Green-winged Macaw

The Green-winged Macaw, also called the Red-and-green Macaw, is one of the largest macaws, widespread across humid forests of South America and locally into Panama. It closely resembles the Scarlet Macaw but is larger and shows different wing coloring.

The body, head, and tail are deep red, with a broad green band crossing the upper wing coverts, bordered by blue on the flight feathers. The bare facial skin is whitish but, unlike the Scarlet Macaw, is crossed by narrow lines of small red feathers. The bill is pale above and dark below.

Key field marks

• Deep red body with a green band on the upper wing (versus yellow in the Scarlet Macaw)
• Bare face crossed by fine lines of red feathers
• Larger and bulkier overall than the Scarlet Macaw
• Long red tail tipped with blue

Similar species

Most confusion is with the Scarlet Macaw, which shows a yellow (not green) wing band and plain white facial skin without feather lines. The Green-winged Macaw is also noticeably larger and heavier-billed.

Range

The Green-winged Macaw has a broad range across northern and central South America, from Panama and Colombia through the Amazon Basin to Paraguay and northern Argentina.

Habitat

It inhabits humid lowland forest, forest edge, and gallery forest, as well as more open woodland and cliff or hill country in parts of its range, generally avoiding areas without tall trees for nesting.

Movements

Largely sedentary, though it may travel notable distances daily between roosting sites, fruiting trees, and clay licks.

Social behavior

Usually encountered in pairs or small flocks, Green-winged Macaws often gather in larger numbers at clay licks and communal roost sites, sometimes alongside other macaw species.

Voice

Calls are loud, deep, resonant squawks and croaks, generally lower-pitched than those of the Scarlet Macaw.

Feeding

They feed high in the canopy on a wide range of fruits, nuts, and seeds, including hard palm nuts, and visit riverbank clay licks in parts of their range.

Nesting and breeding

Pairs nest in large tree cavities or, in some regions, in cliff crevices, laying 1-3 eggs. They form durable pair bonds and are frequently seen flying and perching in close association with their mate.