Bird field guide · New World and African Parrots

Photographing the Red-crowned Amazon

How to photograph the Red-crowned Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (March, April and May).

25–40 cm1/2500–1/3200 s
Red-crowned Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis)
Photo: © James M. Maley, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by James M. Maley via iNaturalist
25–40 cm
Typical length (family range)
1/800 s
Shutter: perched / still
1/2500–1/3200 s
Shutter: action / flight
f/5.6–f/7.1
Aperture
8,217
Research-grade sightings in N. America
ModeManual + Auto ISOLock shutter & aperture, let ISO float
Shutter (still)1/800 s
Shutter (action)1/2500–1/3200 s
Aperturef/5.6–f/7.1
FocusAF-C + subject/eye detectionBird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
DriveHigh-speed burst
Lens300–500 mmFull-frame equivalent

Focal length needed to frame it#

For a subject about 32 cm long filling a third or half of the frame width horizontally.

Distance⅓ of frame (FF)½ of frame (FF)⅓ of frame (APS-C)⅓ of frame (MFT)
5 m (16 ft)176 mm262 mm118 mm88 mm
10 m (33 ft)353 mm525 mm235 mm176 mm
15 m (49 ft)529 mm787 mm353 mm264 mm
20 m (66 ft)705 mm1,050 mm470 mm353 mm
30 m (98 ft)1,058 mm1,574 mm705 mm529 mm
50 m (164 ft)1,763 mm2,624 mm1,175 mm882 mm

When to find it#

Jan: 9% Jan Feb: 10% Feb Mar: 13% Mar Apr: 14% Apr May: 12% May Jun: 8% Jun Jul: 6% Jul Aug: 5% Aug Sep: 4% Sep Oct: 5% Oct Nov: 7% Nov Dec: 7% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: March, April and May.

About the Red-crowned Amazon#

The red-crowned amazon, (Amazona viridigenalis) also known as red-crowned parrot, green-cheeked amazon, or Mexican red-headed parrot, is an endangered amazon parrot native to northeastern Mexico. The current native wild population of between 1,000 and 2,000 is decreasing. The main threats to the native bird's survival are the illegal export of trapped birds from Mexico to the United States and the destruction of habitat.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia via iNaturalist (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field-craft tips#

  • Feral parrot flocks are noisy and easy to locate.
  • Bird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
  • Sightings peak in March, April and May, which is when you'll have the most chances.

Ethics#

  • The welfare of the animal comes first: if it changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
  • Stay on trails, respect closures around nests, leks, dens and haul-outs.
  • Avoid playback and baiting in sensitive seasons; never bait predators.
  • Don't share precise locations of rare, nesting or roosting animals publicly.

More New World and African Parrots#

Monk Parakeet Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachus White-fronted Amazon White-fronted AmazonAmazona albifrons Scarlet MacawAra macao Red-lored Amazon Red-lored AmazonAmazona autumnalis

Frequently asked questions#

What lens do I need to photograph a Red-crowned Amazon?

At about 32 cm long, a red-crowned amazon fills a third of a full-frame image at 10 m with roughly 353 mm, or at 20 m with 705 mm.

What shutter speed should I use for a Red-crowned Amazon?

1/800 s when it's still; 1/2500–1/3200 s for action.

When is the best time to photograph a Red-crowned Amazon?

Observations in North America peak in March, April and May. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light and activity.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources