Red-bellied Macaw Gallery

Orthopsittaca manilatus

The Birds of the World website offers these introductory words about the Red-bellied Macaw:  The Red-bellied Macaw is a small, green macaw closely associated with the Mauritia palm tree of northern South America. It feeds almost exclusively on the palm’s fruits, and nests in a hole in a dead palm surrounded by water. It may move seasonally in response to the regional availability of palm fruits. This species is widespread, particularly in the low-lying areas where Mauritia palms are common. Unlike many macaws, it has a relatively large population and is not a conservation concern.

I saw and photographed my first Red-bellied Macaws on the afternoon of August 18, 2023 in the Amazon Basin Region of Brazil.  Our small group with Jeff Parker Tours was at Southwild’s Fazenda São Nicolau located on the Juruena River west of Alta Floresta.  Late that afternoon our guide Jesus took us to an area know for nesting Macaws and we spent a couple of hours watching a number of Macaws, including a couple of nesting groups of Red-bellied Macaws.  For a more detailed description of this day, look here at my blog post on my Brazil trip.  Here are some of my photos of these animated birds.