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Green-winged Macaw
Macaws Index

Green-winged Macaw

Family: Psittacidae Picture of "Max" a Green-winged Macaw Ara chloroptera Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Cheryl Galloway
Latest Reader Comment - See More
green winged macaws are very pretty. i think their color is the prettiest.... (more)  Emily  2007-10-05

   Banjo is a surgically sexed Green-winged Macaw. He is a male, and after sexing, a tattoo was placed under his wing as a record!

   Even though the Green-winged Macaw is one of the largest of the macaw family, it is considered to be one of the gentlest. This bird is often confused with the Scarlet Macaw because of the large amount of red feathering. However the Scarlet has a broad band of yellow feathers across the back rather than green ones like this bird has.

   Personality wise, the Scarlet Macaw can be quite a fiery bird and needs a firm hand. while the Green-winged Macaw is just about the opposite. This very sweet tempered bird is thought of as being more like a gentle giant..

For information about the care of Macaws see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Macaw


Scientific name: Ara chloroptera

Description:
   Green-winged Macaws are a full sized macaw that are very colorful. The head, shoulders, and breast are a deep red. The wings next to the body are greenish turning bluer on the outside edge of the wing.

Care and feeding:
  A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out for extended periods. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play pen or parrot perch. They eat a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, and commercial pellets, as well as the same nutritional foods humans eat.

Distribution:
   The Green-winged Macaw's natural habitat runs from eastern Panama in Central America south across northern South America, east of the Andes, to Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.

Size - Weight:
   A full sized macaw, they can get over 2 lbs. Lengths up to 90 cm (35.5 inches).

Social Behaviors:
   They are a typical macaw. Can be cranky at times and may be a one person bird or only like men or women, etc.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The usual clutch consists of two or three eggs which incubate for about 28 days. The babies will fledge after about 3 months in the nest. Feed the parents plenty of greenstuffs, corn-on-the-cob, carrots, and fruit laced with food supplement while they are rearing the youngsters.

Sexual differences: No visible differences.

Potential Problems: Can be noisy (as can all macaws).

Availability: This bird is fairly common and should be easy to obtain.




