Macaw

Ara
Anodorhynchus
Cyanopsitta
Propyrrhura
Orthopsittaca
Diopsittaca Macaws are large colorful New World parrots, classified into six of the many Psittacidae genera: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Propyrrhura, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca. They are the largest birds in the parrot family in length and wingspan, though the flightless Kakapo is heavier.

Parrots are zygodactyl, like woodpeckers, having 4 toes on each foot – two front and two back.

Species of macaw include the Scarlet Macaw, the Military Macaw , the Yellow-collared Macaw , the Severe Macaw , the Green-winged Macaw, the Hahn Macaw , the Blue-and-yellow Macaw, and the largest macaw, the Hyacinth Macaw.

Their native habitats are the forests, especially rain forests, of Mexico and Central and South America.

Status

Of the seventeen remaining species of macaw, only the Blue-and-yellow Macaw is not endangered in the wild. Five species of macaw 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.

Birds in captivity

Macaws eat nuts and fruit and can destroy trees, so if kept as pets they should be provided with suitable branches to gnaw and chewable toys to play with. They are very intelligent creatures.

Bonding: Macaws have a long life span, claimed as 150 years in the wild and 75 years in captivity. 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, handling and love just as humans do. Lacking this, their mental and physical health will suffer.

Other sub-bondings also take place and most macaws that are subjected to non-aggressive behavior (i.e love) will trust most humans and can be handled even by strangers if someone familiar is within eyeshot of the bird.

Species list

• Anodorhynchus
  • Anodorhynchus glaucus : Glaucous Macaw
  • Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus : Hyacinth Macaw
  • Anodorhynchus leari : Indigo Macaw or Lear's Macaw Conservation status: Critical
• Cyanopsitta
  • Cyanopsitta spixii : Little Blue Macaw or Spix's Macaw Conservation status: Critical
• Ara
  • Ara ararauna : Blue-and-yellow Macaw
  • Ara glaucogularis : Blue-throated Macaw Conservation status: Critical
  • Ara militaris : Military Macaw
  • Ara ambigua : Great Green Macaw Conservation status: Vulnerable
  • Ara macao : Scarlet Macaw or Aracanga
  • Ara chloroptera : Red-and-green Macaw
  • Ara rubrogenys : Red-fronted Macaw Conservation status: Endangered
  • Ara severa : Chestnut-fronted Macaw
  • Ara atwoodi : Dominican Green-and-Yellow Macaw
  • Ara erythrocephala : Jamaican Green-and-Yellow Macaw Conservation status: Extinct (early 1800s)
  • Ara gossei : Jamaican Red Macaw Conservation status: Extinct (late 1700s)
  • Ara guadeloupensis : Lesser Antillean Macaw Conservation status: Extinct (1760)
  • Ara tricolor : Cuban Macaw Conservation status: Extinct (1885)
• Orthopsittaca
  • Orthopsittaca manilata : Red-bellied Macaw
• Propyrrhura
  • Propyrrhura couloni : Blue-headed Macaw
  • Propyrrhura maracana : Illiger's Macaw or Blue-winged Macaw Conservation status: Vulnerable
  • Propyrrhura auricollis : Golden-collared Macaw
• Diopsittaca
  • Diopsittaca nobilis : Red-shouldered Macaw or Hahn's Macaw

Reference

ITIS 177653, 177659
as of 2002-07-15

External links

• DMOZ
• Parrot Preservation Society