Blue-fronted Amazon - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

The Blue-fronted Amazon was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae. Its specific epithet is the feminine form of the Latin adjective aestivus, "of the summer". Two subspecies are recognised:

• A. a. aestiva (nominate) is found in eastern Brazil. The leading edge of the wing ("shoulder") is red.

• A. a. xanthopteryx occurs from northern and eastern Bolivia through adjacent parts of Brazil, to Paraguay and northern Argentina. The "shoulder" is partly or wholly yellow. Generally with more yellow to the head than nominate.

The taxon xanthopteryx has been treated as a separate species, but the two subspecies interbreed freely where they come into contact.

Additionally, there are significant individual variations in both facial pattern and amount of yellow/red to the "shoulder". In one extreme, individuals with essentially no yellow to the head and entirely green "shoulder" are known from north-western Argentina.