have such a parrot will be able to enjoy a class concert given by this Amazon parrot, as this species has the song in its blood. An interesting feature is that this Amazonian parrot can easily move from one state to another, and its acts can be seen as unpredictable.

Expect to pay anywhere between $1,100 and $2,100 (≈3.5 weeks dedicated to affording this at $15/hour) for a red-lored Amazon parrot.

The price of the orange-winged Amazon parrot

These parrots are well known for their ability to create a strong bond with their owner, and they are fast learners.

Expect to pay anywhere between $550 and $1,600 (≈2.7 weeks trading your time for $15/hour) for owning a pet bird like the Orange-winged Amazon parrot.

How can I save money on an Amazon parrot?

If you want to save money on an Amazon parrot then adoption would be a good idea. You will be able to get the bird from a parrot rescue center without any problems and the cost will be lower.

However, there will be some difficulties in getting the exact Amazon parrot you wish. In most cases, the adoption shelters will not have the exact species of parrots you can find on the market.

You will need a lot of patience to find the exact bird you want at a low cost.

Additional costs of owning an Amazon parrot

There are more than 30 species of birds included in the Amazon parrot family, but about 10 types are pets.

They are not difficult to care for but they need a certain type of care and are suitable for households that are prepared for such a long-term commitment.

The best Amazon parrot breeders focus specifically on raising popular species using rigorous health screens and genetic testing on parent breeding stock. They further invest substantial time gently hand-feeding babies and socializing them through enrichment to produce tame, trainable companions.

They will help you choose the particular bird and will ask every new Amazon owner extensive questions to confirm their capability to meet lifetime needs, unlike larger breeders or pet stores that mass-produce parrots.

Owners gain full counsel on monthly costs and interactive requirements involved in keeping an outgoing Amazon parrot healthy and happy.

You might also like our articles about the costs of Eclectus Parrots, Quaker Parrots, or Lovebird Parrots.

One-time costs

As you can see above, the initial purchase price of an Amazon parrot starts from $550 (≈4.6 days working without days off at $15/hour), but some species cost more than $3,100 (≈1.2 months working every single day at $15/hour).

The Amazon parrot cost will depend greatly on the species, due to their rarity, but also the demand on the market.

Most Amazon parrots have a green body. Depending on the exact species, they will have a different feather color on their head and forehead. These colors range from red, purple, yellow, and more. Others may have different colors on their shoulders, tail feathers, and beaks.

Food costs

Your Amazon parrot should have a healthy diet and eat both bird food and fresh fruits and vegetables or other “human” products. The seeds are too fatty for the Amazon parrots but can be offered as snacks without exceeding 10% of their complete diet. Walnuts are a great snack, but they should be served in moderation. Proper diet and nutrition are an important part of parrot care.

When owning a parrot, plan on spending around $25 (≈1.7 hours of labor required at $15/hour) per week for the food.

Healthcare costs

Although it is generally difficult to determine the diseases they suffer from, some visible signs of illness may be feather nibbling, apathy, fallen wings, eyes partially closed or closed, half swelling of the eyelids, difficulty in breathing, excessive saliva, lack of appetite, obesity, aggression towards the partner.

Common diseases encountered in these species are psittacosis; bacterial, viral, or fungal infections, allergies; papilloma, kidney disease (gout), toxicity, heavy metal poisoning, and lipomas in older birds.

To keep your parrot healthy, you should take it for periodic vet visits. Expect to pay anywhere between $25 and $40 (≈2.7 hours of labor required at $15/hour) for a standard vet visit. Also, vet bills may be around $55 to $210 (≈1.8 days of your career at $15/hour).

Cage cost

An Amazonian parrot will need a lot of space in the cage, where you should place very large toys and swings, a playground, a climbing rope, or stairs. These will encourage movement and exercise. A cage should be at least 24 inches wide by 47 inches high with a space between the bars of 0.4 to 1 inch.

A safe cage or flight area is ideal. Before buying a bird cage, find out more about the exact needs and make sure that your home can hold a cage.

Plan on spending anywhere between $110 and $320 (≈2.7 days working to pay for this at $15/hour) only for the cage.

Accessories and toys

Being very playful, they will need a lot of toys. They especially like the toys they can handle with their feet.

Think about the safety of the bird when choosing the right toys. Plan to have more toys than you can count throughout your bird’s life. In addition to the initial purchase of the bird cage, most of your ongoing costs will be and should be on toys for your pet parrot.

Most Amazon parrots like to bathe. There are several ways to get them to take a bath, from a shower to a bath with a spray or to jump into the bowl of water and spread water everywhere. Amazon parrots benefit from weekly baths as an important element in keeping their feathers healthy.

Plan on spending around $55 (≈3.7 hours of uninterrupted labor at $15/hour) per month for toys and other supplies such as cleaning and hygiene products.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many species of Amazon parrots you can choose from, if you want to purchase one as a pet. Besides the initial cost, you should take into consideration the maintenance costs as well.