Macaw

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Macaws

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Psittaciformes
Family:	Psittacidae
Subfamily:	Psittacinae
Tribe:	Arini

Genera

Ara
Anodorhynchus
Cyanopsitta
Primolius
Orthopsittaca
Diopsittaca

Macaws are medium to large, often colourful New World parrots. Of the many different Psittacidae genera, (true parrots), six are classifed as macaws: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca. Previously, the members of the genus Primolius were placed in Propyrrhura, but the former is correct as per ICZN rules^[1]. Macaws are native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and formerly the Caribbean. Most species are associated with forest, especially rainforest, but others prefer woodland or savanna-like habitats.

There is no unifying characteristic which differentiates macaws from all other types of parrots. All species have a long tail, but so do conures, and the smallest macaws are no larger than conures. The bare facial patch surrounding the eye and extending to the beak is unique to macaws, but not all species have this. Macaws are known for their impressive size. The largest macaw, the largest parrot in length and wingspan, is the Hyacinth macaw. The heaviest macaw is the Buffon's, although the heaviest parrot is the flightless Kakapo.

Macaws, like other parrots, as well as toucans and woodpeckers, are zygodactyl, having their first and fourth toes pointing backwards.

1 Species in taxonomic order
2 Status
3 Birds in captivity
4 Hybrids
5 Clay licks
6 Gallery
7 References
8 External links

Anodorhynchus
- Anodorhynchus glaucus : Glaucous Macaw
- Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus : Hyacinth Macaw
- Anodorhynchus leari : Indigo Macaw or Lear's Macaw
Cyanopsitta
- Cyanopsitta spixii : Little Blue Macaw or Spix's Macaw
Ara
- Ara ararauna : Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Blue-and-gold Macaw
- Ara glaucogularis : Blue-throated Macaw
- Ara militaris : Military Macaw
- Ara ambiguus : Buffon's Macaw or Great Green Macaw
- Ara macao : Scarlet Macaw or Aracanga
- Ara chloroptera : Green-winged Macaw
- Ara rubrogenys : Red-fronted Macaw
- Ara severa : Chestnut-fronted Macaw or Severe Macaw
- Ara atwoodi : Dominican Green-and-yellow Macaw (extinct)
- Ara erythrocephala : Jamaican Green-and-yellow Macaw (extinct)
- Ara gossei : Jamaican Red Macaw (extinct)
- Ara guadeloupensis : Lesser Antillean Macaw (extinct)
- Ara tricolor : Cuban Red Macaw (extinct)
- Ara autocthones : Saint Croix Macaw^[2] (extinct)
Orthopsittaca
- Orthopsittaca manilata : Red-bellied Macaw
Primolius
- Primolius couloni : Blue-headed Macaw
- Primolius maracana : Illiger's Macaw or Blue-winged Macaw
- Primolius auricollis : Golden-collared Macaw
Diopsittaca
- Diopsittaca nobilis : Red-shouldered Macaw or Hahn's Macaw

The majority of macaws are now endangered in the wild. Six species are already extinct, and Spix's Macaw is now considered to be extinct in the wild. The Glaucous Macaw is also probably extinct, with only two reliable records of sightings in the 20th century. The greatest problems threatening the macaw population are the rapid rate of deforestation and the illegal trapping of birds for the bird trade.

Macaws eat nuts and fruit. They also gnaw and chew on various objects. They show a large amount of intelligence in their behaviour and require constant intellectual stimulation to satisfy their innate curiosity.

Bonding: Macaws have been said to live for up to 100 years; however, an average of 50 years is probably more accurate. The larger macaws may live up to 65 years. They are monogamous and mate for life. In captivity unmated macaws will bond primarily with one person – their keeper. Pet macaws thrive on frequent interaction, and a lack of this can lead to their mental and physical suffering.

Other sub-bondings also take place and most macaws that are subjected to non-aggressive behavior will trust most humans, and can be handled even by strangers if someone familiar is also alongside.

Captive pet macaws sometimes display difficult behavior, the most common being biting, screaming, and feather-plucking. Feather-plucking does not normally occur in the wild, strongly suggesting that it is the result of a neurosis related to life in captivity, though some sources suggest that it is a result of inbreeding in captive populations.

Most pet macaws had ancestors living in the wild just two or three generations ago, and are not truly domesticated by any reasonable definition. (This is unlike, for example, dogs; some estimates put the domestication of dogs as far back as 40,000 years ago.)

All species of macaws have very powerful, large beaks and are capable of causing considerable harm to both children and adults. They tend to be extremely loud: in the wild their voices need to carry over long distances. This makes macaws very demanding birds to keep as a household pet. Additional complications arise from the intelligence levels of macaws and their negative responses to stimuli people generally use on domestic pets.

International trade in Macaws is illegal under the CITES agreement. Only captive-bred birds may be sold as pets.

See also: Bird hybrid

A common trend in recent years is hybridising macaws for the pet trade. Hybrids are typical macaws, with the only difference from true species being their genetics and their colors. Male offspring tend to take on the traits of the mother, and the females take the traits of the father. As for their temperament and behaviour, they seem to inherit traits of both parents.

Aviculturists have reported an over abundance of female blue and gold macaws in captivity, which differs from the general rule with captive macaws and other parrots, where the males are more abundant. This would explain why the blue and gold is the most commonly hybridised macaw, and why the hybridising trend took hold among macaws. Common macaw hybrids include Harlequins (Ara ararauna x chloroptera) and Catalinas (known as Rainbows in Australia, A. ararauna x macao).^[3]

As a number of species of macaws are endangered, it would be beneficial to maintain pure breeding stock of captive macaws to ensure species preservation. Hybridizing dilutes the available gene pool and could hasten a species extinction.

Macaws are known to eat clay, which is believed to work as an antidote to the poisonous seeds they eat.^[4]^[5] The chemicals in the clay mix with the poison allowing it to pass through the bird's digestive system without harming the bird.