Green Winged Macaw General Info
Easily one of the largest of all Macaw parrots, the Green Winged Macaw is genuinely a fantastic bird. Fun, talkative, energetic and, most importantly, very intelligent, it is often said that they have the nature and intellect of a three year old child. Once you discover and meet their true personality, you’ll also find out you made a friend for life- and a friend you’ll want to spend a lot of time with at that!
These large and playful macaws are one of the smartest parrots around. They captivate the hearts of every family.
Native Region/Natural Habitat
These macaws are distributed over a lot of northern and central South America. Like many other macaw breeds, Green Winged Macaw can be found in Panama, Uruguay, Bolivia, Brazil and other neighboring countries. They prefer to nest in tropical rainforests and low foothills, making their homes in the very top of the trees. Unfortunately, recent years have seen a critical decline in their population, mostly due to the illegal trapping and trade.
Overall Description
With an imposing size that reaches up to 37 inches (95 centimeters) on average, Green Winged Macaw is definitely one of the largest parrots out there. You should be aware of their weight, too – 2.6 pounds (1,200 grams) on average is quite a weight for a parrot. As you take their size into consideration, it will be clear why these pet birds need a lot of space. For nighttime, a large, roomy cage is the safest choice. For daytime, it’s best to let them roam around the house alongside you and explore their surroundings. It’s fun for them, and it’s healthy as well.
Speech and Sounds
These parrots are not often noisy. This makes Green Winged Macaw a good choice for large apartments. They have loud, tropical calls, but these are only heard in moments of excitement. Otherwise, they’ll stick to talking- another thing they’re good at. These goofy big birds love to repeat new words and mimic the sounds they hear every day. You will fall in love with their antics and chatty exclamations in no time!
Colors
Just like all the other macaws, they too have a beautiful, tropical and unique plumage. Most of the body is colored in a striking, bright red. The main distinct parts are on the wings. The top is red, the middle bright green, while the lower portion of the wing is bright blue. The bare patch of skin around the eyes is white, with a few red lines that are made out of tiny feathers. The upper part of their powerful and large beaks is white, while the lower part is black. The whole mix of striking, exotic colors makes the Green Winged Macaw stand out.
Like most of its cousins, Green Winged Macaw is full of exotic features and striking, tropical colors.
Care and Feeding
There are specially prepared commercial seed and pellet mixes that are perfect for a pet macaw. They do an excellent job in replicating their diet in the wild. This includes millet, sunflower seeds, and nuts. Make sure to balance it out with a good amount of fresh green veggies, fruits, berries and cooked rice or chicken. Also, pay particular attention to the hygiene. Macaws love to bathe, so take them to the shower regularly. This is key to preventing any skin related diseases.
Health and Common Conditions
There are rarely any problems associated with these big, healthy birds. With enough attention given to the diet, hygiene and the all-important need for space, your Green Winged Macaw will live out its long lifespan of 60 to 80 years without much trouble. With such a big bird, some signs are an indicator of sickness. These include apathy, drooping wings, loss of feathers, difficult breathing and closed, crusty eyes.
With a Macaw pet, you’re getting a lifelong commitment and a good friend. Keep this in mind.
Personality & Behavior
Green Winged Macaw will be full of surprises and new tricks. With high intelligence, they have no trouble learning new antics and words to repeat. While quite energetic and playful, they share some of the gentler, calmer traits with their cousins, the Hyacinth Macaws, giving them a cuddly and affectionate side as well. Just keep in mind that with their intelligence and complex nature, they will require a friend and a deep, loving bond.
Photo credit: duangnapa_b/Shutterstock; Eric Isselee/Shutterstock; apiguide/Shutterstock
