# Red-and-green Macaw (*Ara chloropterus*) The Red-and-green Macaw is a colorful bird with bright red and green feathers. They are known for their loud calls and playful nature, making them a favorite in the rainforest. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Green-winged Macaw ![Red-and-green Macaw](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/189_Red-and-green_macaw_couple_flying_in_Chapada_dos_Guimar%C3%A3es_National_Park_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent.jpg&width=800) Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:189_Red-and-green_macaw_couple_flying_in_Chapada_dos_Guimar%C3%A3es_National_Park_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-and-green Macaw is a large, vibrant parrot with a mostly brilliant red body. It has distinctive green feathers on its upper wings and bright blue on its lower back and wingtips, setting it apart from similar macaws. Its face features a bare white patch adorned with fine lines of tiny red feathers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Psittaciformes - **Family:** Psittacidae - **Genus:** Ara ## Interesting facts - Macaw chicks are born featherless and blind, completely relying on their parents for care. - Red-and-green Macaws are known to mate for life, often staying with the same partner. - Their long, pointed tails help them steer expertly while flying through dense trees. - These majestic birds often soar in pairs or small family groups high above the forest canopy. ## Special abilities - **Nutcracker Beak:** Red-and-green Macaw has an incredibly powerful hooked beak that helps them crack open the toughest nuts and seeds. - **Gripping Grapplers:** Red-and-green Macaw can use its strong zygodactyl feet like hands to deftly grip branches and hold food items. - **Loud Listener:** Red-and-green Macaw can produce extremely loud calls that help them communicate with their flock across dense rainforests. - **Clay Craver:** Red-and-green Macaw can eat nutrient-rich clay that helps them digest poisonous fruits and get vital minerals. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 90-95 cm - **Wingspan:** 104-124 cm - **Weight:** 1-1.7 kg - **Lifespan:** 50-60 years - **Speed:** 56 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 27-29 days ## Diet & Feeding These colorful birds mostly feast on a rainbow of seeds, nuts, fruits, and even mineral-rich clay. - **Primary Foods:** Palm nuts, Brazil nuts, Fruits, Seeds, Clay - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Brazil Nut Tree (*Bertholletia excelsa*) — Its seeds are a key food. - **Eaten by:** [Harpy Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/harpy-eagle) (*Harpia harpyja*) — A powerful aerial predator. - **Eaten by:** [Jaguar](https://www.snappit.app/explore/jaguar) (*Panthera onca*) — Can ambush macaws near nests. - **Shelter:** Kapok Tree (*Ceiba pentandra*) — Uses hollows for nesting. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Rainforest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rainforest): This habitat trait refers to species found in tropical rainforests, characterized by high annual rainfall, high biodiversity, and dense tree cover. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them in the wild. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-and-green Macaw? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Red-and-green Macaw? 90-95 cm ### What is Red-and-green Macaw's wingspan? 104-124 cm ### How much does Red-and-green Macaw weigh? 1-1.7 kg ### How long does Red-and-green Macaw live? 50-60 years ### How fast can Red-and-green Macaw move? 56 km/h ### What does Red-and-green Macaw eat? These colorful birds mostly feast on a rainbow of seeds, nuts, fruits, and even mineral-rich clay. ### Where is Red-and-green Macaw usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Salisbury Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/salisbury-zoo) — Maryland, US · Zoo - [Tierpark Krüzen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-kruzen) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Zoo - [Tierpark Eilenburg](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-eilenburg) — Sachsen, DE · Zoo - [Zoo Hof](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-hof) — Bayern, DE · Zoo [View all places to see Red-and-green Macaw](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-and-green-macaw) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Red-and-green Macaw: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-and-green-macaw)