What Are Macaws and What Do They like to Do?
What Are Macaws and What Do They like to Do? Macaws are small to large new world parrots, the largest, noisiest and most colorful of all the parrots. They live in the tropical forests of Central and South America. They feed on fruits and nuts, easily splitting them open with their big, powerful beaks.
What do they like to do? Most macaw species like to take baths, and they play in the water as they splash around. Screaming is a natural call for macaws. They do it to make contact with one another, to define territory, and even as part of their play.
The most familiar of these birds is the scarlet macaw, which reaches a length of 1metres (3ft) including its long tail. Large, dark (usually black) beaks, and relatively bare, light colored, medial (facial patch) areas distinguish macaws.
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, toucans and woodpeckers, are zygodactyl, having their first and fourth toes pointing backwards.
Hyacinth macaws have enough strength in their massive beaks to crack a coconut shell. Despite their impressive strength, they are known as the “gentle giants” of the macaw world due to their sweet and affectionate dispositions, especially when raised as hand-fed babies.
Other types of macaws also have powerful and impressive beaks, making them a force to be reckoned with during acts of aggression or bouts of hormonal behavior. This is a major reason why macaws are generally recommended only for those who have experience keeping large parrots.
They have been kept as pets for hundreds of years. These birds are characters, each having different personalities, likes, and dislikes. Due to their size, they can be challenging to care for, but they are loyal companions who are worth the time commitment.
When properly taken care of, some macaw species, such as blue and gold macaws can live for an average of 60 years, and many have been recorded to live for up to 80 years or even more.
Those who are interested in adopting a macaw are strongly cautioned to make sure that they are willing to commit enough time to care for their pet. It is not at all uncommon for these birds to outlive their owners, so make the same provisions for their care as you would for any other dependent.
As many different varieties of macaws as there are naturally, breeders in the pet trade have also been able to make bold and colorful hybrid macaws.
Examples of hybrid macaws include the Catalina macaw, the harlequin macaw, and the Camelot macaw. While these birds have been extraordinarily popular among pet owners, many oppose the breeding of hybrid macaws, since these birds do not occur naturally in the wild.