Macaw

Of the many different Psittacidae (true parrots) genera, six are classified as macaws: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca. Macaws are native to Central America and North America (only México), South America, and formerly the Caribbean. Most species are associated with forests, especially rainforests, but others prefer woodland or savannah-like habitats.

Proportionately larger beaks, long tails, and relatively bare, light-coloured, medial (facial patch) areas distinguish macaws from other parrots. Sometimes the facial patch is smaller in some species, and limited to a yellow patch around the eyes and a second patch near the base of the beak in the members of the genus Anodorhynchus. A macaw’s facial feather pattern is as unique as a fingerprint.

The largest macaws are the hyacinth, Buffon’s (great green) and green-winged macaws. While still relatively large, macaws of the genera Cyanopsitta, Orthopsittaca and Primolius are significantly smaller than the members of Anodorhynchus and Ara. The smallest member of the family, the red-shouldered macaw, is no larger than some parakeets of the genus Aratinga.

Macaw: Blue and Gold

Blue and Gold Macaws are vibrantly colored, with blue on their backs and wings, yellow under parts, green forehead feathers, and green tips on the end of their wings. Their under-wing coverts and breast are yellow-orange and they have black beaks, throat, and legs. Their eyes are yellow and their facial area consists of bare …

Macaw: Blue-Throated

Blue-throated macaws have very vivid coloration. They have bright turquoise-blue feathers covering their throat, crown, back and the dorsal side of their wings and tail. Golden-yellow feathers grow in a stripe between the blue crown and throat on the side of the face and on the ventral side of their body, wings and tail. On …

Macaw: Buffon’s

Buffon’s macaws are mainly green and have a reddish forehead and pale blue lower back, rump and upper tail feathers. Tail is brownish red tipped with very pale blue. The bare facial skin is patterned with lines of small dark feathers, which are reddish in older and female parrots. The Great Green Macaw appears superficially …

Macaw: Green-Winged

Green-Winged macaw chest is bright red. The “shoulders” or upper wings are red, as is the upper back and head; the middle wing feathers are green, turning blue toward the tips. On the tail, iridescent teal feathers are surrounded by red. There are characteristic bright red lines around the eyes formed by rows of tiny …

Macaw: Hahn’s

Hahn’s macaw has a long narrow tail and a large head. It has bright green feathers on the body, with dark or slate blue feathers on the head just above the beak. The wings and tail have feathers that are bright green above and olive-green below. The leading edges of the wings, especially on the …

Macaw: Hyacinth

Hyacinth macaw only a small ring around the eye and around the base of the lower mandible which are bare, revealing prominent rich yellow skin. Blue macaws are a uniform ultramarine blue, which is rich and glossy. The beak of blue macaws is massive, black and hooked. Like most parrots, the beak is used as …

Macaw: Illiger’s

Blue-Winged Macaw plumage is mostly green; except the forehead and sides of abdomen and lower back are orange-red to red. The crown is blue; the head, nape, and cheeks are greenish-blue. The flight feathers are blue with bluish-green edges. The undersides of the wings are pale yellow. The top of the tail is olive then …

Macaw: Military

Military macaw is mostly green in color with the head a slightly paler shade. It bears a red frontal patch, with a white bare facial area barred with narrow black lines. The flight feathers are blue and the red tail bordered with blue. The large strong beak is grey-black and the iris yellow. e Military …

Macaw: Red-Fronted

Red-Fronted macaw plumage is mostly green, except for the orange-red forehead and crown (hence this species’ common name), a red patch over the ears, red “shoulders”, medium-blue to teal-colored primaries (longest wing feathers) and reddish thighs. The olive-green tipped tail ranges from green to teal-blue, except for the underside of the tail, which is yellow. …

Macaw: Scarlet

Scarlet macaws are brightly colored birds with feathers ranging in color bands from scarlet on their head and shoulders, to yellow on their back and mid wing feathers and blue on the wing tips and tail feathers. The face has short white feathers. This area surrounds the light yellow colored eyes. The long, thick beak …

Macaw: Severe

Severe macaw plumage is mostly green with patches of red shoulders and blue on the wings and there is a blue wash on the crown. The underside of the flight feathers are dark orange-red, red/brown and tipped blue. There is a chestnut brown patch above the beak. The chest feathers are also tipped with a …