Green-Winged Macaw

Red-and-green macaw, Gentle Giant

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Psittaciformes

Family

Psittacidae

Genus

Ara

SPECIES

Ara chloropterus

Population size

Unknown

Life Span

30-60 yrs

TOP SPEED

56 km/h

WEIGHT

1050-1708 g

LENGTH

66-99 cm

WINGSPAN

104-125 cm

This magnificent and easily distinguished parrot is one of the largest species of Macaw. The Green-winged macaw has yellow eyes, surrounded by bright red bars, made up of rows of small feathers, covering the white patch on the bare skin. The chest, upper wings, upper back and head of the bird is red. Legs of the bird are colored with grey. Feathers of the middle wing are green with blue tips. The tail consists of motley plumage, surrounded by red feathers. The horn-colored upper beak is black on the sides while the lower beak is colored in black or dark grey.

Diurnal

Herbivore

Frugivore

Granivore

Arboreal

Altricial

Sedentary

Monogamy

Social

Flocking

Distribution

The natural habitat of this bird is tropical rainforest, lowlands and foothills. They are mainly found in interior regions, rarely occurring in coastal areas. The area of their distribution is partly Central and South America, stretching from eastern Panama to Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, across western part of South America from eastern Ecuador and eastern Peru to northern and eastern Bolivia; then throughout eastern South America, including Parana and Mato Grosso in Brazil, reaching Paraguay and Formosa in northern Argentina.

Geography

Continents

South America, North America

Subcontinents

Central America, Caribbean Islands

Countries

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela

Biome

Tropical dry forest

Tropical moist forests

Tropical savanna

Climate zones

Tropical

Habits and Lifestyle

They are social birds, living in pairs as well as gathering into family groups or small flocks, consisting of 6-12 individuals. In feeding trees and at clay licks, however, these birds can occasionally be seen in even larger flocks, mixing with other macaws and making a lot of noise, each bird demonstrating its full vocal range. Green-winged macaws are diurnal, spending most of the time under the dense cover of rainforest, where they find shelter as well as socialize and feed. They also spend a lot of time, playing and cleaning each other's plumage, removing lice and ticks from the feathers. If you see 3 or 4 macaws together, it will probably be a pair and their young. These birds are extremely shy, rarely seen in the foliage. Feeling danger, the bird immediately flies off, emitting loud screeches.

Group name

flock, company, pandemonium

Lifestyle

Arboreal, Altricial, Sedentary

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR

Monogamy

REPRODUCTION SEASON

December

INCUBATION PERIOD

28 days

INDEPENDENT AGE

3-4 months

FEMALE NAME

hen

MALE NAME

cock

BABY NAME

chick

BABY CARRYING

2-3 eggs

These birds have monogamous mating system. They mate once in a lifetime, remaining and travelling together even out of the breeding season. They breed in December, nesting high in tree hollows. Usually, 2-3 eggs are laid and incubated for 28 days. The female is on the nest while the male provides her with food, regurgitating it from his throat pouch. By the end of incubation period, the eggs begin hatching with intervals of 1-5 days. The parents feed the chicks by means of regurgitation, provided that the firstling is always fed prior to others. During the first 3-4 months of their lives, the hatchlings stay in the nest, where the parents feed and care for them, until the young leave the nest to find mates. Sexual maturity is reached at about 2-3 years old.

Population Trend

Decreasing

POPULATION STATUS

Least concern (LC)

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Population

Population threats

Deforestation is among major threats to this species, leading to loss of their natural habitat. The bird is frequently hunted by the indigenous tribes due to its motley-colored feathers. Along with other parrot species, this bird has been captured for the pet trade. Presently, this macaw is protected by CITES II, prohibiting its capture and trade. And finally, the Green-winged macaw is nowadays extinct in some parts of its original range such as Argentina.

Population number

The exact number of their total population is unknown, though presently decreasing. On the IUCN Red List, the Green-winged macaw is described as “fairly common” and classified as a species of Least Concern (LC).

Ecological niche

Feeding upon a wide variety of tree fruits, they play a significant role in dispersing seeds of these fruits, thus sustaining many tree species.

Fun Facts for Kids

In its size, this bird is the second largest parrot only to the Hyacinth macaw.
The area of their range is one of the largest among macaws.
The Green-winged macaw can be easily confused with the Scarlet macaw since both species are mainly red in color.
This parrot possesses extremely strong and powerful bill, allowing the bird to easily crack hard shelled nuts like Brazil nut. The beak of the Green-winged macaw can generate a pressure of 2000 pounds per square inch.
They possess so-called “zygodactyl” feet, where two middle toes point forward and two outside toes face backward.
They use various vocalizations, some of them being quite similar to these of Common crows, such as cowing, shrieking and yelping.
These parrots are not good imitators. As a matter of fact, macaws, living in the wild, do not imitate calls of other birds. Mimicry is common only in captive individuals, who try to imitate human speech.

Green-Winged Macaw

Photos with Green-Winged Macaw

Distribution

Geography

Biome

Climate zones

Habits and Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

Mating Habits

Population

Population threats

Population number

Ecological niche

Fun Facts for Kids

References

More Fascinating Animals to Learn About

Green-Winged Macaw

Photos with Green-Winged Macaw

Distribution

Geography

Biome

Climate zones

Habits and Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

Mating Habits

Population

Population threats

Population number

Ecological niche

Fun Facts for Kids

References

Related Animals

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