Severe (Chestnut-Fronted) Macaw

COMMON NAMES: Severe macaw, chestnut-fronted macaw, Brazilian green macaw

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ara severa severa

ADULT SIZE: 15 to 20 inches, weighing just under 1 pound

LIFE EXPECTANCY: Can be expected to live for up to 30 years, some even longer

In the wild, the severe macaw enjoys forests and habitats of all kinds as long as trees are available. They generally prefer areas that are subject to river flooding. It can be challenging to see them because they enjoy roosting in cavities high up in the trees. Buy Severe Macaw Parrots UK

Severe macaws often congregate at clay licks with a variety of other birds. These clay hills usually caused by erosion along riverbanks are popular spots for many parrots. It’s thought that the clay supplements their diet, protecting against toxins in their food and providing essential minerals.

Temperament

Not bred in captivity as long as other parrots, severe macaws have not been fully domesticated. They continue to exhibit many of their instincts like lunging and screeching. However, when socialized as a young bird, they can become ideal pets.

Severe macaws are also curious. They love puzzles and games and can become enamored by shiny things. Keep your jewelry out of reach; it may get unintentionally damaged.

Speech and Vocalizations

Severe macaws are one of the best talking parrots. Many of these birds can speak with surprising clarity, and their high-pitched voice is quite fun to listen to. They can also develop an extensive vocabulary.

Their vocalizations can be fun and fabulous to display for guests, but this bird can become too much for some owners and their neighbors. It is a very loud bird for its size, and is known to call out in the morning, midday, and sunset. It is best to ignore unwanted screams rather than scold the bird. They’re smart birds, and they will eventually learn right from wrong.

Severe Macaw Colors and Markings

Severe macaws are mostly a shimmery green with dark, chestnut-colored patches on their foreheads and under their beaks. The crown of their head has a patch of iridescent blue feathers, and they bear distinctive red patches on the edges of their wings. The tail feathers are blue with red undersides, which shimmer when they’re in flight.

This species exhibits the classic bare macaw facial patch. This bird also has fine, dark feather lines circling the eyes, which is unique among macaws.

The bird’s beak and feet are gray, and the iris of their eyes is a beautiful yellow-gold. It’s a monomorphic bird, meaning that the males and females are identical. To determine the sex, your bird would require genetic testing or a surgical sexing procedure.

Caring for a Severe Macaw

While severe macaws are known to be very social, all parrots require a certain amount of training to ensure that the bird remains tame. Make sure that you at least two hours to spend with your pet each day.

Without socialization and adequate mental stimulation, severe macaws can grow bored and depressed, which can lead to destructive behavior and stress-related illness.

Another consideration before you commit to this bird is the cost of ownership. In addition to the initial layout for the bird, think about the avian veterinarian bills, high-quality feed, and the accessory costs for a cage, play stand, and toys.

Even for a smaller macaw, this bird needs a cage sized for a large macaw that is at least 5-feet tall and 3-feet wide and 2-feet long. These birds need room to stretch out their wings fully and ample space to move about the cage without hindrance.

Common Health Problems

Severe macaws are a hardy species of macaw. They do not get ill frequently. However, if they were to be exposed to other ill birds, they are susceptible to proventricular dilation disease (macaw wasting disease)3 and psittacosis (chlamydiosis or parrot fever).

The key to a healthy bird is a well-balanced diet, a regular exercise regimen, sanitary housing conditions, uninterrupted sleep at night, and daily socialization with its human flock.

Diet and Nutrition

In the wild, their diet consists of seeds, nuts, fruits, green leafy matter, and flowers. Feed your severe macaw a varied diet consisting of high-quality seed and pellet mix and daily offerings of fresh bird-safe fruits and vegetables.

Each macaw, depending on its size, will eat about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of parrot mix and about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of fruit and vegetables every day. You can feed it once in the morning upon waking and at dusk before it goes to sleep.