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Latest Comments
green winged macaws are very pretty. i think their color is the prettiest.
Emily
2007-10-05
I have to say reading others posts really warmed my heart. This past Feb. we lost our red-lored amazon during a very cold spell and were absolutely heart-broken. She was not clipped and would love to fly all around the house. We were forced out of the house at about 7 am due to the neighbors in the other side having carbon monoxide problems. Candi was fine til the fire trucks got there, and then was very skittish. On the way back in to the house, she jumped from something and took off. . . we never saw her again though we spent 10and1/2 hours walking in the 5 degree day looking. Though I then was so lost, I now do believe that when the door closes, look for the open window. Six weeks later, my husband and I were offered a "scarlet macaw." Of course we were a little hesitant til we met Hauto. He is truly a green wing who was bought by someone who apparently had more money then sense. The bird was allowed to fly around their house while the child pursued with a baseball bat, or so the story goes. The result. . . a bird with two broken wings that instead of being taken to the vet was put in his cage with one perch in the basement with barely enough food to keep him alive. When he was two he was given to a friend of a friend who couldn't keep him because of a young daughter whose new favorite thing was to stick fingers in the cage. So he was offered to us and after meeting him there was no way not to. For all that he has been through, he is an amazing bird. He is actually a green-wing and after a few showers and a few weeks of a good diet he looks great. the vet gave him a clean bill of health, except for 2 wing that will never heal. He says a few words and continues to learn more. My family is blessed to have him, and we don't need to worry that he will ever fly away.
tami h.
2007-05-02
Hi all! Well! in my last comments in June, I stated that my wife and I had ordered our first Greenwing macaw and were very excited, but faced a 2-3 month wait. We travelled 200 miles several times to see her. Well last week, the breeder stated she would finally be ready to come to us on Thursday, and our world was shattered when on the Wednesday night the breeder phoned us to say she had died that morning. We are awaiting the post mortome results. The breeder tried to help us locate a replacement, and i finally located one myself which ment enduring another 9 week wait. Finally on one last attemp, i had the most remarkable luck, i located a lady breeder who had two G/W left and ready to go. Well we went down the next day (Saturday) and chose one. He/she is adorable and very friendly and it reminded us so much of the one that died that we named it Maisey after her. Still got to get it sexed, but there we go. Jools
Julian
2006-09-11
We rescued a 8 year old female green wing who had been relegated to a garage, and subsequently plucked herself mostly bald. Since coming to live with my husband and I, our 3 cats, lab puppy and African Gray, "Frankie" has settled in well. She can be nippy at times, but this gets better every day as she comes to trust us. She is a loud and enthusiastic greeter when we come home, and is picking up words like "kitty" and "Maggie" (puppy's name). She gets off her cage to chase the cats around the house and she "feeds" the puppy on the floor by regurgitating to her. She and our Gray are curious and talk to each other, but she is somewhat aggressive towards him. An overall great addition to the house, and encouragement for people to continue to try to take in birds who need homes.
Amber Ward
2006-08-01
MY SON WANTED A BIRD BACK IN WINTER AND WE FOUND A YOUNG JENDAY CONURE FOR HIM. MY WIFE THEN DECIDED SHE WOULD LIKE A BIRD AND WE FOUND A SEVERE MACAW AFTER LOOKING AND RESEARCHING WHAT SHE WOULD LIKE. WELL, WE GOT HER HOME AND SHE HAS BONDED WITH ME AND MY OTHER SON! WHAT LUCK! SO LAST WEEK WE FOUND A GREEN WING WHO IS 5 AND A HALF MONTHS OLD! SHE IS SO TAME AND GENTLE AND HAS TAKEN TO MY WIFE QUITE WELL! THANK GOD! SHE IS THE SWEETEST AND EVEN THOUGH SHE IS A LARGE BIRD SHE IS FUN TO HOLD AND WATCH! THESE ARE ALL GREAT BIRDS TO ADD TO ANY FAMILY WE THINK! OUR 2 YEAR OLD TWIN LOVES TO HAVE THE JENDAY "POPCORN" SIT ON HIS ARM WHILE MY WIFE HELPS HIM. "LOLLIPOP" THE SEVERE WILL TRY TO INTIMIDATE OTHERS BUT WILL TALK UP A STORM FOR ME AND MY OTHER SON AND LOVES STEAK. "TULIP" REALLY LIKES THE CRUST FROM PEACH PIE AND HER WHEAT THINS! HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY YOURS AS MUCH AS WE LOVE OURS!
MIKE BRAMER
2006-07-20
Some of the coolest comments:
Having read what others say about their Greenwing experiences, I'll regale you in a brief about Chester... He just turned 4 on 4/24. I'm a 50-something guy and ambivalent about pets in general... but not about my boy. I met a man with two new Greenwings here in Jacksonville, Florida, they were just 8 weeks old at the time. This "breeder" is more like a wonderful ambassador to hookbill owners and breeders - ANYWHERE. Chester came home at 12 weeks and was handfed until about 7 months. I was wondering how long his handfeeding ritual was going to last, but one day he just decided he didn't want any more and weaned to pellets and "Poppa food" without skipping a beat. He's absolutely brilliant, a serious troublemaker and the happiest guy you've ever seen. He has about 40 English words, 4-5 Italian words and now knows a couple Russian, and uses them all in context perfectly. He and I are absolutely bonded and spend at least 4 hours a day in close contact. He's becoming more and more socialized. He'd rather run to Poppa than bite anyone, but accidents do happen. I suggest consulting a book by Mattie Sue Athan for a wealth of good information about bird behavior, it really helped me. RESCUE A BIRD and bring the pride back to human-hood! Best of luck!
Raymond
2008-05-11
Love my Elvis! She, yes she, was thought to be a male, named and raised for the first half of her life as a male. Second owner, whom I bought her from, (at 5 yrs old)had her sexed after going through her first cycle on things. Originally, thought she was sick. She is beautiful, playful, friendly and outgoing. In my opinion, if you have ever been around a 2 yr old (human) and understand the psychology of that, you can handle a Macaw. Please understand, it is manditory they feel the love. Just as a 2 yr old demands your undivided attention & care. Out smart them, as an example, do not ever feed exactly the same thing at the same time to avoid unnecessary hurt feelings, if you don't keep their schedule. One example would be if you feed your pet 2 to 4 times a day, do not make them the same times each day. Vary your delivery and the food/toy/treat each time. They will become demanding if you allow it. We are suppose to be the smarter species. I question our knowledge of what defines a "greenwing" as mine is dominately green with blues, reds, oranges, yellows through out her feathers. Bright yellow under her blue and green wings, body is orange. Cone area above her mandible now red, was originally green with few feathers red, now about a full inch. 11yrs soon to be 12. Most people of "pure heart" can hold my macaw without threat, she is 28 to 30 in top to tip.
victoria
2006-09-22

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