Red-Shouldered Macaw

Diopsittaca nobilis

The red-shouldered macaw, Diopsittaca nobilis, is a small green macaw from northern South America, where it uses savannas, palm groves, forest edges, and gallery woodland. In aviculture it may be sold under names such as Hahn's macaw, with wording sometimes reflecting subspecies or local usage, so buyers should check scientific names and parentage. It has a long tail, white bare skin around the eye, a heavy dark bill, and the red shoulder patch that gives the species its common name. It is macawlike in voice and personality, but its body size is closer to some conures than to blue-and-gold or green-winged macaws.

Captive birds are kept as companion parrots and in small breeding aviaries, usually from captive-bred stock. Their small size should not be read as low-maintenance; daily activity, chewable wood, foraging puzzles, flight or climbing space, and steady social contact help prevent screaming and feather damage. A balanced parrot diet based on pellets, vegetables, greens, and measured seed or nuts is safer than an all-seed mix. Because these macaws can live for decades and subspecies have been mixed in trade, careful records and realistic noise expectations matter before purchase.