Red - faced Lovebird - Click to Enlarge

Lovebirds can make exceptional pets that enjoy interactions with their owners. They need to be handled daily to stay tame, so plan to spend  a bit of time working with your lovebird to achieve tameness, then continue daily interaction to keep it up.

In taming a lovebird, you will want to start as young a bird as possible. Taming and training should take place right away from the lovebird’s cage. This is because a companion bird lives in its cage and will be territorial. Because you want your bird to continue to be happy in his own environment, you don’t want to invade it and ask him to do behavior he might consider forceful. Let him have his home/cage as a place of peace.

When your lovebird is in his cage, talk to him, and interact with him in a positive way. Drop treats off for him as you go by. Eventually, he should accept threats from your hand. Sing to him, giggle with him, play music for him. Start developing the bond you want to have, one step at a time.

Have a few taming or bonding sessions daily. Take your lovebird out of his cage, or tempt him to come out with a treat. You may need to use a towel perch to get him out of the cage. You may be able to entice him to come out with a treat just outside the cage  - then further and further away. The less traumatic exiting the cage is, the easier your training will be.

In a training session, at first let your lovebird  out with you, and talk to him. Get closer and closer. After a few sessions, start working on Up. Press a stick, ladder or your finger up to your lovebird’s chest, and ask him to Step up, saying “Up” each time he steps on. Do this several times, and reinforce this training daily.

Don’t say “Up” unless your bird is stepping up, and if you do say “Up” make sure he completes the up action. Up is a command you want to be obeyed.

It’s always great to know how to play with your pet. Lovebirds like tearing up paper, and like to be in things. Give him baskets, hay or palm fronds. You lovebird will enjoy riding in a pocket, sitting under your hair or snuggling under your shirt. He will also appreciate a haven in which to hang out, like a tent or soft pocket.

Expect taming to take some time but to be worth it.

Blue fronted Amazon - Click to Enlarge

Amazons are companion parrots that do very well without a feathered friend for company. They thrive on interacting with their humans. The dog and cat, the kinds and their friends, television and radio – being accepted as integral part of a family is what makes these parrots happy.

Amazons do well on a daily structured routine. They know when you are coming  home from work. if they can watch cartoons, listen to the radio, have toys to play with and perhaps a window to see what is happening in the outside world, the will wait for your arrival. They know that you will have some time for them, perhaps share your dinner or watch the evening news. Knowing they are secure in a loving home makes up for absences during the day.

In general Amazons are fantastic talkers, but sometimes we tend to expect too much of them. If you Amazon can say “Hello”, he is capable of human speech.  Some parrots, like people, are born “natural hams” – outgoing, talkative. Others are shy and reserved. Baby Amazons that are going to be those great talkers are usually emoting as early as 12 weeks. If your Amazon is exposed to a variety of music, talking tapes and is stimualted  by your facial expressions to express itself, it will. It can be very frustrating to a proud parrot owner to listen to your beloved pet yak up a storm all day and then when company comes, and you want to show off your bird’s talking talent, it sits like a stuffed bunny gazing off in the distance. The other side of the coin is a bird that never stops talking. Have you ever listened to a parrot repeat “Come here” over and over for hours on end?

Some Amazons may just have nothing to say. They might prefer to sing then talk in sentences. Amazons can sing opera, country and western, but ask them to say “How are you?” and the silence is deafening. Find your Amazon’s special talent, and praise it for the quality that makes it priceless. They all have one.

Amazons need time to expand the excess energy they have built up while you are at work all day. Even a spacious cage with toys is still considered confinement to a parrot. They need to stretch and strut for their chosen person, letting you know how gorgeous they think they are. Examine the coloring on his wings and tail when he flairs. It is spectacular. Nature made him an exhibitionist. Read his body language.  Talk to him gently and let him know how pleased you are to see him. Amazons are full of the zest for life and can be highly emotional. We must learn the virtue of patience when handling them.

Green cheek Conure - Click to Enlarge

Found primarily in Bolivia, the Green-cheeked Conure (Pyrrhura molinae) is known for its quiet, comical nature. Mostly green in color, with a beautiful maroon tail and blue flight feathers, the green cheek is small – only about 26 cm (around 10″).  Their small size makes them ideal pets for people who live in homes where space is limited. But make no mistake, their small body does not mean they have a small personality. Quite the contrary, green cheeks have  fun and entertaining personalities.The love to hand upside down in their cages, hide under the papers, swing from their toys, and dance back and forth on their perches trying their best to get your attention.

