Military Macaw

Ara militaris

Stats

Length:

27-29 inches long, females are slightly smaller than males

height:

Weight:

1-2 pounds

Lifespan:

40 years in the wild, up 80 years in captivity

Sexual Maturity:

2-4 years

Breeding Season:

January-March

Gestation Period:

28 days

Eats

They eat a variety of foods including fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, and vegetables.

Lives

They are highly adaptable, living in arid woodlands, tropical rain forests, canyons, wooded foothills, and coffee plantations. They typically nest in large tree tops or on cliff faces.

Behavior

Macaws are very social, they normally live in pairs or flocks of 20-40 birds in the wild. Macaws are considered to be the most intelligent of all birds.

Description

Military macaws are mostly green with a red forehead and upper tail feathers, they have bare white faces with small rows of black and red feathers. Their tail feathers are blue with bluish-red shorter feathers on top. Their eyes are yellow, their beak is a dark grey, and their legs are a lighter grey.

Did you Know?

In the course of their daily feeding, macaws allow plenty of seeds (while they eat and in their droppings) to fall to the forest floor. This helps generate a lot of forest growth, meaning they are a very important part of their forests ecosystem.

How can I Help?

Military macaws are one of the most sought-after species in the illegal pet trade. This, along with habitat loss and fragmentation, has caused a rapid decline in populations. If you are looking to get a companion bird of your own, take into consideration where they are coming from and if you are ready for the large commitment you are making.

Least Concern

Near Threatened

Vulnerable

Endangered

Critically Endangered

Extinct in the Wild