The Scaly-naped Amazon lives in Andean forests. This account separates the appearance and range of subspecies A. m. mercenarius from behavior reported for the species as a whole.
Adults of A. m. mercenarius are green, with dull blue-gray and black-tipped feathers from the crown to the nape. Red appears on part of the wing, and yellow, red, and blue-purple bands mark the tail.
At the species level, it is usually seen in pairs or small flocks. Larger groups may travel between communal roosts and feeding areas, feeding in the morning and afternoon.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.