Abstract
The Red-shouldered Macaw, Diopsittaca nobilis, (Ara nobilis= Forshaw) is also known as the Hahn's and Noble Macaw. The Hahn's Macaw is the smallest of the Macaws. It is about 12 in. (30 cm) long and weighs 54/s ounces (165 g). The Noble Macaw is slightly larger being 131/2 inches (35 cm) long and 67/10 ounce (190 g) in weight. The Hahn's is much like the aratinga conure. The Red-shouldered has a blue forehead and forecrown. The bill is dark gray/black. (The Hahn's upper mandible is dark gray/black while the Noble has a horn colored upper mandible.) The body is generally green overall, more yellowish on the lower underparts, the carpal edge bend of the wing and greater under wingcoverts are red. The primaries are green. The underside of the tail is dull olive-yellow. The naked face patch is white. The feet are dark gray, the iris is dark orange. The Red-shouldered is found in large areas of Guianas and eastern Venezuela to southern Brazil, southeastern Peru and northern Bolivia. In the wild, the breeding season occurs between February and May, possibly as late as June. Up to four eggs are laid. It is common both in the wild and aviculture.The Yellow-collared Macaw, Ara auricollis, is basically a green bird, the forehead, crown and ear coverts are brownish-black. There is a yellow band on the nape. The primaries and primarycoverts are blue, the under wing-coverts are olive-yellow. The bill is black with a horn colored tip. The facial skin patch is white, the iris is orange. The feet are pale yellow. The upperside of the tail is blue becoming brownish-red, the underside is olive-yellow. The length is 15 in. (38 cm) and the female
weighs between 223-345 grams and the male weighs 256-308 grams (84/s ounces). It is found in central Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. It is common both in the wild and aviculture. The breeding season in the wild begins in December. In aviculture it breeds readily, a clutch of three to four eggs is normal, incubation period is 26 days.
The Illiger's Macaw, Ara maracana, is the most colorful of the available miniature Macaws. The forehead is rose red, the head, nape and lower cheeks are greenish-blue with a darker blue on the crown. The bill is black. The body is generally green with red patches on the lower back and middle abdomen. The primaries are blue. The rump is green tinged with olive. The upperside of the tail is blue becoming reddish-brown toward the base, the underside is oliveyellow. The naked face patch is pale yellow. The feet are yellow. The iris is orange. It is lS1/2 in. (43 cm) long and weighs 9 ounces (250-280 g). It is found in Brazil, through Paraguay to north eastern Argentina. It is scarce in the wild and in aviculture. Nothing has been documented about breeding in the wild. In aviculture breeding success has been somewhat sporadic. Once a pair produces, it generally continues to do so. A clutch of three eggs is laid and incubated for 26 days.
The Blue-headed, Ara couloni, has a body that is mostly green overall, more yellowish on the underparts. The forehead, crown and sides of the head are blue. The bill is gray-black, becoming horn colored on the culmen and at the tip of the upper mandible. The primaries are blue, edged in green. The tail is blue with a dusky yellow under tail. The facial skin patch is gray.
The feet are flesh colored to pinkish. The iris is yellow with an orange-red outer ring. It is 16 in. ( 41 cm) in length. It is found in eastern Peru, the western most part of Brazil and northern most Bolivia. It is common only in fairly restricted localities.
The Chestnut-fronted, Ara seuera, is also called the Severe Macaw in the States. There are two sub-species. Ara s. severa is 18 in. ( 46 cm) long and weighs 307 to 387 grams. Ara s. castaneifrons is 19 in. ( 48 cm) long and weighs 121/2 to 141/2 ounces (360-410 g). The Severe is basically green with a naked white cheek patch lined with fine black feathers. The forehead, cheeks and chin are dark reddish-brown. The crown is washed with blue. The bend and edge of the wings are red. The primaries are blue. The bill and feet are gray-black. The upperside of the tail is reddishbrown with a green base and blue tips, the underside is dark orange-red. The iris is yellow to orange. The Severe is common to numerous over a large range from eastern Panama, western Colombia to eastern Colombia, and Venezuela and Ecuador, and eastern Peru to northern Bolivia and northwest Brazil. Breeding begins in January in the wild. It is common in aviculture. Breeding commences in late spring, two to three eggs are laid and incubation is 26 days.
The Red-bellied Macaw, Ara manilata, is probably the most unusual looking of the small Macaws. The forehead and cheeks are greenish-blue. The body is generally green with an overall olive tinge. The lower abdomen (between the legs) is reddish-brown. The primaries are blue, edged with green. The upperside of the tail is green, the underside is olive-yellow. The naked face patch is light yellow. ,