A green cheek is very happy playing with toys it its cage when you are away, but you better plan on spending lot of time with it when you come home. Once you pick your green cheek up, it is most happy when  it can ride you your shoulder, preen your hair and eye lashes, and basically spend time with you at whatever you are doing.

Green cheeks are also fearless. They are not  the least bit intimidated by the larger size birds. This can pose some safety issues and, because of that they should never be allowed to be out with larger birds , unless given an undivided attention. Because they don’t have the loud voices of other conures, they make wonderful pets for people who live in apartments or jusn can’t tolerate the loud calls of other birds.

Green cheeks do very well in cages that are 18 by 18 inches square. They do not require the heavy bar spacing of the large parrots. They like little toys with lots of leather, bells and beats. Though not aggressive chewers, it is importantthat they have small pieces of soft wood in their cages at all times.

Green cheeks go through the terrible two’s just like all other birds. They have a tendency to use their beak to test everything from their new toys to your fingers and ears. A gentle “No” and re-derecting them into appropriate play helps to diminish their beaking.

As they mature, the beaking tends to disappear. If properly socialized, these comical birds are great with families. It is important that everyone in the family handle and play with these guys. They do very well with children and other animals.

Can your bird talk?

Most people that own parrots are very used to this question from those first meeting their birds. Talking birds have fascinated people for centuries. Amazons that sing opera, African greys that mimic telephone rings to perfection, are not uncommon.  In fact, many of us are fortunate enough to own one or more of these talking wonders.

Parrots are excellent mimics, and will associate words and sounds with people and situations very appropriately. Although  most parrots have the ability to talk , some species are famous for their broad vocabularies.

This article will focus on the most reliable talking birds, which include African greys, Amazons,  Macaws, Lories, Mynahs, Cockatoos, Quaker parakeets and Conures.

African Greys

Congo African Grey - Click to Enlarge

Timneh Grey Parrot - Click to Enlarge

When someone thinks of a talking parrot, the African grey usually tops the list, and he definitely deserves it. This includes both Congos ( Psittacus erithacus erithacus) and  Timnehs ( Psittacus erithacus timneh). They have the abilities to mimic specific sounds, such as creaking doors, barking dogs, running water, meowing cats and sirens.These sounds can be uttered with amazing accuracy, and anyone unfamiliar with these birds would be shocked to hear the impressive repertoire of a talented grey. Of interest, greys often begin to speak at an older age than their Amazon rivals. A lot of people become disappointed that their grey babies refuse to talk. Have patience! Some domestic greys do not even begin talking until the age of 18 months.Since many people pay  a lot of money specifically for a talking bird, they give up too soon with young greys. When African greys do begin to talk, they usually develop their vocabularies rapidly. Greys learn to imitate specific voices more rapidly than Amazons do. African greys that have lived in homes occupied by both male and female owners will frequently carry on conversations with themselves, alternating between women’s and men’s voices. No other parrot species can top a grey’s whistling ability. That comes naturally to them.

As pets, African greys tend to be rather timid and take longer to acclimate to new surroundings than most parrots. But birds that become comfortable with their owners behave in a very gentle and affectionate manner. They also remain that way upon reaching sexual maturity, which is quite different from some Amazons.

Amazons

Yellow Naped Amazon - Click to Enlarge

Blue Fronted Amazon - Click to Enlarge

Double Yellow Head Amazon - Click to Enlarge

They are one of the most popular pets, and for a good reason. Amazons have beautiful green body feathers, and depending on the species shades of red, yellow, blue, white and lilac also appear on the head and wing . Most Amazon species are capable of becoming good talkers, but some rise above the others in this respect. The top three talking subspecies are the Yellow Nape ( A. ochrocephala  auropalliata ), the Double Yellowhead ( A. ochrocephala oratrix ) and the Blue fronted ( A. aestiva xanthopteryx ). These three can master human speech with great accuracy.

Mynahs

Mynah Bird - Click to Enlarg

Mynah birds are best-known for their fast learning and accurate mimicking abilities. Mynahs will repeat entire sentences they hear over and over with voices that are quite human like. They are extremely lively and active, mynahs like to hop, fly and walk , so they require large cages to allow for proper exercise.

