Feral populations of amazons can be found in different parts of the world, including in South Africa, Europe, and major cities in the Americas.

[3] The type species was subsequently designated as the mealy amazon (Amazona farinosa) by the Italian zoologist Tommaso Salvadori in 1891.

The split is primarily based on differences related to extension of yellow to the plumage and the colour of bill and legs.

[6] A 2017 study published by ornithologists Tony Silva, Antonio Guzmán, Adam D. Urantówka and Paweł Mackiewicz proposed a new species from the Yucatán Peninsula area in Mexico called the blue-winged amazon (Amazona gomezgarzai).

[11] An illustration of a specimen termed "George Edwards' parrot" has sometimes been considered a possibly distinct, extinct species, but it may also have been a yellow-billed or Cuban amazon with aberrant colouration.

[12] Most amazon parrots are predominantly green, with contrasting colors on parts of the body such as the crown, face and flight feathers; these colours vary by species.

Portugal, California (where the birds were largely introduced during the 20th century), Puerto Rico, South Africa, and the Netherlands have also reported sightings of Amazona parrots.

Feral populations are also present in São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Buenos Aires, and Río Cuarto within South America.

[29]: 255  This may happen due to seasonal food availability or a lower chance of flooding, as the period is generally dry.

[31]: 12 Amazon parrots feed primarily on seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, buds, nectar, and flowers, supplemented by leafy matter.

Most amazon parrots travel in large groups and have clumped nesting, but the four species in the Lesser Antilles are less social.

[30]: 15  In captivity, amazon parrots are known for their ability to talk- learning to communicate by mimicking speech and other sounds of human origin.

[39] As of June 2020, 58% (18 out of 31) of species were listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as threatened or extinct in the wild.

[29]: 255 The Puerto Rican parrot in particular, as a critically endangered species, has seen considerable conservation efforts, including but not limited to changes in land management, legal protection, research, and increasing nesting success.

[41]: 18–21  However, these efforts were significantly hindered by natural events such as Hurricane Hugo, which affected the Luquillo forest in which most Puerto Rican parrots were living.

[42]: 70 Within the rest of the West Indies, the four species of amazon parrots in the Lesser Antilles have seen successful attempts at increasing their population.

The Cuban amazon has seen greatly successful conservation efforts and as a result has experienced a large increase in its population.

[45][46][47][48][49] To maintain health and happiness, pet parrots require much more training than domesticated animals such as dogs or even cats.

They require understanding, manipulative toys, and rewards for good pet-like behavior, or they can develop quite aggressive behaviors (particularly male birds), which can be clearly observed through the bird's body language - pinning the eyes, flaring the tail, raising the head and neck feathers and engaging in a "macho strut".

[36] One of the main problems amazon parrots face in captivity is obesity, which can be avoided with the correct diet and exercise.