Green Winged & Scarlet Macaws~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS, Wild Life

Green Winged Macaws have green feathers on their wings and red feathers on their faces. They are red, green and blue, and live in South America.

Scarlet Macaws are red, yellow and and blue, with white faces.

Scarlets live in South and Central America and Mexico.

I was amazed to come upon this friendly scarlet in Costa Rica.

I couldn’t figure out why he was performing for me, until his mate turned up, and I realized they were feeding their chick in a nest in the hollow of this tree.

I have never seen nesting wild macaws so this was quite a thrill!

Macaw populations are scattered in the wild and rare to find.

Their numbers have been decimated by habitat destruction and the pet parrot trade.

Macaws are highly intelligent and mate for life.

Cheers to you from the incredible Macaws~

294 thoughts on “Green Winged & Scarlet Macaws~”

  2. Pingback: Green Winged & Scarlet Macaws~ — (these photographs are truly amazing-G) | Rethinking Life

  4. Their bright colours are probably partly responsible for their decline. It breaks my heart to see vendors with birds in cages, swinging them around, hoping some tourist will buy them at a border stop. Your photos are really wonderful, Cindy.

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    1. Yes, it is heartbreaking. We are a destructive species. Seeing them in the wild is such a different experience. Their intelligence and happiness shines through. <3 🐦

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    1. It is so amazing to find them. You can hear their distinctive squawking in the canopy, and you get a crick in your neck looking up, but when you finally spot them, WOW! <3 🐦

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  17. I recently saw a “rescued” bird at a wildlife preserve in the Caribbean. It had been a pet. It is so much nicer to see your beautiful photos of them living free.

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  20. Fantastic Photos Cindy. Yes, MaCaws in the wild are hard to find these days. Hope you are enjoying your time in Costa Rica. Almost moved there a few years ago. We worked with so many realtors looking at places all over the country, but just never found that perfect home and location with everything we wanted at that time, so we put in on the back burner. Things happen for a reason I guess. Never though Terry would develop cancer and pass away a few years later.

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  26. That is one helluva beautiful creature! WOW, lucky you! Bad humans for decimating habitat and making pets! Honestly, often it is an embarrassment to be homo sapien.

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  54. Cindy, I was about to write, what are you paying them to pose for you … when you mentioned the nest! How amazing to see these glorious birds so close, and you’ve brought their wonder into our homes through these stunning images. Thank you so much … uplifting (apart from the sad fact that they are sadly in decline).

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  56. Ultra

    I rarely see pictures of these parrots. Thank you for this post about parrots. In Poland, I do not have the opportunity to see how they feed the young.
    Best wishes

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    1. Ich fürchte, ich habe es getan, aber es war eigentlich kein Witz. Der United States Postal Service hat mir gerade $ 51,00 berechnet, um zwei Briefe über Nacht zu verschicken. Nur die Regierung kann so etwas leisten! 😉 😉

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    1. They are amazing. They live long lives, and some parent into their sixties. They have very powerful beaks that can generate a pressure up to 2,000+ psi (pounds per square inch). Humans average a bite force of around 150 psi. They are capable of crushing or opening the hardest nuts. They can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour in flight.

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  72. What a beautiful creature. I am glad that someone is speaking of its endangerment now. We need to become aware of how many creatures are also endangered because of the pet trade and other things in the ecology that are out of balance. Thank you kindly for sharing this.

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      1. I always thought Ravens were the smartest bird but someone told me the African Grey is. It looks like all Parrots are very smart! Caging a smart animal is cruel especially just to appease our desires.

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        1. Scientists are finally studying bird intelligence. I wonder why it took them so long. I knew they were seriously smart when I was a little kid. Corvids, like ravens, have memories that put us to shame. Greys are just brilliant at learning languages. At least in captivity parrot species live. It bugs me so much that we are destroying their habitat, and ours.

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    1. Actually 1200mm if I was at full zoom, and yes they are huge birds! Hyacinths are even bigger but I have never seen them in the wild as they are seriously endangered.

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    1. So great to hear from you cuz. Always smile when I see it’s you. When I see wild critters every hassle of travel becomes worthwhile. Hugs to you Paul and be well. Spring is coming, so I know that is good for you <3 <3

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  89. Wow, wild macaws! I’ve only ever seen them in zoos.

    About the pet trade, I can’t imagine keeping an animal as smart as a macaw in captivity. Surely it’d be lots of work for the human, and intolerable for the macaw?

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    1. Some people bond with the macaw and know what they are doing and they become close friends. But macaws live a very long time and most humans can’t care for them in their lifetimes, so they get passed around and traumatized with different owners. They are very large, powerful, gregarious, and intelligent birds. They live socially, mate for life. I think they should be protected in their natural environments, and their environments should be protected too.

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  107. Cindy, I am sure that was a real treat! I used to have a parrot and a cockateil. And when I did, there were a couple of wild Macaws that lived in that city then. They are gorgeous!
    You take such awesome photos!

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  109. What a handsome fellow ! The upside-down move made me laugh and I was actually thinking, “Look at me, over here, look what I can do! ” Then, as you explained, he was drawing your attention away from his family, how brilliant ! <3 xK

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