Cockatoos and Macaws

Umbrella Cockatoo - Click to Enlarge

Scarlet Macaw - Click to Enlarge

Although many people may think that large macaws and cockatoos make great talkers, this is not usually the case. They can talk but in a much more limited way. The voices of larger cockatoos and macaws definitely lack the clarity of some other talking parrots. Umbrellas and Moluccans have rather high voices. What cockatoos and macaws lack in talking ability, they make up for in intelligence.You would be hard pressed to find a more intelligent parrot. Their behavior makes this fact obvious. Anyone who has owned one of these birds can tell you what avian geniuses they are. For many of these birds, unlocking cages and learning tricks can be accomplished with ease.

Quaker Parakeets

Quaker Parakeet - Click to Enlarge

These olive-grayish colored birds have outgoing personalities and tend to be somewhat noisy. As far as talking ability, pet Quakers often develop extensive vocabularies. Quakers that do not learn to talk often learn to mimic noises that they hear in their environments. They make lovable, animated companions.

Conures

Sun Conures - Click to Enlarge

The most common conures with a talking ability include nandays, suns, jendays, blue crowns and peach fronts. They are not nearly as good as the African Greys or Amazons but some can develop pretty impressive repertoires. Conures may be noisy birds, and they are not as likely to substitute words for  screams as are larger birds.

Lories and Lorikeets

Red Lory - Click to Enlarge

Rainbow Lorikeet - Click to Enlarge

Many people do not realize that lories and lorikeets often become excellent talkers. They have very colorful plumage and great personalities, and make excellent pets when hand-fed. Baby lories may even begin to pick up words shortly after weaning. Talking lories have clear and very pleasant voices.

Talking is just one of the many exceptional qualities that pet parrots have. Don’t buy a bird simply because you want a talking pet. Parrots should be enjoyed for their intelligence, companionship, beauty and unique personalities. Finding that the bird you own also talks is the icing on the cake.

Hyacinth Macaw

Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus

Hyacinth Macaw

Description: This is an unforgettable bird – entirely deep, rich cobalt blue with a high gloss to the plumage. The under side of the tail is dark grey. A surprising contrast is provided by the yellow skin surround the  eye and bordering the lower mandible; also the tongue is yellow with the tip black. The bill is dark grey, almost black, and the legs are dark grey. The iris is dark brown. In total length, including the long tail, this macaw measures about 100 cm (34″), thus is the longest of all parrots. Weight is 2 kg (4.5 lbs).

In immature birds, the tail is shorter.

Range/Habitat: They origin from southern Brazil, eastern Bolivia and northeastern Paraguay.

This species is seen in pairs or small groups.

It is most numerous in the Mato Grosso.

Its habitat includes forest, swamp, palm groves. Its diet consist of palm and other nuts, fruits and seeds.

Lear’s Macaw

Anodorhychus leari

Lear's Macaw

Description: It is mainly dull cobalt blue, the head and under parts being tinged with green. The inner webs of the primaries, the under wing coverts and under side of the tail are blackish. The tongue is black with a yellow stripe in each side.

Length: 75 cm (29″)

Range/Habitat: Brazil

Its population is believed to be in the region of 100, making it perhaps the most endangered species of parrots.

This macaw has always been an extreme rarity in aviculture.

Glaucous Macaw

Anodorhychus glaucus

Glaucos Macaw

Description: It is greenish blue, more greenish below: the head and neck have a grey tinge and the throat and upper breast are suffused with greyish  brown. The primaries and the under wing coverts, are blackish. The bare skin surrounding the eye is yellow, that at the base of the lower mandible being a paler shade of yellow. The bill is grey -black and the iris is dark brown.

Length: 72 cm (28″)

Range/Habitat: Paraguay, north – eastern Argentina and south – eastern Brazil.

It is most unknown in captivity and nothing has been recorded about it.

Spix’s Macaw

Cyanopsitta spixii

Spix's Macaw

Description: This single member of its genus is very different in appearance from the blue macaws , in fact, from any other macaw. The comparatively small beak an the small area of naked skin on the face- which extends only from the lores to surround the eyes – makes this the least typical of the large macaws. The beak is black an the naked skin is dark grey, which gives prominence to the light yellow iris. Its soft colours are far less eye – catching than those of the members of the Anodorhynchus.

The forehead and ear coverts are grey tinged with blue, the head being otherwise greyish blue. The plumage is dark blue above, lighter blue below. The under side of the tail is dark grey.

Length: 56 cm (22 in).

Immature birds are darker with the tail shorter. The bill is greyish black with horn-coloured markings along the culmen.

