It’s time to bid a fond farewell to our friend the green-winged macaw and watch him fly out of the spotlight as our Animal of the Month for April. We hope you enjoyed our tweets @ExoticPetVets throughout the month about these gentle giants. But in case you missed any, here is a summary of our tweets. Did you know?:

• The green-winged macaw (Ara chloropterus) is the second-largest macaw species. The Hyacinth macaw is the largest.
• Adult green-winged macaws are about three feet (90 to 95 cm) in total length from their heads to the ends of their tails.
• Despite their size, an adult green-winged macaw only weighs an average of between two-to-three pounds (about 1-1.4 kg).
• Green-winged macaws are mostly red, but as their name suggests, they have green feathers on their wings.
• Because of their colouration, green-winged macaws are also sometimes called red-and-green macaws.
• In the wild, green-winged macaws are found over a large range of South America.
• Green-winged macaws are considered to be among the most gentle and affectionate of the macaw species.
• Because of their disposition and their size, green-winged macaws are sometimes called “gentle giants.”
• In the wild, green-winged macaws live in large flocks and are very social birds.
• In captivity, green-winged macaws need a lot of daily social interaction and enjoy being included in family routines.
• Green-winged macaws are high-maintenance birds who need plenty of space and aren’t appropriate for all families.
• Green-winged macaws are considered to be among the more intelligent of macaw species.
• While they can talk, green-winged macaws are not well known for their speaking ability.
• Green-winged macaws mostly vocalize through very loud squawks and are not appropriate pets for people annoyed by noise.
• Green-winged macaws love to play and chew with their impressively large beaks.
• Their love and need to chew means green-winged macaws in captivity can be destructive with household items.
• In captivity, green-winged macaws need a constant supply of clean branches and non-toxic toys to keep them entertained.
• In the wild, green-winged macaws eat certain types of clay in a practice known as geophagia.
• Research suggests that wild green-winged macaws will eat some seeds and unripe fruits that are toxic.
• By engaging in geophagia the ingested clay neutralizes the toxins, making the seeds & fruits safe for green-winged macaws.
• The green-winged macaw has a very long life span, averaging between 60 to 80 years.
• It’s not unusual for green-winged macaws in captivity to outlive members of their human families.