Green winged ara parrot | Facts & Information

Origin

Green-winged macaw parrots live in a vast area bordered to the north by the Canal Zone of Panama, southern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, to the East by the Brazilian provinces of Parana and Mato Grosso,to the south by northern Paraguay, the Argentine province of Formosa and southeastern Bolivia, and to the west by Northeastern Bolivia, eastern Peru to the Gulf of Cupica in western Colombia.

It lives in tropical areas at low altitudes near the jungle, but specimens can also be found in the Savannah. It has approximately the same areas as its" relative", Ara Macao,being found at the edge of low tropical virgin forests, up to altitudes of 450 m. sporadically, specimens have also been found at heights of 1400 m, in subtropical areas and dry forests.

Because of its color and beak color, it is often confused with the macao Ara, but unlike the macao Ara, which has a passionate character and requires a firm hand to master it, the chloroptera Ara is considered to be a gentle, tender and friendly giant.

They can be found in the literature and under the names: red and green parrot, red and green Ara, green-winged Ara, the Green-winged Macaw or Red-and-green Macaw.

Feeding green-winged Ara Parrot

The natural diet consists of ripe and unripe fruits,nuts, seeds and other plant products from tall trees. Macaw-winged-green parrots can smash extremely hard nuts with their powerful beak. They fly every morning and afternoon to the clay banks to feed on the soil rich in minerals that neutralize the toxic content of unripe fruits eaten in the previous hours.

In captivity, the diet for Ara chloroptera should contain various fruits and vegetables (pears, bananas, plums, apples, cucumbers, carrots, corn grains, small amounts of nuts, hazelnuts) and mixtures of sunflower seeds, hemp, wheat, oats and millet.

Bread and eggs are necessary for growing specimens, but it's not good to forget the oatmeal cookies and porridges that these parrots love. Pelanga however, veterinarians recommend that the diet of parrots safie supplemented with minerals and vitamins that can be found in pet shops.

Never offer parrots coffee, chocolate, foods with excessive sugar content, alcoholic beverages or avocados. Parrots also do not need grits.

Fresh water must be provided at all times. Parrots like to soak their food in water, so it will have to be changed more often than with other species of cage birds. Dishes should be kept clean to prevent the growth of bacteria, and should be washed daily.

Features green-winged Ara Parrot

Mature specimens of the green-winged Macaw are about 90 cm long, and the dominant colors are red and green. The region around the eyes, devoid of feathers, is white; the cheeks, also white, are furrowed by fine red lines. In some males the feathers on the head are edged with green.

Of the same color are the median feathers of the wings and those on the shoulders. The extremities of the wings and the feathers covering them are blue and dark blue. Of the same color is the plumage in the posterior area of the body.

The feathers of the inner part of the tail are dark red, and those of the upper one, which covers them, are dark red with blue tips. The upper mandible is cream, with the margins at the base dark grey and the lower black. The color of the iris is pale yellow,the legs are dark gray, as are the claws that also have shades of Brown.

The female has the same color as the male, but is more slender. Young birds resemble adults, with the difference that the iris is not pale yellow, but brownish.

Macaw-winged-green parrots do not form large flocks, living in pairs, families or small groups, consisting of no more than six specimens,that go in search of food. Larger groups of up to 100 species can be found in trees where food is abundant and on certain clay banks.

Here they are often associated with the yellow-blue parrot (Ara ararauna) and the Scarlet parrot (Ara Macao), the birds being especially cautious and attentive towards potential predators. Arachloptera are difficult to identify in the abundant foliage because they do not make noise while sitting on the tall branches of trees. Parrots are thus often only detected by food debris falling from tall vegetation.

Being shy birds, they fly as soon as they feel the presence of intruders, making sharp, shrill sounds. The flight is fast and direct, characterized by regular and strong wing beats.

Once introduced to the new environment, macaw-winged-green parrots generally quickly adapt to their new owners. An ideal aviary should be made of metal and have dimensions of 8 x 3 x 2 m,with a shelter/nest attached of 3 x 2 x 2 m and with very strong metal mesh.

Being accustomed to breaking extremely hard nuts, it is good to be given thick branches and stumps to keep their beak optimal. Once acclimatized, the birds become Hardy and can be sprinkled with water in summer, during flight, to cool off. In this season they can also arrange small water tubs to bathe.

Breeding green-winged Ara Parrot

The mating season coincides with that of the Macaw species that occupy the same area of spread. Thus, mating begins in November and December in the south of the area, and in February and march in the North. The dry trunks of the trees and the hollows or high holes of the palm trees are transformed into nests.

The breeding rate is low because birds do not mate every year, but also because many eggs and chicks fall prey to Raptors,diseases or floods. Females of Ara chloroptera usually hatch two eggs, maximum three, about 50 x 35 mm in size, for 26-28 days.

The breeding of the offspring, which lasts between 90 and 100 days, is handled by both the female and the male. After leaving the nest, the macaw chicks remain with their parents for a long time.

In the mating season the hallmark is the aggressiveness of the birds. If they are not disturbed, the parrots will be very quiet during this period. The female hatches 1-3 eggs, one or two of which may be infertile, and incubation lasts 25-27 days.

The nest must be made of thick wood, have dimensions of 55 x 70x 100 cm, with an entrance hole with a diameter of 22 cm. It must be placed in a position that allows it to be inspected from the outside of the aviary.

This operation will only be performed when the birds are not in the nest; otherwise there is a possibility that the eggs will be broken or that the chicks will be injured by the frightened parents. The breeding of chicks, which lasts about 12 weeks, gives the best results at temperatures of 32 – 35 C, and the young birds will remain in the company of adults for quite a long time.

Macaw-winged-green parrots are particularly attractive companion birds with a great ability to learn different words,and they quickly tame themselves, immediately attaching themselves to their owners.

The life expectancy of the green-winged Ara parrot is up to around 40-50 years.