Red-and-green Macaw

Ara chloropterus

Among 90 and 95 cm.. length and a weight between 1050 and 1708 g..

The winged Macaw (Ara chloropterus) they are the second largest family members of macaws behind the Hyacinth Macaw. They have forecrown, crown, both sides of the neck, the nape and the the mantle, a beautiful red; the back up to the uppertail-coverts, blue, scapulars green. Lesser coverts Red with green hidden bases; median green; primary coverts, secondaries outer and primaries, blue, the latter with a black margin at the vane inner; secondary internal and large coverts internal total or partially Green. Red the underwing-coverts.

Underparts Red with the exception of the undertail- coverts they are light blue. Uppertail Red in the central part with blue tips and with the outer feathers shorter, blue; undertail-coverts dark red.

The upper jaw is mostly ivory white, except the cutting edge that is black. The lower jaw is black. The cheeks they are covered with bare white skin ending with fine lines of red feathers. Iris yellowish brown; legs black.

Both sexes similar.

Immature with tail shorter and the irises brown, sometimes with yellow in the coverts supra-alares.

• Sound of the Red-and-green Macaw.

The Red-and-green Macaw they occupy rain forest land in northern area of distribution, apparently, avoiding wetlands; in the South and East of range often in formations dry more open including seasonally flooded forests, forest Highlands and dry forests (Bolivia), entering the Savannah in Paraguay.

Its presence depends on, to a large extent, the existence of large trees and rocky cliffs that are the major providers of sites of anidacion. On the other hand, they are far from the cities, peoples and all the inhabited places, as it is a victim of intensive hunting and is often captured for the aviary bird trade

Observed to 1.000 m in Panama, 500 in Colombia, 1.400m in Venezuela.

They live in pairs or in small flocks, are less likely than the Blue-and-yellow Macaw to regroup, that does not prevent them, sometimes, partnering with them and with the Scarlet Macaw.

Large and spectacular gatherings of different species gather to consume clay on the banks of rivers.

The Red-and-green Macaw they often perch on the tops of the tallest trees. In principle, they are very shy and difficult to deal with. Early in the morning and the night entrance, they engaged on voyages of back and forth between their places of rest and feeding areas, evolving high in the air.

The season of nesting It takes place at different times depending on the region: in Suriname in December, from November to April in Peru, in January in the middle of Brazil.

The nests they built, generally, in tree cavities, Although it can also be common nests located in cracks or holes of rocky cliffs, as it is the case of Bolivia and in the Northeast and South of Brazil, above all in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The spawning usually has two or three eggs. Breeding success rate is not very high. According to Birds of the world (HBW), in a study recently envelope 25 from FRY's 16 nests, resulted in: 10 young birds (40%) they were able to fly normally, 9 of them (36%) they died of malnutrition and 6 (24%) were victims of predators.

The Red-and-green Macaw they have a vegetarian diet. Consume a variety of fruits and seeds of many types of trees. Fruits of Acrocomia and Caryocar (South-West of Brazil) fruits and seeds of Copaifera langsdorffii and Hymenaea courbaril (Northeast of Brazil).

Size of the area of distribution (reproduction / resident): 8.100.000 km2

The Red-and-green Macaw being endemic to the East of Panama the North and centre of South America, until almost the North of Argentina.

In Panama formerly observed in the West to the Caribbean slope of the Canal area (Although these records may be due to leaks), now only observed in the most remote parts of Eastern (for example, at the top of the Bayano River).

Observed in the tropical zone of Colombia, in the Magdalena River Valley, coast of the Caribbean, the Amazon region to the West of the Andes South to the upper area of the Atrato River and Serrania del Baudo.

Also inhabit the lowlands of Venezuela but absent in the North, from Portuguese to Monagas. Partial shape on the inside of Guianas. Along the Amazon basin of Brazil, is of Ecuador, Peru and northeast of Bolivia in Beni, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.

In Brazil, were formerly seen in Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro and the interior of Paraná; now seemingly absent; It continues to produce in Mato Grosso and the relict population remains in the Parque Estadual Morro do Diabo, to the West of São Paulo. They persist in the North and East of Paraguayan Chaco, but now gone from Missions, Chaco, Formosa and Salta, Argentina, where a last reliable record was at 1917.

Resident. Generally uncommon after the population decline caused by habitat loss and capture for trade.

Locally distributed in Panama, Venezuela, Bolivia.

In the Amazon basin widespread but generally less common than the Scarlet Macaw and the Blue-and-yellow Macaw (fairly rare in Ecuador Eastern), Although this situation was reversed in Venezuela and Guianas (and perhaps in other places).

Partially absent near population centres and in decline or have already disappeared in the peripheries of range due to habitat loss, trade and hunting.

