Birds Active during the day

Chestnut-fronted Macaw

Ara severus

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

One of the largest 'mini-macaws,' the Chestnut-fronted Macaw combines the bold personality of its giant cousins with a sleek, agile green body. Look for their signature chestnut forehead and brilliant red underwings as they sweep across the tropical canopy.

0 Sightings

0 Habitats

Quick Identification

straighten

Size

Approximately 45-48 cm (18-19 in) in length; wingspan of 60-70 cm (24-28 in); weight ranges from 300-410g (10.5-14.5 oz).

palette

Colors

Predominantly green plumage with a distinct chestnut-brown patch on the forehead; blue flight feathers and red patches on the underside of the wings; bare white facial patch with fine lines of black feathers.

visibility

Key Features

Dark chestnut-brown patch on the forehead directly above the beak
Bare white facial skin marked by rows of tiny black feathers
Vibrant red 'shoulders' and under-wing coverts visible during flight
Smaller 'mini-macaw' stature with a long, tapering tail

When You’ll See Them

schedule

Activity pattern Active during the day

brightness_5

Peak hours 6-9 AM, 3-6 PM

calendar_month

Season Year-round

restaurant

Diet A varied diet consisting of palm nuts, seeds, fruits, berries, and occasionally flower nectar. They use their powerful hooked beaks to crack hard shells that other birds cannot access.

park

Habitat Open woodlands, forest edges, palm groves, and seasonally flooded savannas; increasingly found in suburban parks and gardens within its range.

Behavior

The Chestnut-fronted Macaw is a highly social and intelligent parrot, often found in pairs or small family groups that merge into larger flocks of up to 100 birds at roosting sites. They are famous for their loud, raucous calls which they use to communicate while flying or foraging. In the wild, they are cautious but can become quite bold when a reliable food source is discovered, often visiting the same trees daily at predictable times.

These macaws are incredibly agile flyers, capable of navigating through dense canopy with ease. While they spend much of their time high in the trees, they are known to descend to ground level or riverbanks to visit clay licks, which help neutralize toxins in their diet. In areas where they have become accustomed to humans, such as suburban edges near tropical forests, they show a remarkable ability to adapt to man-made environments and garden feeders.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

To capture the Chestnut-fronted Macaw on camera, height is your best friend. These birds are naturally arboreal and feel most comfortable at elevated positions. Mount your AI-powered camera at least 10 to 15 feet high, ideally overlooking a known fruiting tree or a high-platform bird feeder. Angle the camera slightly downward to catch the brilliant red under-wing coverts as they land, which is one of their most striking features.

Because these macaws are extremely fast and social, set your camera to 'Burst Mode' or high-frame-rate video. They rarely travel alone, so a single motion trigger often misses the second or third bird following the leader. Using a fast shutter speed setting is crucial to prevent motion blur during their rapid wing beats. Early morning light provides the best opportunity to capture the iridescent blues and greens of their feathers without the harsh midday glare of the tropical sun.

If you are trying to attract them to a backyard setup, use large, sturdy feeders stocked with whole walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds. These macaws are highly intelligent and will quickly learn the schedule of a reliable food source. Position your camera near a 'staging branch'—a bare limb near the feeder where the birds typically land to survey the area before moving in to eat. This often results in the cleanest, most unobstructed portraits.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Chestnut-fronted Macaw.

Military Macaw

Much larger with a bright red forehead patch instead of chestnut, and lacks the fine black feather lines on the face.

Blue-winged Macaw

Smaller with a yellowish-orange belly patch and a blue crown, lacking the chestnut forehead.

Red-bellied Macaw

Distinguished by a yellow facial patch and a visible red patch on the lower abdomen.

Browse all Birds arrow_forward

Frequently Asked Questions

Chestnut-fronted Macaws follow a diurnal schedule, with peak activity occurring shortly after sunrise (6-9 AM) as they leave roosts to forage, and again in the late afternoon (3-6 PM) before returning to their sleeping quarters.

In their native range or Florida, you can attract them with large platform feeders containing high-fat seeds and nuts like sunflower seeds, walnuts, and almonds. Planting native fruiting trees or palms is the most sustainable long-term strategy.

Their diet is primarily composed of seeds, nuts, and fruits. They are particularly fond of palm nuts and will use their strong beaks to strip bark and fruit to reach the nutrient-dense centers.

Yes, they are remarkably adaptable. While they prefer forest edges, they are frequently seen in suburban parks, gardens, and agricultural areas where food-bearing trees are present, especially in Panama and parts of Brazil.

Chestnut-fronted Macaws are significantly smaller (45cm vs 70cm) and have a chestnut-brown patch on the forehead, whereas the Military Macaw has a bright red forehead patch and a much larger, heavier beak.

Record Chestnut-fronted Macaw at your habitat

Connect a camera to start building your own species record — AI identifies every visitor automatically.

Join free Identify a photo