- Blue-winged Macaw
name = Blue-winged Macaw
image_width = 250px
status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
genus = "
species = "P. maracana"
binomial = "Primolius maracana"
binomial_authority = Vieillot, 1816
The Blue-winged Macaw ("Primolius maracana"), in
aviculturemore commonly known as Illiger's Macaw, is a speciesof macaw found in central and eastern South America. It was previously placed in the genus"Ara" or "Propyrrhura". Blue-winged Macaws have been known to reach an age of 50-60 years.
It has a total length of approximately 40 cm (16 in). It has a heavy black bill, a long tail and a mainly green
plumage. The upperside of the remigesand primary coverts are blue, as indicated by its common name. The underside of the wings is yellowish, the tail-tip, crown and cheeks are bluish, and the tail-base and small belly-patch are red. The iris is amber. It and the Red-bellied Macaware the only macaws where the bare facial-skin is yellowish, but this often fades to white in captivity. Unlike the Red-bellied Macaw, the Blue-winged has a red lower abdomen and a red lower back.cite web| publisher =BirdLife International (2008) |url = http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=1557&m=0 |title = Species factsheet: "Primolius maracana" |accessdaymonth = 24 July | accessyear = 2008]
Habitat and food
The Blue-winged Macaw occurs in eastern and southern
Brazil(with a remnant population north-east), eastern Paraguayand, at least formerly, in far north-eastern Argentina. It occurs in evergreenand deciduous forests, with a preference for gallery forest. They mainly feed on seeds of Cnidoscolus phyllacanthus, Jatropha, Guazuma ulmifoliaand the non-native Melia azederach. However, the birds also feed on fruits and nuts.
The Blue-winged Macaw attain sexual maturity between 2 and 4 years after they are born. Adult females usually produce two eggs which take approximately 29 days to hatch. Young Blue-winged Macaws learn to fly about 11 weeks after they have hatched. They stay with their parents for about a year after learning to fly. Relatively little information exists on its reproduction in the wild, but the breeding season in north-eastern Brazil is apparently from December to February.
These birds are affected mostly by
deforestation. They were also captured for the cagebirdtrade - from 1977 to 1979, 183 birds arrived to the United Statesfrom Paraguay. It has declined in the southern part of its range, and there are no recent records from the Misiones Provincein Argentina. Therefore, it was previously considered vulnerable. Information from Brazil suggests it remains widespread and even has re-colonised areas in its historical range in southern Rio de Janeiro. This has led to it being downlisted to near threatened.
* [http://www.swbg-adventurecamps.com/animal-info/animal-bytes/animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/chordata/craniata/aves/psittaciformes/illigers-macaw.htm ANIMAL BYTES - Illiger's Macaw]
* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=2244 Blue-winged Macaw videos] on the Internet Bird Collection
* [http://piclib.nhm.ac.uk/piclib/webimages/0/35000/900/35943_sml.jpgPhoto of a captive Blue-headed Macaw]
* [http://vireo.acnatsci.org/search.html?VIREO_SESSION_ID=2ff665215284371310cc1f368a666fb6&Form=Search&SEARCHBY=Common&KEYWORDS=blue-winged+macaw&showwhat=images&AGE=All&SEX=All&ACT=All&Search=Search&VIEW=All&ORIENTATION=All&RESULTS=24 Blue-winged Macaw photo gallery] VIREO
* [http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/photos/promar5402.jpgPhoto] ; [http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/blue-wingedmacaw.html Aticle & synopsis] arthurgrosset–"South American Birds"
* [http://www.tropicalbirding.com/tripReports/TR_Pant-Amaz-Oct2006/bwmacaw.jpgPhoto-High Res] ; [http://www.tropicalbirding.com/tripReports/TR_Pant-Amaz-Oct2006/TR_Pant-Amaz-Oct2006.html Article] tropicalbirding
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