The chestnut-fronted macaw or severe macaw is one of the largest of the mini-macaws. It reaches a size of around 45 cm (18 in) of which around half is the length of the tail.
Region
Northern South America
Typical Environment
Found from eastern Panama through northern South America, including Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and much of the Amazon Basin of Brazil, as well as eastern Ecuador, northern Peru, and northern Bolivia. It frequents riverine and gallery forests, forest edges, and tall secondary growth, and is often seen along seasonally flooded várzea. The species also uses savannas with scattered trees and palm groves. It favors canopy and edge habitats where fruiting trees are abundant.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Also called the severe macaw, it is among the largest of the mini-macaws, reaching about 45 cm in length with a long tail. Highly intelligent and loud, it often forms strong pair bonds and can live for decades. It frequently visits riverbank clay licks to ingest minerals that help neutralize plant toxins. Its powerful bill can crack hard nuts and seeds with ease.
In northeastern Ecuador showing red on underside of tail
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
strong flier with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small flocks, sometimes forming larger groups at feeding or roosting sites. It is monogamous, nesting in tree cavities, often high above ground. Clutches are small and both parents tend the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are loud, harsh screeches and squawks that carry over long distances. Within flocks, it also gives shorter chatter and contact calls.
Plumage
Mostly rich green with a distinct chestnut-brown patch on the forehead and lores; blue hues on the wings and tail with reddish tones at the wing bend.
Diet
Feeds primarily on fruits, seeds, nuts, and berries, including palm fruits. It may take blossoms and leaf buds and occasionally visits agricultural crops. Regular visits to mineral-rich clay licks help detoxify compounds from unripe seeds and fruits.
Preferred Environment
Forages high in the canopy and along forest edges, especially in fruiting trees. Frequently uses river corridors and seasonally flooded forests where food sources are concentrated.
