🐾 Land🐦 FlyingCare difficulty: AdvancedLegal complexity: Medium
Green-winged Macaw
Ara chloropterus · also called Red-and-green Macaw, Greenwing Macaw, Maroon Macaw
One of the largest parrots, a deep-red macaw distinguished by green wing bands and fine red feather lines across its white facial skin. Often called the 'gentle giant' of macaws for its typically calm, affectionate temperament despite its formidable size and beak.
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Quick facts
| Size | Very large macaw, about 90-95 cm long including tail, 1050-1700 g. |
| Lifespan | 50–70 years |
| Social needs | pair |
| Native region | Northern and central South America (Amazon Basin and surrounding forests) |
| Origin | New World |
| Climate | 🌴 Tropical |
| Family | Psittacidae |
| Genus | Ara |
Part of the Macaws
Macaws are the largest of the New World parrots, prized for their vivid plumage, intelligence, and strong pair bonds. They are long-lived, loud, and demanding companions best suited to dedicated, experienced keepers with ample space.
Sounds & video
🎬 Video
Arara-vermelha (Ara chloropterus) comendo frutos de jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril)
Fred Almeida2016 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Habitat & space requirements
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Habitat & enclosure
Green-winged macaws require enormous space. A cage is an absolute minimum of about 120 x 90 x 150 cm (48 x 36 x 60 in), but a custom aviary, dedicated bird room, or full flight is strongly preferred, with very heavy-gauge bars, robust locks, and bar spacing around 2.5-3.8 cm. Their powerful beak destroys flimsy enclosures and toys, so use stainless steel hardware and provide thick hardwood perches and large destructible chew items that must be replaced often.
They are tropical South American birds that do well at comfortable room temperatures of roughly 16-29 C (60-85 F), kept away from drafts and all airborne toxins. They need daily out-of-cage time, regular bathing or showering, a quiet 10-12 hour sleep period, and exposure to natural sunlight or full-spectrum lighting. Plan for substantial noise and a long-term commitment, as these birds can outlive their owners.
Substrate
Line the large tray with plain newspaper, butcher paper, or paper-based litter for manageable cleanup and clear health monitoring. Avoid loose substrates such as corncob and walnut shell, which carry Aspergillus risk and can be ingested by these powerful chewers.
Equipment & setup
House in a very large, heavy-gauge stainless steel or powder-coated cage or aviary with thick natural-hardwood perches that can withstand an extremely strong beak. No supplemental heat is needed indoors, but provide full-spectrum lighting for vitamin-D synthesis and frequent showers or misting, as these rainforest birds love to bathe.
Diet
Feed a large-parrot pelleted diet as the base, supplemented with plentiful fresh vegetables, leafy greens, limited fruit, sprouts, cooked legumes, and whole grains. Macaws have a naturally higher tolerance for dietary fat than many parrots, so a daily ration of nuts (such as a few walnuts, almonds, or macadamias in the shell for foraging) is appropriate, but portion control still matters to prevent obesity.
Never offer avocado, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, or salty/sugary foods. Provide ample fresh water daily and present food in foraging toys and whole, in-shell items so the bird can use its strong beak naturally. A varied diet helps prevent vitamin A deficiency.
Behavior & temperament
Green-winged macaws are intelligent, affectionate, and generally even-tempered, frequently described as among the most laid-back of the large macaws. They bond closely with their keepers, enjoy physical affection, and can learn words, though they are valued more for companionship than talking. Their sheer size and powerful beak mean they require experienced handlers and firm, consistent, reward-based training.
They are very loud, with calls that carry long distances, and they need substantial daily interaction and enrichment. Without enough mental and physical stimulation they may scream, chew destructively, or develop feather-destructive behavior. Provide a large rotation of heavy-duty toys, foraging challenges, training sessions, and out-of-cage exercise, and socialize them broadly to avoid excessive one-person bonding.
Health
Large macaws are susceptible to obesity and fatty liver disease, vitamin A and calcium imbalances on poor diets, and feather-destructive behavior when under-stimulated. They can be affected by proventricular dilatation disease (PDD/avian bornavirus), psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), and papillomatosis, so quarantine and veterinary screening of new birds is essential.
They are extremely sensitive to inhaled toxins, including PTFE (Teflon) fumes, smoke, and aerosol products, which can cause rapid death. Provide clean air, a balanced diet, and abundant exercise, and schedule at least annual avian-vet wellness exams with baseline labs. Report any change in weight, droppings, appetite, or feather condition without delay. (Health information is educational only and not a substitute for veterinary care.)
Tips, DIY & hacks
This gentle giant requires constant supply of chunky destructible wood and large foraging toys—cheap untreated pine blocks, whole nuts in the shell, and palm pods—to satisfy relentless chewing and prevent boredom behaviors. Give a sturdy play stand, several hours of supervised out-of-cage time daily, and ample social interaction, since green-wings form deep bonds and need committed companionship.
Sources
- Red-and-green macaw - Wikipedia (wiki)
- Macaws - VCA Animal Hospitals (care guide)
- Wikipedia: Green-winged Macaw (wiki)