All About Macaw Parrots

Intelligent and strong willed friends

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Types

Fast Facts

Videos

Training

Education

Gifts

Stories

The Macaw is the largest of the pet birds and is a very popular pet.

These birds are very intelligent and can learn to talk and learn tricks very easily. You can teach them to wave, play dead, dance, and even somersault. They also love to chew, so you will need to provide them with a lot of toys.

Many bird owners are intimidated by the larger species' strong wills and large beaks. Their beaks are very strong--one bite can lead you to the emergency room. These birds are not good for first-time bird owners. You need to be very experienced with birds in order to keep one of these, somewhat difficult, creatures.

You need to establish stiff boundaries with the larger species right when you bring this bird home. Otherwise, they will learn to scream, bite, or manipulate you in order to suit their needs. These are not meant to be shoulder birds--never let your large Macaw sit on your shoulder! They can become very dominantly aggressive and you do not want those strong beaks so close to your face.

The smaller species are a bit easier to handle, but they still like to challenge you and keep you on your toes.

If you are an experienced bird owner and are prepared to handle bites from large beaks, sometimes replacing toys every week, spending a lot of time with your bird, training your bird to keep his mind active, and spending a lot of time setting clear boundaries, then these might be the right birds for you.

Macaw Species

Mini-Macaws
Hahn's	Illiger's	Severe	Golden-Collared

Macaws
Blue & Gold	Blue-Throated	Green-Winged	Hyacinth

Military	Red-Fronted	Scarlet

Fast Facts

Name

Macaw (Ara)

Origin

Central and South America

Size

12-36 in., depending on subspecies

Color Differences

They can range in color, from green, to red and green, red and yellow, blue, and blue and gold.

Average Cost

$900-4,000+

Lifespan

50 years on average

Noise

Loud--some can scream as loud as 105 decibels.

Living Arrangements

Because of their vocal abilities, size, and the size needed for their cages and other accessories, these birds are best kept in a house.

Qualities

Intelligence of a 3-8 year old child, emotional range of a 2 year old child, may throw tantrums to get attention, great sense of humor, can tease you and other members of your family (including other pets), require a lot of attention, can be very demanding, need to be kept busy with attention, toys, and training, love to chew, love showers, some species are good family birds, some are prone to becoming one-person birds, some are described as clownish, energetic, playful, like to roughhouse, some can be nippy and aggressive, some love to cuddle.

Abilities

Excellent--they can learn to talk and learn tricks.

Interaction/Time Requirements

High--These birds do need a lot of attention and will scream and become very aggressive if they don't get the attention and time from you that they need.

Diet

Mini species need a diet for large birds and large species need a diet for x-large birds.

Supplies Needed

Mini species need supplies for large birds and large species need supplies for x-large birds.

See How Macaws Compare to Other Types of Pet Birds!

Macaw Videos
"Hahn's Macaw talking I"
Video by natla22 This is a great video of a Hahn's Macaw that shows just how much personality the Mini-Macaws can have. They really are a lot of fun.
"Kona and Rio : take 2"
Video by phoenixstudios22 This is a great video of a Blue-and-Gold and Greenwing Macaw. It shows just how fun, comical, and playful Macaws can be.
"Cuddly Hyacinth Macaw"
Video by DaveWomach This is a great video that shows that Macaws can be affectionate and cuddly too.

Macaw Training

Macaws can be very aggressive at times, so it is important to train them correctly right from the beginning. They need to be taught clear boundaries so they will learn not to bite. Macaws can be fantastic companions. They are caring, loving, and they can become very attached. However, if not properly trained, they can become biters very quickly.

For this reason, we highly recommend that you find an effective training program for your Macaw. Whether your Macaw is new to your home or you've had him for years, a training program will always come in handy. We personally recommend the Bird Tricks Parrot Training Course by Chet Womach. You can see many of his videos for free to get an idea of how much he knows about parrots and how he can help you train yours.

Below is one of Chet's videos that covers the first step to stopping your Macaw's biting. This video is a great example of how effective the training courses can be and how they are filled with a wealth of useful information for any bird owner. This video is only the first step in getting your bird to stop biting. We highly recommend checking out Chet's curriculum for taming your Macaw even further.

For more information about Chet's course, you can visit the Bird Tricks webpage here.

Macaw Education

Macaw Gifts
Here are some fun gifts for the Macaw lover in your life. And if you are a Macaw lover, then these are some fun items to show your pride. You know you want to!

Macaw Stories

Have A Great Story About Your Macaw?

Share your experience with others! There's no better way to learn about a pet bird than from an owner.

Some helpful information for potential owners can be: What is the species of your bird? Is he/she friendly? Loving? Cuddly? Talented? Messy? Loud? You get the idea!

Your story may just help someone decide whether or not this pet bird is for them.

Enter Your Title

Click here to see the rest of the form and complete your story.

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