Hahn’s Macaw
Diopsittaca nobilis
South America • Small Macaw
IUCN Status
Least Concern
The Hahn’s Macaw (Diopsittaca nobilis), also known as the Red-shouldered Macaw, is the smallest of all true macaws. Despite its diminutive size, it possesses all the charm, intelligence, and personality of its larger relatives. It features a rich green body, bright red “shoulders” (bend of the wing), a turquoise-blue forehead and crown, and a long, elegant tail. Playful, affectionate, and relatively quiet compared to larger macaws, Hahn’s Macaws make excellent companions for keepers who want a macaw experience in a more manageable package.
General Description
| Common Name | Hahn’s Macaw (Red-shouldered Macaw) |
| Latin Name | Diopsittaca nobilis |
| Family | Psittacidae • Macaws |
| Adult Size | 30–35 cm (12–14 in) |
| Weight | 130–170 g |
| Life Span | 25–40+ years in captivity |
| Sexual Maturity | 3–5 years |
| Clutch Size | 2–4 eggs |
| Gender Difference | No reliable visual sexual dimorphism. DNA testing is required for accurate sexing. |
| Natural Habitat | Savanna woodlands, palm groves, forest edges, and gallery forests. |
| Origin / Range | Northern South America: Venezuela, the Guianas, northern Brazil, and parts of Colombia and Peru. |
| Care Level | Intermediate • Smaller macaw, easier to house than larger species |
Diopsittaca nobilis • Adult showing red shoulder patch
SMALLEST TRUE MACAW • BIG PERSONALITY
Plumage & Features
Hahn’s Macaw is predominantly bright green with a distinctive red patch on the bend of the wing (“shoulder”). The forehead and crown have a beautiful turquoise-blue wash. The tail is long and graduated, with blue-green feathers. It has a small bare white facial patch, a black beak, and dark eyes that appear almost black.
There are two subspecies: the nominate D. n. nobilis (more widespread) and D. n. cumanensis (found further east), which is slightly larger with more blue on the head. Juveniles have duller plumage and less red on the shoulders.
Conservation Status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List) — CITES Appendix II
Diopsittaca Genus
South America
Smallest Macaw