Common Names:

Severe Macaw, Chestnut Fronted Macaw.

Scientific Name:

Ara severa severa.

Origin:

Central and South America.

Size:

One of the popular mini-macaw species, the Severe Macaw reaches an average of about 18 inches in length from the beak to the tip of the tail feathers.

Average Lifespan:

A well cared for pet Severe Macaw can be expected to live for up to 30 years, some living even longer.

Temperament:

Friendly and comical, the Severe Macaw's large personality makes it a favorite with bird lovers. With adequate socialization, Severe Macaws bond quickly with their owners, responding well to training and boasting impressive speech abilities. Because these birds need a lot of mental stimulation, potential owners should make sure that they have plenty of free time to spend with their new pet.

Colors:

Severe Macaws are mostly a shimmery green with dark, chestnut patches on their foreheads and under their beaks. The crown of their head boasts a patch of iridescent blue feathers, and they bear distinctive red patches on the edges of their wings. The tailfeathers are blue with red undersides, and they exhibit the classic bare macaw facial patch with fine, dark feather lines circling the eyes.

Feeding:

Like any other pet bird, Severe Macaws must have adequate nutrition to thrive. Feed your Severe Macaw a varied diet consisting of a high quality seed/pellet mix and daily offerings of fresh bird-safe fruits and vegetables to insure meeting dietary requirements.

Exercise:

Severe Macaws might be Mini Macaws -- but they are still built for muscle power. In the wild, a Severe Macaw might fly several hundred miles a day looking for food. Because of this, it's important to provide enough exercise for your pet to maintain a healthy body condition. Pet Severe Macaws should be allowed a minimum of 2-4 hours playtime outside of their cage each day. This will allow the bird to stretch its muscles and exercise its wings and beak.

Severe Macaws as Pets:

Eye-catching and charmingly easy-going, Severe Macaws have exploded in popularity as pets in recent years. The largest of the Mini Macaws, these birds pack a lot of personality into a smaller, easier to care for package.

While Severe Macaws are known to be very social, all parrots require a certain amount of training to insure that the bird remains tame. If you want to adopt a Severe Macaw, the first thing you should do is make sure that you have enough time to spend with your pet each day. Without socialization and adequate mental stimulation, Severe Macaws can grow bored and depressed, leading to destructive behaviors and stress-related illness.

Severe Macaws can be fun pets, but they require time and specialized care that not everyone can provide. Make sure that you are prepared before bringing a Severe Macaw or any other parrot into your home. Think about the costs of owning such a pet -- things like veterinary bills, the costs of high quality feed, and the prices of cages and toys add up. If you can't give your bird the best of everything, consider holding off on adopting one until you can!