Range/Habitat: This extremely rare macaw is on the least known of South American parrots.

It inhabits north – eastern Brazil.

Blue and Gold Macaw

Ara ararauna

Description: This is on of the most magnificent of all parrots.

Rich sky blue above and golden yellow below, it cannot be mistaken for any other macaw. The primaries and tail are a darker shade of blue; the under tail coverts are light sky blue and the under side of the tail is dull yellow, the feathers having dusky edges.

The forehead and forepart of the crown are green, the ear coverts and the sides of the neck are yellow and the feathers of the throat and just below are black. The extensive white skin of the facial area is unfeathered except for several narrow lines of tiny greenish black feathers. The beak is black an the iris is pale yellow. Length: about 85 cm (33 in), one half of which is accounted for by the tail. Weigth: about 1400 g (3 lb). Immature birds resemble adults, except for the dark iris.

Range/Habitat: The Blue and Gold Macaw had an immense range over almost the entire northern part of South America, except the western coast and norther Columbia and northern Venezuela. It is found from Panama, extending to Bolivia.

Caninde ( Blue-Throated ) Macaw

Ara glaucogularis

Blue Throated Macaw

Description: It differs from the Blue and Gold Macaw in th colouration of the area covering part of the cheeks and ear coverts and beneath the throat which is blue instead of black. The smaller area of bare skin adds to the beauty of this macaw. The size is the same or fractionally larger then that of  the Blue and Gold.

Range/Habitat: Bolivia

Military Macaw

Ara militaris militaris

Military Macaws

Description: The head is light green and the wings an back of an olive shade. The throat is brown. There is a bluish tinge on the hind neck and the greater wing covets and the outer edge of the primaries are blue. The lower back , rump  and upper tail coverts are light blue. The tail is maroon, deeply tipped with blue and the under side of the tail and flight feathers is olive-yellow.The large area of bare skin on the cheek is decorated with several narrow lines of black feathers. Bill and legs are grey – black and the iris is yellow. Length: about 70 cm ( 28″).

Immature birds resemble adults but for the duller plumage and dark iris.

Range/Habitat: Mexico, South America

Buffon’s Macaw

Ara m. ambigua

Buffon's Macaw

Description: Buffon’s Macaw differs from the Military principally in its large size – about 85 cm ( 34″) , and yellower shade of green.

Immature birds are less brightly coloured than adults, with indistinct margins of yellowish green on the scapulars and also on the inner secondaries.

Both this race and the Military are easily distinguished from other Macaws by the combination of mainly green plumage and by the small, dense feathers of the forehead.

Range/Habitat: Central America

Red – Fronted Macaw

Ara rubrogenys

Red - Fronted Macw

Description: It is one of the least known of all the parrots of South America. Intermediate in length between the large macaws and the small members of the same genus, often known as dwarf macaws, it measures 60 cm (24″). Its colouration is also distinctive, for it is mainly green    ( of an olive shade whis is closes to that of the Military) enhanced by areas of orange – red. The latter are found on the forehead, crown and a small area behind the eye and on the bend and carpal edge of the wing and the lesser olive green plumage is brightest on the head. Greater under wing coverts and the under side of the tail are olive – yellow. The tail is green above, tipped with blue, and the primaries and their coverts are greyish blue. The naked facial area is small; there are narrow lines of tiny black feathers on the lores. The bare skin around the eye is pink and the iris is orange. Bill and legs are dark grey.

Immature birds have orange confined to the forehead, with pale orange on the lesser wing coverts and the thighs tinged with orange.

Plumage is variable in adult birds so that individuals can be recognized by the marking on the head.

Range/Habitat: South America

They feed on corn and fruits, including cactus fruits. These macaws are usually seen in pairs and groups .

Scarlet Macaw

Ara macao

Scarlet Macaws

Description: This macaw is perhaps the gaudiest of all parrots, yet some individual feathers show the most subtle and unusual colors. This magnificent bird is mainly scarlet; there is a broad band of yellow across the wing formed by the greater and median wing coverts. Part of this area is tinged with green in some birds. The flight feathers are dark blue  and the lower back and rump and upper and under tail coverts are sky blue. The tail is scarlet, tinged with blue at the tip of the central feathers, the outer ones being almost entirely blue. The under side of the wings and tail is orange – red and brownish.

The large area of whitish skin extending from above the eye, across the cheeks and lores to the lower mandible, is transversed by minute lines of red feathers, scarcely visible from a distance. The upper mandible is white, tipped with black on the upper edge; the lower mandible is black. The iris is yellow and the legs are dark grey.

