Ara militaris.......................................................By Gideon Scheepers

Description

There are three subspecies of this macaws namely Military Macaw (Ara m. militaris), Bolivian Green Macaw (Ara m. boliviana) and Mexican Green Macaw (Ara m. mexicana). All look similar except for size and a slighter darker colouration. They are all green with a red frontal band. On the back of the head there is a blue tinge. The beak is black with a pale tip. The iris is yellow, and they have grey legs and feet. They grow to a length of 70-80 cm.

Range & Habitat

They range from Colombia to Bucaramanga, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. They frequent the tropical forests, open countryside with trees. They are not common throughout their range. These macaws are usually seen in pairs and small groups of around 8 birds. They are mostly arboreal feeder and only seldom venture to ground level for feeding.

 

 

 

 

 

Housing in Aviculture

They can be housed in conventional as well suspended aviaries provided they are large enough for these parrots to fly in. It is advisable to position the nestbox on the outside or at least have access to it from the outside as the male becomes aggressive in breeding season. Provide sturdy perches, which are not too thick as this lets the bird sit on its haunches and will cause problems in the future.

 

Breeding in Aviculture

They are not difficult breeders , and will lay 2 to 3 eggs, which will be incubated by the hen for 26 days; fledging period is 12 weeks.

 

Mutations

I know of no mutations. If you are in possesion of any mutation macaws please contact me at info@thomasriver.co.za.