Red-and-green macaw, Gentle Giant, Red-and-green macaw, Green-winged macaw
The red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus ), also known as the green-winged macaw, is a large, mostly-red macaw of the genus Ara.
This is the largest of the genus Ara, widespread in the forests and woodlands of northern and central 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 parrot trade.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FrugivoreA frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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GranivoreSeed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of pla...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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FlockingFlocking birds are those that tend to gather to forage or travel collectively. Avian flocks are typically associated with migration. Flocking also ...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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Red AnimalsThis 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 bird's chest, upper wings, upper back, and head are red. The legs of the bird are colored grey. The 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.
The area of the Green-winged macaw distribution is partly Central and South America, stretching from eastern Panama to Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guianas, across the western part of South America from eastern Ecuador and eastern Peru to northern and eastern Bolivia. Throughout eastern South America, including Parana and Mato Grosso in Brazil, reaching Paraguay and Formosa in northern Argentina. The natural habitat of these birds is tropical rainforest, lowlands, and foothills. They are mainly found in interior regions, rarely occurring in coastal areas.
Green-winged macaws 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, and rarely seen in the foliage. Feeling danger, the bird immediately flies off, emitting loud screeches.
Green-winged macaws are herbivores (granivores and frugivores).Their diet mainly consists of seeds, fruits, nuts, and a wide variety of green plants. In addition, they consume the clay and bark of trees.
Green-winged macaws have a monogamous mating system. They mate once in a lifetime, remaining and traveling 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 the incubation period, the eggs begin hatching at 1-5 days intervals. 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.
Deforestation is among the major threats to this species, leading to the 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.
According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Green-winged macaw is 50,000-499,999 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
Feeding upon a wide variety of tree fruits, Green-winged macaws play a significant role in dispersing seeds of these fruits, thus sustaining many tree species.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...