Length: about 85 cm ( 34″). Weight: about 1 kg ( 2.25 lb).

Immature birds have the lower mandible greyish and the iris brown. The tail is shorter. Some birds have more green on the wings than adults.

Range/Habitat: The Scarlet Macaw has a wide range , being found from Mexico south through Central America and Columbia.

The Scarlet macaw is undoubtedly on of the best known of all parrots and had a long captive history.

Green-winged Macaw

Ara chloroptera

Green - Winged Macaw

Description: The Green – winged is easily distinguished from the Scarlet by the lack of yellow in its plumage, its darked shade of red and shorter tail, which results in a slightly disproportional appearance. It is larger, with a larger head and beak. There is considerable variation in the size, some Green-wings being extremely large and almost approaching the Hyacinth in body size. It measures approximately 90 cm (35″) and is the second largest macaw. Weight: about 1500 g (3 lb).

Head, under parts, under wing coverts and part of the mantle are crimson. The wings are green and blue, the median coverts, inner secondaries,tertials and scapulars being green and the secondaries and primaries blue.

Back, rump and upper tail covets, also the under tail covets, are light blue. The tail is dark, also under side of the flight feathers.The otherwise naked facial area is adorned with half a dozen or more prominent lines of very small red feathers. The upper mandible is mainly horn-colored, being black on the upper part of the cutting edge; the lower mandible is black.

Immature birds have the dark areas of the beak paler and the iris brown.

The tail is shorter.

Range/Habitat: The Green-winged Macaw has a wide distribution from Panama over almost the entire tropical region of South America.

This species occurs mainly in humid lowland forest. It sometimes uses cliffs as nesting sites and has been seed digging burrows in cliff faces on river canyons.

Dwarf Macaws

They make extremely attractive pets, being intelligent, affectionate and playful and of a size which is much more convenient for the average house.

Yellow -Collared Macaw

Yellow - Collared Macaw

Description: This bird is intermediately recognized by the yellow collar encircling the hind neck, a feature found  in no other macaw. The forehead, crown and lower cheeks are brownish black and the primaries, primary coverts and carpal edge of the wing are blue.The tail is blue above, brownish red towards the base and olive yellow below, the latter being the color of the under side of the flight feathers.The naked facial area is creamy white and the bill is black, the upper mandible having a light horn-colored tip. The iris is orange.Length 38 cm (16″).Weight: about 250 g ( 8 oz) . Immature birds have fainter and less extensive yellow markings.The colors usually start to change at about three months.

Range/Habitat: Brazil, parts of Bolivia , Paraguay and Argentina.

Severe Macaw

Ara severa

Severe Macaw

Description: This is one of the least distinctive of the macaws; it can be recognized by its chestnut-colored forehead, which has given rise to alternative name Chestnut-fronted Macaw. A prominent feature is the red on the bend of the wing and on the lesser under wing coverts. The head is green; the crown may be blue or tinged with blue.The large area of bare skin on the face is creamy white, decorated with lines of very small black feathers.The feathers on the chin and the margin of the cheeks are chestnut in color. Outer webs of the primaries are dull olive. The tail is reddish brown above with green toward s the base; it is tipped with blue. The under side is pinkish red. Length: about 48 cm (19″).

Range/Habitat: It has an extremely wide distribution over almost the entire norther part of South America.

Among the foods it is known to favor are figs and the seeds of the jabillo tree. It is common over much of its range and tolerates forest clearance well. However , it has declined in Ecuador.

Red – Bellied Macaw

Ara manilata

Red - Bellied Macaw

Description: This species is mainly green with the lower abdomen and ventral area maroon. There is a large area of naked dull yellowish skin on the face. The feathers of the crown are blue with blackish bases; the primaries, primary coverts and outermost greater wing coverts are blue, edged with green. The feathers of the throat and upper breast are edged with pale blue- grey , shading into light greenish yellow on the under parts. The under wing coverts are blue-green, tinged with yellowish or yellow. The rather small beak is black and the iris is dark brown. Upper parts, including the tail, are green; the under side of the tail is olive yellow. Length: about 48 cm (19″). Weight: 280 g (10 oz).

Immature birds have the blackish or brownish feathers on the head.

Range/Habitat: This macaw has a very extensive distribution over norther South America, from Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador to Peru.

