Green-winged Macaw
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| Green-winged Macaw | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Ara chloroptera (Gray, 1859) |
The Green-winged Macaw or Red-and-green Macaw (Ara chloroptera) is often mistaken for the Scarlet Macaw because of its predominantly red feathering. The breast of the Red-and-green Macaw is bright red, but the lower feathers of the wing are green. In addition, the Red-and-green Macaw has characteristic red lines around the eyes formed by rows of tiny feathers on the otherwise bare skin. This is the commonest of the large macaws and the largest of the Ara genus, widespread in the forests of Northern South America. However, in common with other macaws, in recent years there has been a marked decline in its numbers due to habitat loss and illegal capture for the pet trade.
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[edit] Description
The superficially similar Scarlet Macaw has no eye lines and a yellow bar on each wing. Some macaw owners and experts call the Green-winged Macaw the "gentle giant", as it is larger in size than the Scarlet Macaw and Blue-and-yellow Macaw, but has a more docile nature which often makes it a more desirable pet than the other two popular species. It is second only in size to the Hyacinth Macaw, the largest bird of the macaw family. The wingspan of the greenwing macaw can be up to 49 inches (125 cm), with a total body length of 39 inches (100 cm). A healthy adult will weigh between 1,250 and 1,700 grams. These birds average lifespan in captivity is about 50-60 years, although there have been confirmed one living more than 80 years and several claiming to be over 100.
[edit] Bite
The Green Winged Macaw has a very powerful beak which can generate a pressure of 2000 psi and can snap a broomstick in half.[1] This powerful beak is designed to crush or open even the hardest nuts and seeds.
[edit] Gallery
 Standing on a wall |
 Video of the Ara chloroptera at Disney's Animal Kingdom |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- City Parrots
- The World Parrot Trust Fund
- A page (with photos) devoted to a Red-and-green Macaw
- Red-and-green Macaw videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Stamps (9 countries) with RangeMap
- Red-and-green Macaw photo gallery VIREO
- Photo-High Res--"Red-and-green Macaws"-(clay lick) Article
