Where Do Macaws Come From? Interesting Facts About Macaws

In this post, we answered the question of where do macaws come from and delve a bit deeper into the existence and nature of these beautiful exotic birds.

Where Do Macaws Come From?

Macaws are large, colorful parrots that come from the Amazon rainforest. They can be found throughout Central and South America where they live in the wild or as pets.

Macaws are closely related to parakeets and conures but have a much larger size than either of those birds.

The term macaw is sometimes used interchangeably with other types of large Brazilian parrots like the blue-and-yellow macaw and the hyacinth macaw.

Where Does The Name ‘Macaw’ Come From?

The term macaw is derived from the Tupi-language word ‘makaa‘ which was used to describe a large, blue parrot with a long tail in Brazil where it occurs naturally.

Macaws are members of the genus Anodorhynchus; their closest relatives are the hyacinth macaw and the blue-and-yellow macaw.

Hyacinth macaws are from a different region of Brazil where they where once hunted to near extinction.

In contrast, blue-and-yellow macaws live in Bolivia where they were also protected by an agreement between the United States and several South American countries that banned imports of the bird into the U.S. where it was once a popular pet.

Where Do Macaws Live? Macaw Habitat

Macaws prefer to live near water where they can fish for food; however, there are species of macaw that are adapted to more arid regions where they rely on seeds and nuts as their main source of protein.

Macaws nest in the holes of large trees where they lay 2-4 white eggs; interestingly, macaw chicks will remain with their parents for several years.

Macaws are very social birds where they live in flocks outside of breeding season where they communicate by making loud squawks. Their bright colors serve as a warning to predators and allow them to identify other members of their flocks.

Macaws are arguably the most colorful birds in the world where they sport blue, red, yellow, purple and green feathers.

These colors help them to be more easily spotted when flying through the trees where they are hunted by predators.

How Do Exotic Birds Like Macaws Do In Captivity?

It is not secret that bird owners all over the world, in much colder climates than macaws are used to, love having this exotic bird as a pet. But, how does a tropical bird such as a macaw do in captivity in colder climates?

Quite well, as it turns out. Macaws are very intelligent creatures that can learn to mimic noises and words.

Macaws should only be kept where the temperature is no lower than 60 degrees Fahrenheit; ideally, the temperature where most macaws live in the wild would be best where temperatures range between 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Although macaws do best where the temperature is warm, they can acclimate to colder climates where their owners provide them with plenty of extra heat and a heated nest where they sleep at night.

The diet for macaws in captivity where it is somewhat colder than where they live naturally should consist of 60% pellets that are high in fat; citrus fruits and vegetables paired with nuts are also important parts of the diet where a ripe banana or avocado can be used as treats.

Macaws require miscellaneous foods such as eggs, grasshoppers, crickets and other bugs which can occasionally be given instead of fruit treats.

Supplementing their food with vitamin drops helps to keep them healthy where problems associated with improper diets may include diarrhea and dehydration due to poor nutrition.

Macaws Are Social In Their Natural Environment

Macaws are very social where they should be kept where they can see and interact with other macaws.

Sadly, this is where many people go wrong where they only keep one macaw where the bird becomes depressed from lack of companionship. Owners should provide other pets or members of their family where company for a lonely macaw.

It has been said that keeping more than two of these birds together is too stressful where there may not be enough attention to go around and there will likely be fighting within the flock as well as aggression toward humans in the cage at certain times during the day.

Macaws In The Wild

In the wild, macaws live where there are huge trees where they nest; it is very difficult for this tropical bird to adapt to colder climates outside of their habitat where macaws require warm temperatures in order to ensure their health and longevity.

Macaws Are Endangered In The Wild

Sadly, where the demand for pet macaws has declined where only a few hundred of these birds remain in Bolivia where the species is endangered in the wild.

Found only where Brazil and Peru where another rare species of blue-and-yellow macaw lives, these brightly colored creatures cannot be kept as pets where they no longer exist as part of the natural environment where humans have encroached on their territory.

In captivity, however, many people enjoy keeping these beautiful birds as pets where macaws are indeed cute and loving creatures where they will surely become favorites in no time!

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