Discover Top Posts Tagged with #severe macaw

as a fun little "monthly animal art challenge" I was tasked to illustrate a "Green, white and red" animal

The Severe Macaw seemed like the obvious choice without being obnoxiously christmas themed

#macaw #severe macaw #digital art #art #nature #animal illustration #birds #bird art #birdblr

BOTD: Chestnut-fronted Macaw

Photo: Gary Leavens

"Small for a macaw but still larger than any of the long-tailed parakeets. Mostly green with whitish face and reddish underwings (only visible in flight). Sexes similar. Found in pairs or small flocks, in forest and also in disturbed open habitat including agricultural land and clearings. Listen for very harsh scratchy calls."

- eBird

#birds #chestnut fronted macaw #birds of north america #north american birds #severe macaw #macaws #parrots #birding #bird watching #birdblr #birblr #bird of the day #Ara severus

Day 41#: Chestnut-Fronted Macaw

Today's animal of the day is the Chestnut-Fronted Macaw (Ara severus)!

Photo credit: Félix Uribe

Also known as the severe macaw, this brightly colored species of parrot is the largest of the mini-macaws (a loosely defined group of smaller macaw species) and can reach around 18 inches in length, though around half of that is just their tail feathers. They can be found throughout much of South America, and there's even an invasive population in Florida that descends from released or escaped pets.

Photo credit: Jay McGowan

In the wild, these birds like to live in forested environments with lots of seeds, nuts, and fruit for them to eat. They also sometimes raid farms and orchards for food and are considered a nuisance by some. Chestnut-fronted macaws prefer to roost high up in the tree canopy, which can make them hard to spot in the wild. Unlike other macaws, which like to live in large flocks, these parrots prefer to live in much smaller groups or pairs. Though they've occasionally been spotted foraging alongside flocks of red-bellied macaws or orange-winged Amazons.

Photo credit: Justin Walker

They are nicknamed the "severe macaw" because during puberty, they go through a hyper-aggressive stage where they become very destructive. This is one of the reasons why they're not commonly kept in captivity, though there are some who do keep them as pets. Apparently, you can curb their aggressive behavior with a lot of handling, but it takes a lot of time and effort. Personally, even having a small macaw would be too much for me.

Photo credit: Dick Daniels

They're basically super-intelligent toddlers who can fly, love to scream, and have scissors glued to their faces. Plus, they can live around 30-80 years in captivity! Though I believe that their lifespan in the wild is typically 30-40. They're very beautiful birds and I love them, but I'd rather not have my fingers bitten off. Plus, even though they might not be as big as a scarlet or blue-and-yellow macaw, they still need a lot of space and enrichment in order to provide them enough mental stimulation and prevent harmful behaviors such as plucking.

#random animal of the day #animal of the day #macaw #parrot #bird #severe macaw #chestnut-fronted macaw