Green-winged macaws have a wingspan of 3.5 to 4 feet and have a red head, breast, and shoulders, with green upper wing covert feathers. Their back, rump, and upper- and under- tail coverts are light blue. Their outer flight feathers are dark blue. The area near the eyes is nearly naked with lines of small red feathers. Green-winged macaws have a large, hooked beak for cracking open seeds and nuts and a large, coordinated tongue used to position food.

Green-winged macaws are affected by habitat loss and the pet trade, although laws in recent years have helped. Though some populations are declining, the range of the species is so large that the overall status of the species is difficult to assess. These birds are currently being studied in the wild. Nest boxes made of PVC pipe have been put up in some study areas to increase site availability. Second chicks are being collected and successfully raised to help increase the population. Ecotourism is helping to educate and focus attention on the problems that macaws face.

Listed as of "least concern" on the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources).