Hello my name
is Oscar!

Ara chloropterus

I am a 30 year old Green-Winged Macaw who entered into The Friends of the Aviary's foster program in August of 2024. I was one of the first birds to come into the program, with my friends Sierra, Winston, and Merlin when our owner passed away.

I've had some health concerns that had to be addressed, but I am almost ready for a permanent home!

Taking care of a macaw is a lot of work! All birds require lots of attention and enrichment, but a bird my size needs the most. Green-Winged Macaws like me have very strong beaks. I enjoy cracking pistachios in their shells and chewing up soft and hardwood toys.

Likes

Sitting up on my foster mom's shoulder and licking things.

Dislikes

I'm still not sure what I think about baths!

Fav Foods

Pumpkin seeds and pistachios!

What I Can Say

Hello, Oscar, Bye & Up up up. I like to make more sounds than words.

Friends

I used to live with dogs and now have bird siblings at my foster home!

About Me and Other
Green-Winged Macaws

Green-Winged Macaws are one of the largest companion birds, smaller only to the Hyacinth. They are found throughout Central and South America in tropical forests and savannahs, as well as woodlands and mountain regions. Like many parrots, they are social creatures and are often spotted in pairs up to a group of 12 (and even more when feeding).

When it comes to the age of companion birds, the general rule of thumb is the bigger the bird, the longer they could live. Green-Winged and other macaws are the largest companion birds and can live in most cases about 75 years. The oldest recorded macaw, a Blue & Gold named Charlie the Curser was 114/115 when she died. It was believed that she was owned by Sir Winston Churchill, the UK Prime Minister during WWII, but others say he actually owned an African Grey!

Green-Winged Macaws like me share similar traits to Scarlet Macaws like Sierra. In fact, The Aviary was originally told they were picking up two Scarlet Macaws! My species is slightly larger than a Scarlet, we do not have any of the yellow on our wings that is a distinguishing trait of the Scarlets, and we tend to have more pronounced red lines of feathers on our faces.

According to their IUCN status, Green-Winged Macaws are of Least Concern, but with deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and being killed for their brightly coloured feathers, their numbers are unfortunately decreasing.