Macaw Care

Hayley Ayers RVC BSc (hons) CertVNECC APVNES (Avian, Herp)

Macaw Care

Identifying Different Macaw Species

There are many different macaw species in the wild. In captivity the most commonly kept species are scarlet, blue and gold, red and green (commonly called green-winged), and military macaws. Some species are extinct in the wild and therefore illegal to be kept as pets, such as the Spix’s macaw.

Housing

Macaws naturally live in large flocks so will be happiest in a spacious aviary set up outside. Additionally, Macaws are very large birds, therefore the size of the enclosure required is not appropriate for indoor use. If housed indoors, this must only be for sleeping and must be large enough for the bird to stretch its wings in all directions as an absolute minimum.

The aviary should be made of strong, zinc-free, wire mesh with an easily cleanable floor and plenty of room for the birds to fly around. There should be separate flying and sleeping areas, with supplementary heating for the winter, and shade in the summer.

To prevent escape, double security doors should be installed.
To prevent entry from predators, consider digging down and burying the mesh walls of the enclosure partially in the ground.
Perches of varying diameters should be provided at various heights around the enclosure. Sanded perch covers should not be used as they simply abrade the feet and do not keep the nails short.

Household items such tobacco smoke, Teflon from non-stick frying pans, air freshener plug ins, candles and deodorants can lead to irritation of the bird’s respiratory tract and in some cases it can be fatal. These should be removed from the bird’s immediate environment.

Lighting

Ultraviolet lighting is an important requirement for all parrots, and one which is often overlooked. It promotes both natural behaviours and plays an important role in calcium metabolism.
Specific bird lamps are available and have recognised health benefits. A good review of bird lighting can be found on the Arcadia website www.arcadia-bird.com/uv-lighting/.
A bird lamp should be fitted above the cage to reflect light downwards, as a bright light pointing from the side onto the bird can cause eye irritation.

Enrichment

Toys should be rotated to provide novel enrichments rather than offering a lot of toys at once.
Be careful of toys from pet shops – many are flimsy and can be easily destroyed, which may put your bird at risk of ingesting small parts or injuring themselves. Macaws have exceptionally strong beaks therefore standard pet shop toys are often not appropriate to entertain birds.
Providing clean rope, hammocks, strong plastic puzzle balls, and puzzle feeders may be good options for your bird.
Make food fun! Macaws are highly intelligent birds so offering food in a bowl is boring. Feed nuts in the shell; corn on the cob is much more interesting than corn in a bowl; hide food items in scrunched up paper/empty toilet rolls. There are lots of parrot forums to help with ideas.
Always make sure toys and cages are “zinc-free” as zinc poisoning is increasingly seen in captive birds.
Bird radio/tv can also entertain your bird and may be particularly useful if you will be leaving your bird alone for a long period of time.
Free-flight is important in parrots, particularly macaws, and should be provided every day. Wing clipping prevents correct flight which may lead to injuries, can lead to feather damaging behaviours and alters the bird’s natural behaviour, interaction and feeding behaviours, and therefore should always be avoided.
Macaws may enjoy washing under a spray of water, from a hose for example, or a bath. Offer both and see which your bird likes; this acts as a good form of enrichment.
For further advice on behaviour and enrichment: Good Bird Inc (www.goodbirdinc.com). Run by Barbara Heidenreich, an avian behaviourist, the website has lots of tips on parrot behaviour and training.

Feeding

It is important to keep your macaw on a nutrient-balanced diet to ensure good long-term health. The diet recommended by your breeder or pet shop may not always be the most appropriate – if in doubt, speak to a recognised exotic veterinary nurse or vet.
80% of a macaw’s diet should be a commercial pelleted food – a good example is Harrison’s, but there are others available. These diets have a mixture of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grain and protein all mixed in together into pellet form. This stops the birds selecting out their favourite bits and only eating the ingredient they like – this can be observed when offering colourful pellets or a mix of different pellet types.
In addition, you should offer a selection of fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Sprouted seeds can also be fed. Nuts are high in fat so should be used as a training aid or offered as a treat. Suitable fruits and veg to feed include dark leafy greens (broccoli, spinach, kale, dandelion leaves), carrot, green beans, sugar snap peas, peppers, papaya, mango, melon, pomegranate, all in small amounts.
Avoid offering dairy products, tea, coffee, chocolate, avocado and salty or sugary foods as these can be toxic to birds.
Water should always be available both for drinking, and for bathing, which should be changed daily. For a macaw, this may look like a large, shallow planter or plant pot drip tray.

Annual Health Checks

Ensure you are getting your bird checked by a recognised exotic species vet at least once a year. There are several diseases that could affect your bird and it is important to have regular checks to catch these before they progress.
Some disease such as Psittacosis, can be passed from bird to human and can result in severe illness.

In birds, signs can include swollen eyelids, nasal discharge, sneezing, depression, ruffled feathers, weight loss, inappetence, bright green diarrhoea, feather colouration changes and occasionally nervous signs, or even sudden death. In humans the common signs are headaches, neck pain and fever progressing to respiratory infections. It can also cause fatal heart disease.

It is important to ensure excellent hygiene when cleaning and maintaining your bird’s enclosure.