Green-winged MacawMacaw_Green-winged

Ara chloropterus

FAMILY: Psittacidae
SPECIES: A. chloropterus







The Green-winged macaw has one of the largest, broadest ranges of any macaw species.  It occurs in Central & South America, including Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay in tropical forests, mangrove swamps, and savannas.


Green-winged Macaws are frequently seen in pairs or family groups and occasionally gather in small flocks of six to twelve birds. Larger groups are found in feeding trees or on clay banks, where they may group with other Macaws. They are fairly shy birds and are difficult to see in foliage. Usually only heard within the forest, Green-winged Macaws will fly off making loud screeches when alarmed.

Macaws are very messy eaters - their extremely strong beaks are perfectly adapted for eating all sorts of nuts and seeds, as seen in their ability to crack open incredibly hard-shelled nuts (such as Brazil nuts) with ease. In the course of daily feeding, macaws allow plenty of seeds (while eating, as well as in their droppings) to fall to the forest floor, thus regenerating much of the forest growth.

Boa constrictors, Hawks, Opossums and Rats prey on Green-winged Macaws and their eggs in the wild. The largest dangers to all Macaws are the illegal bird trade and habitat destruction.

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, sweet nature which often makes it a more desirable pet or companion parrot.

Macaws are normally monogamous, having only one mate for life.

In the wild, macaws often flock to mountains of clay known as "macaw licks".  Such licks contain minerals and salts essential to the bird's diet.

In the wild, macaws do not mimic other birdcalls.  Mimicry is only noted in captive species.  They can learn to copy human speech, but are not considered good mimics.


The Green-winged macaw generally mates for life.  In the wild, the breeding season for the green-winged macaw begins in November and December in the southern part of their range, and February and March in the north.  Nests are fashioned in hollow tree trunks or holes in damaged palms high above the ground. The female typically lays two or three eggs in the nest, incubates the eggs for about 28 days, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 90 days after hatching.


Sexual maturity is reached at 3-4 years.


Nuts, fruit, berries, seeds and some vegetable matter foraged from trees constitute the typical diet of these macaws in the wild. They are able to eat some poisonous fruits due to their habit of eating river clay, which appears to neutralize the toxins.


The Green-winged macaw can live 60 years or longer


The Green-winged macaw currently is not classified as endangered.  However, they have disappeared from part of their former range in Panama and are extinct in some parts of its range including Argentina.  Five other species of macaws are listed by the IUCN as either Endangered or Vulnerable.

Largely a forest dwelling species, green-winged macaws, along with many of their parrot relatives, are under pressure from deforestation and human population growth.  They are also popular in the pet trade, going easily for as much as $1500.

According to the IUCN Red List, the global population size of the Green-winged macaw has not been quantified, but it is believed to be large as the species is described as 'frequent' in at least parts of its range.  Global population trends have not been quantified; there is evidence of a population decline, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations).  For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.



Alderton, David (2003). The ultimate encyclopedia of caged and aviary birds. London, England: Hermes House. p. 235.

Animal Diversity Web at

Animal World at

The BIG Zoo at


The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species at



Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure at