Psittacus militaris, L.

Green Macaw (Ger., Soldatenarara, rothstirniger Arara, grosser gruner Arara, auch militarischer Arara; Fr., Ara militaire; Dut., Groene Roodvoorhoofd Ara) - Description - Habitat - Talking Capacity - Domestic Character.

The popular name, which is also contained in the Latin appellation given by Linne, is probably due to the peculiar purplish-brown stripes on the cheeks of this bird, bearing some resemblance to a pointed moustache, as well as to its brilliant plumage. It is said to have been mentioned by Garcilasso de la Vega as early as 1609, and was well described and drawn by Edwards in 1747.

It is scarlet on the forehead and front of the head; the top and back of the head are grass-green; the shoulders of pale yellowish olive-green; the hinder part of the back, the rump, and the upper coverts of the tail sky-blue; the quills dark blue, olive green on the inner web, and on the reverse side wholly olive-greenish yellow; the coverts of the primaries and secondaries and the bend of the wing dark blue; the small under coverts of the wing green, the largest olive-greenish yellow; the tail copper-brown, the inner webs edged with olive-yellow, about one third towards the tip blue; the two outermost feathers quite blue, and the reverse side of all tail-feathers olive-greenish yellow; all the rest of the body above and below olive-green; the under coverts of the tail blue; the beak black; eyes greyish-yellow; the bare cheeks are flesh-coloured, with four narrow stripes of purple-brown feathers, which unite to one spot at the under mandible. Medium size, much smaller than the dark blue Arara (length, 24 5/8in. to 30 3/4in.; wings, 13 3/4in. to 16 3/8in.; tail, 12 3/4in. to 16in.).

It is a native of Bolivia as far as the north of Mexico, principally in Columbia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, and Central America. It is found in the low-lying hot plains, as well as in the Andes to an elevation of nearly 12,000ft., and sometimes also in the West Indies and Jamaica, when on its migrations.

Buffon gives no further particulars of it, but Bechstein saw it, with F. Thieme, the dealer, in Waltershausen, and describes it as unusually teachable and talkative : "It at once learnt to repeat everything, called all the children in the house by name, was patient, obedient, lively, and distinguished greatly above the Blue and Red Macaws. It is also more expensive than they, and is considered a greater rarity." It is sometimes seen in the bird shops and at shows; the principal zoological gardens have it, and there it proves very hardy, for in Frankfort-on-the-Maine a Military Macaw has lived for nearly fifteen years. One sits unchained on a stand in the Gardens at Hamburg, and never attempts to fly away. The Military Macaw appears in extraordinarily varied sizes in the shops of the wholesale dealers, and hence it has occurred to men of science to divide it into two varieties. This, however, is of no importance to the amateur, for he can buy a large or small Military Macaw according to his fancy.