Green-winged macaw

The green-winged macaw has a partly red plumage and a blue back and rump. Its long tail is tipped with blue, and its wings are blue with dark green upper wing coverts. The bird's upper beak is horn-colored, and the lower beak is black. It has gray legs. Juveniles resemble adults but have shorter tails.

They live throughout north and central South America, where they prefer humid, lowland forest. In the southern part of their range, they frequent open habitats, including deciduous forest.

In flight, these birds call loudly to each other.

Green-winged macaws eat fruits and nuts. They also ingest mineralized sand and clay, which helps neutralize the toxins in the seeds and nuts they consume.

These birds are often encountered in pairs or small groups, possibly family groups. Green-winged macaws are sometimes associated with other, more common macaws, especially at earth banks, where large numbers will gather to consume exposed mineral sands.

The breeding season varies within this bird's range from late November in the south to February or March in the north. A clutch consists of one to three eggs and incubation lasts about 28 days. The young leave the nest after about 90 to 100 days.

Adult birds are killed for food and for feathers, while the chicks are taken from the nest for the pet trade.