Despite the large size of its distribution area, the species is considered monotype (without geographical variations).

Widespread in captivity.

State of conservation ⓘ
Minor Concern ⓘ (UICN)ⓘ

• Current Red List of UICN: Least concern
• Population trend: Decreasing

The size of the world's population has not been quantified, but this species is described as «quite common» (Stotz et to the. (1996)).

The population has disappeared in places where it was previously common and it is suspected that it may be in decline due to ongoing habitat destruction elsewhere, the unsustainable levels of exploitation, hunting and capture for trade in live birds.

Rare in Panama, endangered in the West of Colombia, missing in the southeast of Brazil. They are exceptions, Peru and Paraguay, where the species is still fairly common.

Not long ago, Guyana held the record for catches of young pups. Fortunately, from 1993, the country prohibited the commercial traffic of this species.

Their territory is particularly large, It is not considered in danger of extinction at the global level.

widespread in captivity.

It is a bird Intelligent and inquisitive but is perhaps, of all the great macaws, which is worse loneliness, so it is advisable to live with another bird, that you don't have to be necessarily of its kind. Its large size and its huge activity do require large cages and room to move.

Their breeding in captivity is more complicated than that of other large macaws.

With regard to its longevity, according to sources, A male specimen of Red-and-green Macaw was still alive after 50,1 years in captivity just before it was sold. It has reported that these animals can live up to 63 years in captivity, but this has not been verified; the same study reported that these animals they can be played back from the 8 years age in captivity.

Are often crossed with other species of Macaws to develop a series of hybrids.

– Red-and-green Macaw, Green-winged Macaw, Red and green Macaw, Red-and- Green Macaw, Red-and-blue Macaw, Red-blue-and-green Macaw, Red-green Macaw (English).
– Ara chloroptère, Ara de Cuba (French).
– Grünflügelara (German).
– Arara-vermelha, arara-canga, arara-piranga, arara-verde, arara-vermelha-grande (Portuguese).
– Guacamaya Rojiverde, Guacamayo Aliverde, Guacamayo Rojo, Papagayo rojo (español).
– Gonzalo, Guacamaya roja aliverde (Colombia).
– Guacamayo rojo (Ecuador).
– Carapaico (Venezuela).
– Paraba roja, Raraba colorada (Bolivia).
– Uvaí (Chimane).
– Arapiranga (Guarani).
– Majá (Guahibo).
– Ja-wo (Piaroa).
– Bagarapuru (Embera).
– Tooma (Okaima).

– Order: Psittaciformes
– Family: Psittacidae
– Genus: ARA
– Scientific name: Ara chloropterus
– Citation: Gray, GR, 1859
– Protonimo: Ara chloropterus

«Green-winged Macaw» (Ara chloropterus)

Sources:

– Avibase
– Parrots of the World – Forshaw Joseph M
– Parrots A Guide to the Parrots of the World – Tony Juniper & Mike Parr
– Birdlife

– Photos:

(1) – Ejemplares de Guacamayo rojo (Ara chloropterus) en Singapur By Michael Gwyther-Jones (originally posted to Flickr as Singapore) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(2) – Two captive Red-and-green Macaws (also known as the Green-winged Macaw) in San Diego, California, USA By Steve Wilson from Mississippi, USA [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(3) – Red-and-green Macaw (also known as Red-and-green Macaw) at Apenheul Primate Park, Apeldoorn, Netherlands By Arjan Haverkamp [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(4) – Red-and-green Macaw (Ara chloropterus) in the Herborn Bird Park, Germany By Quartl (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(5) – Green-winged Macaw or Red-and-green Macaw (Ara chloropterus) head and neck details By Tom Woodward (originally posted to Flickr as IMG_6422) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(6) – Red-and-green Macaw flying at Pont-Scorff Zoo, Morbihan, Brittany, France By Tony Brierton from Still here…, Ireland (Pont Scorff Zoo, FranceUploaded by Snowmanradio) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(7) – Ara chloropterus, Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuela By Luna04Luna04 at fr.wikipedia (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
(8) – Green-winged Macaw (also known as the Red-and-green Macaw) at Denver Zoo, USA. It is wing clipped By Drew Avery (originally posted to Flickr as Scarlet Macaw) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(9) – Red-and-green Macaws at Pont-Scorff Zoo, Morbihan, Brittany, France By Tony Brierton from Still here…, Ireland (Scarlet MacawsUploaded by Snowmanradio) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(10) – Green-winged Macaw (Ara chloropterus), also known as the Red-and-green Macaw. Picture captioned «L’Ara Macao» by Jacques Barraband [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

– Sounds: (Xeno-canto)