Interesting & Amazing Information On Blue & Yellow Macaw Birds

Blue and yellow macaw belongs to the large group of neo-tropical parrots known as Macaws. Also known as Blue & gold macaw, it is colorful, beautiful and attractive bird with dark blue chin, white face, blue wings and tail, yellow under parts, black beak and a green forehead. The bird is social in nature and mostly remains in groups, though it avoids human contact. Blue & yellow macaw is scientifically known as Ara ararauna and is semi nocturnal. The bird is kept as pet for its attractive appearance and the ability to talk, but requires much space, effort and knowledge on the part of its owner. Though it is categorized under the least concern category of birds by IUCN, it is considered as an endangered species in Trinidad. As pets, macaws can be very loving and bond well with their owners, but they require more effort and patience from their owners, than other pets such as cats or dogs. In the wild, these birds are among most photographed due to their beautiful and bright combination of the colors and are also considered one of most camera-friendly birds. Read on to know all interesting and amazing information about this fascinating bird.

Fast Facts

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Class: Aves

Order: Psittaciformes

Family: Psittacidae

Subfamily: Psittacinae

Tribe: Arini

Genus: Ara

Species: A. ararauna

Height: 76 - 86 cm (29.9 - 33.9 inches)

Weight: 900 - 1300 g (2 - 3 lbs)

Life Span: Upto 60 years

Diet: Herbivores, depe nds on trees for foods and likes to nuts, fruits, seeds, berries

Range: Tropical South America from Trinidad and Venezuela south to Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, and Paraguay

Habitat: Tropical and subtropical forest that grow in swampy ground or rivers

Age of Sexual Maturity: 3 to 4 years of age

Gestation Period: 24 to 28 days

Number of Offspring: 2 to 3

Interesting & Amazing Information On Blue & Yellow Macaw Birds

Blue & yellow macaw prefers to live in dense forests, where it makes its nest in hollowed trees.
The white face of the bird turns light pink when it gets excited.
The beak of this beautiful bird is hard and powerful, which helps it to break open hard seeds and even acts as its third foot, while climbing.
The blue and yellow macaw bird has only one mate, with whom it stays for life.
The mates can be easily recognized in the flying flock, where they are seen flying very close to each other.
Blue and yellow macaw prefers to live in groups of small families. The birds travel long distances together each day, to ensure enough food.
The nest of the bird is made in the hollows of dead trees, where it lays 2 to 3 eggs. The young hatchlings are blind, helpless and featherless at birth.
The care of the young chick is taken by both the mother and the father. However, the parents will only raise the strongest chick.
A young blue and yellow macaw bird learns to find food, while going after older experienced birds.
A young blue and yellow macaw bird becomes capable after 13 weeks of birth, when it is allowed to leave the nest.
The bird is often kept as pet for its beauty and intelligence, but this has brought a dramatic decrease in its number in the wild. The collectors often cut down the trees to take young birds and kill the older ones.
Macaws feed on fruits, nuts and seeds. They are extremely messy eaters!
These birds can fly at a speed of 35 miles per hour.
Both while and through their droppings, macaws let a number seeds to fall on the forest bed, generating forest growth.
Macaws can live up to 80 years.
The chicks stay with their parents for a year, before separating.
Macaws are marked by strong personality traits. In the wild they are aggressive but otherwise, they can be loving, playful and affectionate. At times they can be stubborn, but they are extremely witty. Their learning capacity is that of 3-4 year old human child.
Not all fruits or seeds are healthy for the macaws. Cherries and avocados, for example, are toxic for these birds. Oranges, apples, peanuts, grapes, walnuts and sunflower seeds are among safer foods.
A macaw’s diet needs to be diverse, which means, it cannot survive on seeds only. It needs to have fruits, fresh vegetables and nuts as well.
In the wild macaws assemble in very large flocks. There can be nearly 100 or more birds in one flock!

How to Cite

Facts About Blue And Yellow Macaw

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Society'