Native Region / Natural Habitat

This big beauty hails from regions in Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guyana, Brazil, Peru, Suriname, French Guiana, Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia, and covers roughly the same area as the blue-and-gold macaw. Its wild diet in the tropical lowlands is much the same as that of the blue & gold’s, including fruit, seeds, berries, and nuts. The green-winged macaw also feeds at the famous “clay cliffs” known for their high mineral content said to neutralize toxins.

Care & Feeding

The green wing’s size alone is a deterrent for many bird owners, who don’t have the room for such a large animal. The green-winged macaw needs a very large cage. Stainless-steel cages are now becoming popular and more affordable, and are a good material for green-wing housing; this bird can easily bend or break the bars of a cheaply made cage. Powder-coated cages are fine, too, if they’re well-made, and the bird will greatly appreciate a cage with a play top.

Green wings get along with most other macaws their size, so keeping two macaws together is fine, but don’t allow birds of different species to breed.

Macaws, including green-winged macaws, thrive on a nutritionally balanced diet, such as Lafeber’s Nutri-Berries and Lafeber’s Premium Daily Diet Pellets, as well as fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy table foods. If properly fed and cared for, a green-winged macaw is reported to have a life span of more than 70 years.

Personality & Behavior

That great big beak can look intimidating, but the green-winged macaw is actually the gentler of the large macaws, not known for biting and massive mood swings. A well-raised green wing, one that’s healthy and well-treated, is a pleasant companion and long-time friend, with a life span of more than 70 years.

Speech & Sound

The green wing can talk, but is not known to be a chatterbox; instead, an owner can expect intermittent screaming, which is quite loud, but not persistent, that is, if the bird is being cared for properly. An unhappy green wing can cause a ruckus that will get someone tossed out of an apartment building.