ANIMAL: Green-Winged Macaw/Red-and-Green Macaw Ara chloropterus Type of Animal: Parrot Habitat: Forests (closed & open), woodlands (closed & open), lowlands, savanna, mangroves, mangrove swamps, clay/salt/mineral licks near rivers/riverbanks, foothills, can be found as high as 4,921.26 ft Location(s): Extreme S Panama, N & E Colombia, Venezuela, Guiana Shield, W & C Brazil, E Ecuador, E Peru, N & E Bolivia, N Paraguay, & far NE Argentina. Population also occurs on Trinidad (unsure if introduced or native). Once found in far N Argentina, other parts of Paraguay, & SE Brazil. Appearance: Bright red breasts, green upper wing covert feathers, white beak, green & blue wings, red body, yellow eyes surrounded by bright red bars, looks very similar to Scarlet Macaw but larger & lacks yellow feathers, long pointy tail Food/Diet: Seeds, nuts, fruit, flowers, leaves, sand/clay/salt/minerals from licks, berries, vegetables, green vegetation, tree bark, leaf buds Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in zoos, aviculture, breeding centers, wildlife parks, & aquariums. Reintroductions into N Argentina. Lifestyle: Found in flocks of 2-12 birds-nesting done solitarily w/ monogamous pairs defending breeding/nesting territory. Additional Info: Called: Male: Cock Female: Hen Young: Chick Group: Flock Weight: Male: 3 lbs Female: 2.65 lbs Young: 0.74 oz Gestation: 1 month Life Span: 30 years in wild, 60-70 years in captivity Height: 2.83 ft Body Length: 2.83 ft Tail Length: 2 ft Main predators of adults are raptors, snakes, monkeys, felids, crocodilians, opossums, & rats. False vampire bats & toucans prey on chicks. 2nd largest macaws after Hyacinth Macaws. Sexually mature at 3 years old. Strong beaks easily crack open nuts. Due to diet, play important role in seed dispersal. Like many macaws, they can be very loud. Ingest sand/minerals/clay/salt to help neutralize toxins in some of the foods they eat. Often seen w/ similar-looking Scarlet Macaws at licks. Females lay 1-3 eggs. Fun Fact(s): Certain hybrid forms occur in captivity, such as Harlequin Macaws (hybrid of Green-Winged & Blue & Gold), Buffwing Macaws (Buffon’s/Great Green & Green-Winged hybrid), Ruby Macaws (hybrid of Green-Winged & Scarlet), & Calico Macaws (Green-Winged & Military hybrid). Has a reputation as a gentle giant. Fairly popular pets but tend to be very high maintenance. Can fly at speeds of up to 35 mph.
