Macaws belong to the family of New World parrots. They are
extremely colorful and are largest in the parrot family. These
birds inhabit the rainforests in Central America, tropical South
America and Mexico. Some of them even live in savannas and
woodlands. They are very intelligent organisms. Macaws are known
to live for hundred years, but on an average they can hit fifty.
Mini macaws live up to thirty years. The lifespan, of a captive
macaw, totally depends on the nutrition and care provided to it.
Although there are many species of macaws, the most popular in
pet trade are scarlet macaws, military macaws, gold and blue
macaws, and hyacinth macaws. Their size can vary from twenty
inches to forty-two inches, which includes their long tail.
Macaws feed on fruits and nuts. They also eat clay, which
neutralizes the effect of poisonous nuts and seeds, which they
eat accidentally. This happens in the wild. In captivity, the
bird can be fed with vegetables, fruits, grains, dry fruits,
nuts, etc. Care should be taken that the total fat shouldn’t
exceed ten percent, as that can be harmful for the bird. They
are also known to chew on objects. Because of their intelligence
and curiosity, they should be monitored constantly. Macaws make
partners for life but the ones that are kept in captivity and
don’t have a mate, usually bond with their owner. They feel the
need of communication and hence, the keeper should talk to the
bird constantly. This is also a technique used for bonding with
the animal. Macaws that aren’t interacted with suffer mentally
and physically. They are not shy to new people. If a stranger is
accompanying the keeper, they do not hesitate to accept the new
face and be friends with them.
Sometimes, macaws have some behavioral problems when kept in
captivity. Because of stress development they start to pluck
their feathers, bite and even scream. They also have a large
beak, which they sometimes use to harm people around them. Their
voices are so loud that they can travel pretty long distances.
Even their vocalizations are very loud and their screeches are
even worse. They can even mimic, but they aren’t as good as the
amazons.
They are extremely playful and active. For this reason their
cage needs to be very big and strong as well. It should be big,
because the bird can move around freely and it should be strong
because the bird is very intelligent and stands a chance of
escaping. They even have strong beak strength. The material used
can be stainless steel and the dimensions should be forty by
forty-eight by sixty inches. The expenditure is usually huge in
building a cage for the bird. The bird is very fond of chewing
things, so the cage can be filled with wood pieces or toys,
which the macaw can chew on. Hanging toys and toys on which the
bird can climb on are also a good choice.
The macaws are considered as an endangered species and five of
the species have become totally extinct. The problem of their
extinction is deforestation and illegal trading. Therefore, in
some states it is legal to sell macaws, which have been born in
captivity only. In other states, they are banned completely.