Red-and-green Macaw
Ara chloropterus
Enormous parrot with a long pointed tail, a red head and body with mostly blue wings and green wing coverts. It has a white face with distinct red stripes. Only possible confusion species is Scarlet Macaw, which has yellow (not green) wing coverts and lacks red stripes on the face. Found in lowland rainforests from eastern Panama to Paraguay. Usually found in pairs, flying over the forest and perching in the canopy. Can gather in small groups, especially at fruiting trees or clay licks. Nests in cavities. Listen for raucous calls, typical of large macaws.
Identification
The green-winged macaw can be readily distinguished from the scarlet macaw. While the breast of both birds are bright red, the upper-wing covert feathers of the green-winged macaw is mostly green (as opposed to mostly yellow, or a strong mix of yellow and green in the scarlet macaw). In addition, the green-winged macaw has characteristic red lines around the eyes formed by rows of tiny feathers on the otherwise bare white skin patch; this is one of the biggest differences from a scarlet macaw to the casual viewer. Iridescent teal feathers are surrounded by red on the tail. If seen together, the green-winged macaw is clearly larger than the scarlet macaw as well.<p>In terms of length, this species is second only in size to the hyacinth macaw, the largest of the macaws. The red-and-green macaw attains a total body length of 90 to 95 cm (35 to 37 in) in adults. Twelve adults were found to average 1,214 g (2.676 lb). A weight range of between 1,050 and 1,708 g (2.315 and 3.765 lb) has been reported. While its weight range is broadly similar to that of the hyacinth, the average weight of the red-and-green macaw is slightly surpassed by both the hyacinth and great green macaws, and amongst all living parrots additionally by the kākāpō.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ara chloropterus
- Authority
- Gray, GR, 1859
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittacidae
- Genus
- Ara
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The green-winged macaw generally mates for life. The female typically lays two or three eggs in a nest made in a hole in a tree. The female incubates the eggs for about 28 days, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 90 days after hatching.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Cinereous Warbling Finch
Microspingus cinereus
Small, compact finch. Gray above, paler below; note the fairly well-defined dark mask. Found in savanna woodland, scrub, and rocky areas, where it is a restless forager. The call is a repeated sharp “chupf.” The larger White-banded Tanager has a more obvious black mask and contrasting wings.
Dusky-capped Greenlet
Pachysylvia hypoxantha
Small, vocal bird of rainforest canopy. Yellow below, dull green above, with light brown-gray head, light peach bill. Sexes alike. Often found with tanagers in mixed species flocks. Frequently heard as it vocalizes throughout the day, a short warbled phrase, recalling Chivi Vireo.
Little Nightjar
Setopagis parvula
Small nightjar; streaked gray, brown, and rufous above with a white throat and buff collar. Males have a white wing band near the tip and pale central tail feathers, absent in females. Resembles Spot-tailed Nightjar, which has a well-marked buffy neck and lacks the white throat and white wing patches. Found in variety of open habitats including pastures, bushy areas, and forest edges. The song is an odd, memorable, descending “drui-dro-dro-dro-dro-dro.”
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