Red-and-green Macaw

Red-and-green Macaw
At Apenheul Primate Park, Netherlands
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Psittaciformes
Family:	Psittacidae
Subfamily:	Psittacinae
Tribe:	Arini
Genus:	Ara
Species:	A. chloropterus
Binomial name
Ara chloropterus (Gray, 1859)
Distribution of the 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 Ara genus.

This is the largest of the Ara genus, 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.

Description

The Red-and-green Macaw can be readily identified from the Scarlet Macaw as whilst the breast of both birds is bright red, the upper-wing covert feathers of the Red-and-green Macaw are mostly green but can occasionally sport a few yellow feathers above the band of green (as opposed to mostly yellow, or a strong mix of yellow and green in the Scarlet Macaw). In addition, the Red-and-green 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 Red-and-Green Macaw is clearly larger than the Scarlet Macaw as well.

It is second only in size to the Hyacinth Macaw, the largest bird of the macaw family. The wingspan of the Red-and-green Macaw can be up to 49 inches (125 cm), with a total body length of 39 inches (100 cm).^{[citation needed]} A healthy adult will weigh between 1,250 and 1,700 grams (2.7-3.7 lbs).^{[citation needed]}

The Red-and-green Macaw has a very powerful beak which can generate a pressure of 2000 psi and can snap a broomstick in half.^{[citation needed]} This powerful beak has evolved to crush or open even the hardest nuts and seeds.

Behavior

The Red-and-green 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.

Gallery

The upper body, showing the head and neck details   Two macaws at La Palmyre Zoo, Les Mathes, France   At Disney's Animal Kingdom   At Birmingham Zoo, Alabama, USA   Four wild red-and-green macaws flying in Peru

External links

• World Parrot Trust Parrot Encyclopedia - Species Profiles
• Red-and-green Macaw videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Stamps (9 countries) with RangeMap
• Red-and-green Macaw photo gallery VIREO