Palm swamps are a favored habitat; this macaw is also found in parklands, plantations and savannah county. It feeds extensively on the fruits of mauritia palms. The Red-Bellied Macaw is one of the most abundant in the wild, and rare in captivity, presumably because it is difficult to establish.

Illiger’s Macaw

Ara maracana

Illiger's Macaw

Description: This bird is immediately distinguished by the scarlet forehead and by the patches of red on the abdomen and lower back. The crown is blue and the rest of the head is bluish green. The primaries, primary coverts and the secondaries are blue; some of the upper wing coverts are tinged with blue. The tail feathers are blue, tinged with reddish brown at the base; the under side is olive yellow. Remainder of the plumage is green. The bill is black , the naked facial area is very pale yellow and the iris is reddish brown or dark brown. Length: 43 cm (16.5″). Weight: 250g (9 oz). Immature birds have the red on the forehead paler and less extensive.

Range/Habitat: South America, eastern Brazil, Paraguay, north – eastern Argentina.

Coulon’s Macaw

Ara couloni

Coulon's Macaw

Description: In this species , the head is entirely blue, giving rise to the alternative name of Blue – headed Macaw. The primaries and primary coverts are blue and the secondaries and outermost upper wing coverts are blue edged with green. The tail is maroon above, broadly tipped with blue; under side of flight and tail feathers is dull yellow. Remainder of the plumage is green. The bare facial skin is grey, the bill is black and horn-colored and iris is yellow. Length: 41 cm (16″).

Range/Habitat: Eastern Peru and areas of western Brazil.

Hanh’s Macaw

Ara nobilis nobilis

Hanh's Macaw

Description: This is the most diminutive of the “dwarf ” macaw, smaller  even than several species of conure. It has a small area of naked skin surrounding the eye – but the lores are naked , thus distinguishing it from the conures. It is predominantly green, more yellowish below, with the crown and forehead blue. The carpal edge, bend of the wing and greater under wing coverts are scarlet; under side of tail and flight feathers are yellowish.The naked facial skin is white and the iris is brownish red. Length: 30 cm (12″).

Immature birds have less blue on the head and no red on the bend and carpal edge of the wing.

Range/Habitat: This species has a wide range north of the Amazon in eastern Venezuela, north -eastern Brazil.

It prefers partially open habitats .

Noble Macaw

Ara n. cumanensin

Noble Macaw

Description: The difference between the Noble and Hanh’s Macaw is that the Noble Macaw has the upper mandible pale horn-colored with a black tip. It is also slight larger , being about 34 cm (13″) in length.

Range/Habitat: South of the Amazon, Brazil

Hybrid Macaws

Macaws On Java Tree - Click to Enlarge

Macaws make great pet to anyone who’s ready to commit and devote plenty of time and attention to these birds.

There is no way , you can get away with keeping the bird in the cage , with no play time , just to enjoy the beauty and show off to your friends what an amazing looking , exotic bird you have.  First off, the macaw will not put up with that, they will let you know , by continuous loud screaming  when they are being ignored or feel bored. And you know what, they are not doing anything wrong, not at all. Yes, we all know macaws can be very loud, but a lot of people do not understand that if they are given the quality time they need every day, if they are not hungry or cold, a macaw will not scream.  It is very natural for any bird to be vocal in the morning and evening hours, it is usually 15-30 min at sunrise and same at dawn. Ok , we covered most of the screaming part , now let’s talk about cage, toys and food.

Macaws At Play- Click to Enlarge

You will have to provide your Macaw with a roomy cage, the bigger the better. The bird should be able to easily spread its wings in the cage and have enough room for all the toys, perches and swings. Macaws love to play. At least three toys should be in the cage at all time. You know they are not going to last for long,those big beaks know how to chew and destroy objects in no time. I rotate different sets of toys every couple weeks, 5that way my birds play with the old ones, just like they’ve never played with them before. Birds are just like kids!

Nuts and seeds are a must in the Macaw diet. Of course pellets, fruits and vegetables should also be given to your bird  every day. Change the water at least once daily.

Macaws are very curious birds, and they are also eager to learn new things all the time. They love to perform tricks and take on to  them pretty quickly. Have two learning sessions a day, each one should not be longer then 10-15 min. Reward them with a treat every time they show even a little progress. It is very important to stimulate them and to make it fun for them.

Blue and Gold Macaw On Its Back- Click to Enlarge

Macaws are flock birds, and they should feel as a real member of the family. The more love and respect you give them , the more you will get back in return.