Red-shouldered macaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-shouldered macaw |
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| Hahn's macaw (D. n. nobilis) | |
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Diopsittaca
Ridgway, 1912
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| Diopsittaca nobilis |
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The red-shouldered macaw (Diopsittaca nobilis) is a species of parrot. There are three sub-species. They are green with red shoulder flashes.
The birds are sometimes sold as pets. The are smaller than most macaws, and bond well with humans. They are intelligent birds, so many people keep them as companion animals. They are from South America, and eat fruits, nuts, and seeds.
It is native to the tropical lowlands, savannah, and swamplands of Venezuela, the Guianas, Bolivia and Brazil. It has two distinct subspecies, the noble macaw and Hahn's macaw.
The red-shouldered macaw nests in a hole in a tree. There are usually three or four white eggs in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 24 to 26 days, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 54 days after hatching.
Contents
Description
The red-shouldered macaw, at 30 cm (12 in) long and 165 g (5.8 oz) weight, is the smallest of all the macaws. Like all macaws, it 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 underside, are red. (These red feathers appear at puberty.) Their eyes are orange, and the skin around the eyes is white without feathers, just as in the larger macaws. This bare patch of facial skin is smaller in proportion to the head than the one seen in most larger macaws. The Hahn's macaw and noble macaw can be distinguished by the Hahn's having a black upper mandible and the Noble having a lighter, horn-colored upper mandible.
Their natural vocalizations are more akin to screeches than they are to whistles.
Behavior
Red-shouldered macaws are very kind natured. Their personality is similar to the large macaws.
Breeding
The red-shouldered macaw nests in a hole in a tree. There are usually three or four white eggs in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 24 to 26 days, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 54 days after hatching.
Images for kids
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Diopsittaca nobilis - MHNT
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Noble macaws in Mato Grosso, Brazil
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A pair of noble macaws in captivity
See also
In Spanish: Diopsittaca nobilis para niños
