Red-shouldered Macaw
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 Hahn's Macaw
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The Red-shouldered Macaw (Diopsittaca nobilis) also known as the Noble macaw, Long-wing macaw or Hahn's macaw, is the smallest macaw available in the pet trade. These birds range from 30 to 35 centimetres (12 to 14 inches) in length, and have excellent speech mimicry. They are common in the commercial pet trade, but their numbers have been dropping in the wild due to habitat loss. They are not yet considered to be an endangered species, but they are listed in Appendix Two of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species. This status greatly limits the ability to capture or sell wild birds.
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[edit] Description
Like all macaws, D. nobilis has a long narrow tail and a large head. It has bright green feathers on the body, with dark or slate blue feathers on the head just above the beak. The wings and tail have feathers that are bright green above and olive-green below. The leading edges of the wings, especially on the underside, are red. (These red feathers appear at puberty.) Their eyes are orange, and the skin around the eyes is white without feathers, just as in the larger macaws. This bare patch of facial skin is smaller in proportion to the head than the one seen in larger macaws.
[edit] Taxonomy
Diopsittaca nobilis is now considered to comprise three subspecies: Hahn's Macaw, the Noble Macaw and the Long-winged Macaw. The genus Diopsittaca contains only these three forms of the Red-shouldered Macaw. Previously they were listed in genus Ara with the other macaws.
[edit] Speech
Hahn's macaws mimic speech as well as the full-sized macaws: clearly enough to easily understand, but not quite as human-like as an African Grey or a Double-Yellow-Headed Amazon. Their natural vocalizations are more akin to screeches than they are to whistles.
[edit] External links
- Description of Hahn's
- Photos of P. nobilis subspecies
- Macaw Landing Foundation
- AvianWeb - Macaw conservation status
- Explanation of CITES bird regulations
- BirdLife International (2004). Diopsittaca nobilis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 1 August 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern.
