Yellow-headed Parrot - Honduras



Amazona oratris - Yellow-headed parrots are found in low thickly wooded areas and they occasionally gather in large noisy flocks. It measures 35 to 40 centimeters in length. Males and females closely resembling each other; stout bills, plump bodies, and short necks. When excited, the feathers on the crown and neck are raised to make the head appear double in size. Their numbers have suffered a sharp decline, a result of habitat loss and the capturing of individuals for the pet trade.

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Copán, located in the extreme western department of modern day Honduras, was an important Mayan city flourishing from the 5th to 9th century. At the height of power, the Copán Valley had an estimated population of over 20,000 people. The city suffered a devastating defeat to Quiriguá, a rival Maya city, in 738 AD, resulting in the slow decline of Copán. When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, they found a few scattered farming hamlets and an abandoned ceremonial center.