Macaw
From Freepedia
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| Image:Macaw-jpatokal.jpg Blue-and-yellow Macaw | ||||||||||
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Ara |
Macaws are large colorful New World parrots, classified into six of the many Psittacidae genera: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Propyrrhura, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca. They are the largest birds in the parrot family in length and wingspan, though the flightless Kakapo is heavier.
Parrots are zygodactyl, like woodpeckers, having 4 toes on each foot – two front and two back.
Their native habitats are the forests, especially rain forests, of Mexico and Central and South America.
Contents |
Status
The majority of macaws are now endangered in the wild. Five species of macaw are already extinct, and Spix's Macaw is now considered to be extinct in the wild. The Glaucous Macaw is also probably extinct, with only two reliable records of sightings in the 20th century. The greatest problems threatening the macaw population are the rapid rate of deforestation and the illegal trapping of birds for the bird trade.
Birds in captivity
Macaws eat nuts and fruit and can destroy trees, so if kept as pets they should be provided with suitable branches to gnaw and chewable toys to play with. They are very intelligent creatures.
Bonding: Macaws have a long life span, claimed as 100 years in the wild and 75 years in captivity. Simply stated, a Macaw as a pet will likely be a companion for life, as some outlive their human keepers. They are monogamous and mate for life. In captivity unmated macaws will bond primarily with one person – their keeper. Pet macaws thrive on frequent interaction, handling and love just as humans do. Lacking this, their mental and physical health will suffer. They are expensive to purchase as well as care for.
Other sub-bondings also take place and most macaws that are subjected to non-aggressive behavior (i.e love) will trust most humans and can be handled even by strangers if someone familiar is within eyeshot of the bird.
Gallery
 Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) |
 Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) |
 Blue-and-yellow Macaws (Ara ararauna) |
 Military Macaw (Ara militaris) |
Species list
- Anodorhynchus
- Anodorhynchus glaucus : Glaucous Macaw Conservation status: Critical
- Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus : Hyacinth Macaw Conservation status: Endangered
- Anodorhynchus leari : Indigo Macaw or Lear's Macaw Conservation status: Critical
- Cyanopsitta
- Cyanopsitta spixii : Little Blue Macaw or Spix's Macaw Conservation status: Critical
- Ara
- Ara ararauna : Blue and Gold Macaw or Blue-and-yellow Macaw
- Ara glaucogularis : Blue-throated Macaw Conservation status: Critical
- Ara militaris : Military Macaw Conservation status: Vulnerable
- Ara ambigua : Buffon's Macaw or Great Green Macaw Conservation status: Vulnerable
- Ara macao : Scarlet Macaw or Aracanga
- Ara chloroptera : Greenwing Macaw or Red-and-green Macaw
- Ara rubrogenys : Red-fronted Macaw Conservation status: Endangered
- Ara severa : Chestnut-fronted Macaw
- Ara atwoodi : Dominican Green-and-Yellow Macaw Conservation status: Extinct (1791)
- Ara erythrocephala : Jamaican Green-and-Yellow Macaw Conservation status: Extinct (early 1800s)
- Ara gossei : Jamaican Red Macaw Conservation status: Extinct (late 1700s)
- Ara guadeloupensis : Lesser Antillean Macaw Conservation status: Extinct (1760)
- Ara tricolor : Cuban Macaw Conservation status: Extinct (1885)
- Orthopsittaca
- Orthopsittaca manilata : Red-bellied Macaw
- Propyrrhura
- Propyrrhura couloni : Blue-headed Macaw
- Propyrrhura maracana : Illiger's Macaw or Blue-winged Macaw Conservation status: Vulnerable
- Propyrrhura auricollis : Golden-collared Macaw
- Diopsittaca
- Diopsittaca nobilis : Red-shouldered Macaw or Hahn's Macaw
Reference
ITIS 177653, 177659
as of 2002-07-15
