Blue and Gold Macaw

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Ara ararauna

CLASSIFICATION

Class:

Aves

Order:

Psittaciformes

Family:

Psittacidae

Genus:

Ara

Species:

ararauna

SIZE

Length:

Male:

34-36 inches

Female:

32-34 inches

Weight:

Male:

2-2 3/4 pounds

Female:

slightly smaller

Wingspan:

Male:

41-45 inches

Female:

slightly smaller

APPEARANCE:

The Blue and Gold Macaw is striking in its appearance due to its beautiful coloration. Its back and upper tail feathers are brilliant blue while the underside of the tail is olive yellow. The forehead feathers are green. The wing feathers are blue with green tips, and the underwing coverts and breast are yellow-orange. The bare facial area is creamy white with several lines made of small black feathers. The beak is gray-black, and the throat is black. The eyes of an adult bird are yellow and its legs are gray.

The young are born featherless; but, at ten weeks, they are covered with feathers and the wings and tail have attained their full length. Baby macaws have black eyes, but the color changes over time from black to gray to white to yellow as an adult bird. At six months, it is hard to distinguish the young from the parents.

RANGE/DISTRIBUTION:

Blue and Gold Macaws are commonly found throughout Mexico, as well as Central America, and the northern parts of South America.

HABITAT/TERRITORY SIZE:

They live in rainforests, high in trees especially along swamps and rivers.

MIGRATION:

Blue and Gold Macaws are non-migratory birds.

DIET:

Although their diet consists mainly of fruits, vegetable matter, seeds, nuts, leaves and bark, Blue and Gold Macaws also feed on small animal life. They will use clay licks as a mineral supplement and to detoxify seeds.

HUNTING METHOD:

Macaws use their beaks as an aid in both eating and as a “third foot” when climbing. Food is obtained using the strong beak that is also used to crush the seeds and to open nuts. They can exert tremendous pressure with their beaks. (They certainly have the strength to remove a finger; but, fortunately, such an occurrence is extremely rare. They usually don’t want to bite hard and typically pinch the handler instead.) Very hard nuts are cracked open after the macaw files down the thickness of the shell in one place using the lower part of the beak. The thick fleshy tongue is used to move the food around.

BREEDING INFORMATION:

Blue and Gold Macaws reach sexual maturity between 3 and 6 years of age. Like other macaws, they are monogamous birds, breeding during the first half of the year. The nest is usually in a hole at the top of a tall dead tree that may previously have been made and used by a woodpecker. The female lays one or two eggs and incubates them for 24-26 days while the male feeds her.

On hatching, the young are blind and almost naked. The eyes open after 7-14 days. At first only the female feeds the young; but, after about a week, the male joins in. The young are fed by the parents’ regurgitation of partially digested vegetable matter.

After the breeding season, Blue and Gold Macaws begin to molt. The molt is gradual and takes place over several months.

BEHAVIOR:

Blue and Gold Macaws are generally seen in pairs but may congregate with others to form flocks of up to 30 birds. Paired birds fly close together with their wings almost touching. They undertake conspicuous daily flights from their roosting sites to scattered feeding grounds, but return to the roosting trees just before sunset by flying high above the forest canopy. Blue and Gold Macaws are extremely wary; and, at the slightest sign of danger, will rise into the air screeching loudly.

Blue and Gold Macaws are extremely intelligent and adaptable and can be taught to do tricks as well as to mimic words. They are very expressive and will show their emotions or intentions by cocking their heads, vocalizing, flashing their eyes (voluntary constriction of the pupils), and blushing. They also use fluffing of the feathers, raising the wings, prancing, bowing, shaking their tail feathers, and head bobbing as forms of communication.

STATUS:

Blue and Gold Macaws are the most popular and readily available of the macaws. They are prized for their beauty and personality and make excellent pets for adults but require a tremendous amount of time.

Blue and Gold Macaws are listed on CITES Appendix 2 indicating they may become rare or endangered if trade is not regulated.

FOLKLORE AND MYTHS:

It is a common myth that macaws will live 75 to 100 years, however, macaws are not as long lived as cockatoos. Their lifespan is typically up to 50 years with breeding age being up to approximately 30-35 years. A 40-year-old macaw shows definite signs of aging, and a 50-year-old macaw is very old.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City Utah, www.hoglezoo.org
Honolulu Zoo, Honolulu, Hawaii, www. honoluluzoo.org
Dr. Susan Clubb, DVM, www.cyberparrots.com
Steve Martin’s Natural Encounters, www.naturalencounters.com