Chapter 15 - MACAWS

These are New World birds only, and inhabitants of South and Central America. The large forms are the biggest Psittacine Birds in the world, at least in length, some measur­ing 3 feet. The Kea of New Zealand is more massive in breadth and is a Cockatoo species. The average person doesn't know that there are a number of green species much smaller in size than the ones commonly known. Several all-blue varieties exist also.

Macaws are more likely to be kept just as a pet, so nothing will be mentioned about breeding in captivity. In the wild they nest in hollow tree trunks; or holes in large branches, enlarging the hole with their powerful bills. The same site is used for years. The big species lay two large roundish eggs in a clutch, while the smaller species lay 3 to 4. When brooding, the long tail projects from the nest­ing hole. Their eggs are the size of a Chicken's but rounder. Both cock and hen take turns at incubating, and there are usually two broods per year.

Macaws are conspicuous in flight, as they usually fly high and in pairs, screaming as they go. They may easily be heard a mile away.
Some Macaws make nice talkers, but most of them just say a few words or short sentences. You have to obtain them very young for tutoring. Because of the long tail, they are best kept tethered to a stand instead of in a small cage. The stand should be very strong, with the perch ends capped with metal to withstand the bird's powerful bill. A block of wood or thick piece of a branch should be fastened to the stand with a length of small linked chain so the bird may exercise its bill in playing with it, instead of destroying its perch. If you are able to supply your Macaw with a large wired pen 40 feet or more in length during the summer months, it will obtain some much-needed exercise. Macaws, Parrots and Cockatoos not usually having much opportunity for flying exercise in captivity, require some time to recover full use of their wings if placed in a large flying cage after having been kept more closely confined. They may be compelled to use their wings in a large flight cage by your placing only two perches, one at each end. At each place where the perches are fastened, attach a three-foot diameter sheet metal disk to the sides of the cage, the ends of each perch should be in­serted in the exact center of each disk. This prevents your Psittacine from clambering along the netting from the perch to the ground to feed. Similar treatment should be made from the bottom by erecting a solid 2 or 3 foot wall all around the sides. Your bird won't have any other choice left him but to get his exercise by flying if he is going to move any place in his pen.

Feeding: See chapter "Feeding of Parrots, Macaws and Cockatoos."
Macaws make docile pets, and like Parrots and Cocka­toos enjoy having their head scratched. Naturally they should never be teased or you will make them vicious.

Macaws are sly in the wild. When they plunder a ripen­ing corn field, they post sentinels in the surrounding trees. Their usual loud calls are stilled while feeding unless danger approaches. If that happens, the sentinel gives loud calls, and the whole flock rises and heads for the nearest woods.

Left:   Blue and Gold Macaw.   Named  "General."   Age 43 years.   Right:
Scarlet Macaw named "Mack."   Age about 9 years.   Measures 36 inches
in length.   Owned by Mrs.  E. G. Schary, San Francisco, Calif.

True Macaws are in the genera "Ara," and are differen­tiated from the "Blue" kinds by having a complete bony ring in the skull around the eyes, and in all of them, the lores and cheek areas are devoid of feathers.

SCARLET or the RED and BLUE MACAW (Ara macao). Habitat: Mexico to Brazil. Introduced in Hawaii. 36 inches. Mostly scarlet with blue, red and yellow on the wings. Four middle tail feathers are scarlet, the outer ones blue. Lower back and rump cobalt blue. Upper mandible white with black tip and edges. Lower mandible and feet black. Iris yellowish-white and naked skin cheeks, light yellow.  Sexes alike.

GREEN WINGED OR BLUE AND YELLOW MACAW (Ara ararauna). Habitat: Panama to Paraguay. Head, back, wings and tail, blue. Abdomen, orange-yellow. Sexes alike but cock is larger.  36 inches.

SOUTHERN MILITARY MACAW (Ara militaris) Habi­tat: Mexico to Peru and Bolivia. This species is 27 inches long, and is mainly green with scarlet forehead. Lower back and upper tail-coverts bright blue. The four middle feathers of the tail are brownish-red tipped with blue.

There are three species of "Blue" Macaws here described:

HYACINTHINE MACAWS (Anodorhynchus hyacinthus). Habitat: Central Brazil. This is the largest blue Macaw. Length is from 34" to 36", about 20" being the tail. It is uni­formly cobalt blue in body. Under surface of tail, wings and entire bill black. Naked skin around eyes, and around base of lower mandible bright yellow. This Macaw is different from others, in that it doesn't have a large bare skin area around the face. It is one of the scarcer Macaws and inhabits dense tropical forests.

Instead of building a nest in a tree, it is said to scoop out a burrow in the bank of a river, laying two eggs. Two broods are raised in a season. In the wild, these birds feed mainly on hard Palm Nuts. They are not a pet for the home, as they are noisy, but would be suitable in a home with surrounding acreage.

LEAR'S MACAW (Anodorhynchus leari). Habitat: Brazil. This second all-blue Macaw is similar to the above, but small­er with head and breast duller blue.

GLAUCUS MACAW (Anodorhynchus glaucus). Habitat: Southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. This blue species is still smaller, but grayer in coloring.
There are smaller Macaws more suitable for keeping in a small house or apartment. What are known as SEVERE MACAWS are about the size of a Parrot 12-15 inches. They are mostly green with blue on the head, and under wing-coverts, scarlet.  They are nice talkers. Another one is:
HAHN'S MACAW (Ara n. nobilis). Habitat: Northern South America.

One of the smallest Macaws, 12 inches. Body, green; forehead, blue; under wing-coverts and shoulder (man­tle), scarlet.

Blue and yellow or Green-winged Macaw. (Ara ara-rauna). These brightly colored birds are easy to make friends with if you offer to scratch their head. Macaw owned by the late Wm. Short, Detroit, Mich.

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