Birds Guide

Red-and-green Macaw
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittacidae   Genus: Ara   Species: A. chloroptera
Binomial name
Ara chloroptera (Gray, 1859)

The Red-and-green Macaw or Green-winged 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 it's numbers due to habitat loss and illegal capture for the pet trade.

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.

Red-and-green Macaws as pets

Bird experts often advise those interested in obtaining a macaw as a pet to educate themselves extensively about these birds prior to obtaining one, as they require more attention than a dog or cat.

Media

External links

• Araproject parrots
• The World Parrot Trust Fund
• A page (with photos) devoted to a Red-and-green Macaw