1995 Convention Proceedings The Miniature Macaws by Barry Wold Shingle Springs, California

he Red-shouldered Macaw, weighs between 223-345 grams and The feet are flesh colored to pinkish. The T Diopsittaca nobilis, (Ara nobilis­ the male weighs 256-308 grams (8% iris is yellow with an orange-red outer Forshaw) is also known as the Hahn's ounces). It is found in central BraZil, ring. It is 16 in. (41 cm) in length. It is and Noble Macaw. The Hahn's Macaw Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. It is found in eastern Peru, the western is the smallest of the Macaws. It is common both in the wild and aviculture. most part of Brazil and northern most about 12 in. (30 cm) long and weighs The breeding season in the wild begins Bolivia. It is common only in fairly 5% ounces 065 g). The Noble Macaw in December. In aviculture it breeds read­ restricted localities. is slightly larger being 131/2 inches (35 ily, a clutch ofthree to four eggs is nor­ The Chestnut-fronted, Ara severa, cm) long and 67/10 ounce 090 g) in mal, incubation period is 26 days. is also called the Severe Macaw in the weight. The Hahn's is much like the The Uliger's Macaw, Ara maracana, States. There are two sub-species. Ara aratinga conure. The Red-shouldered is the most colorful ofthe available minia­ s. severa is 18 in. (46 cm) long and has a blue forehead and forecrown. The ture Macaws. The forehead is rose red, weighs 307 to 387 grams. Ara s. castanei­ bill is dark gray/black. (The Hahn's frons is 19 in. (48 cm) long and weighs the head, nape and lower cheeks are upper mandible is dark gray/black 1 1 greenish-blue with a darker blue on the 12 /2 to 14 /2 ounces 060-410 g). The while the Noble has a horn colored crown. The bill is black. The body is gen­ Severe is basically green with a naked upper mandible.) The body is generally erally green with red patches on the white cheek patch lined with fine black feathers. The forehead, cheeks and green overall, more yellowish on the lower back and middle abdomen. The lower underparts, the carpal edge bend chin are dark reddish-brown. The crown primaries are blue. The rump is green of the wing and greater under wing­ is washed with blue. The bend and edge tinged with olive. The upperside of coverts are red. The primaries are of the wings are red. The primaries the tail is blue becoming reddish-brown green. The underside of the tail is dull toward the base, the underside is olive­ are blue. The bill and feet are gray-black. olive-yellow. The naked face patch is The upperside of the tail is reddish­ yellow. The naked face patch is pale yel­ white. The feet are dark gray, the iris is brown with a green base and blue low. The feet are yellow. The iris is dark orange. The Red-shouldered is tips, the underside is dark orange-red. orange. It is lW2 in. (43 cm) long and found in large areas ofGuianas and east­ The iris is yellow to orange. The Severe weighs 9 ounces (250-280 g). It is ern Venezuela to southern Brazil, south­ is common to numerous over a large found in BraZil, through Paraguay to eastern Peru and northern Bolivia. In the range from eastern Panama, western north eastern Argentina. It is scarce in wild, the breeding season occurs the wild and in aviculture. Nothing Colombia to eastern Colombia, and between February and May, possibly as has been documented about breeding Venezuela and Ecuador, and eastern Peru late as June. Up to four eggs are laid. in the wild. In aviculture breeding suc­ to northern Bolivia and northwest It is common both in the wild and avi­ cess has been somewhat sporadic. Brazil. Breeding begins inJanuary in the culture. Once a pair produces, it generally con­ wild. It is common in aviculture. Breeding The Yellow-collared Macaw, Ara tinues to do so. A clutch of three eggs commences in late spring, two to three auricollis, is basically a green bird, the is laid and incubated for 26 days. eggs are laid and incubation is 26 days. forehead, crown and ear coverts are The Red-bellied Macaw, Ara mani­ brownish-black. There is a yellow band The Blue-headed, Ara couloni, has lata, is probably the most unusual on the nape. The primaries and primary­ a body that is mostly green overall, looking ofthe small Macaws. The fore­ coverts are blue, the under wing-coverts more yellowish on the underparts. The head and cheeks are greenish-blue. are olive-yellow. The bill is black with forehead, crown and sides ofthe head The body is generally green with an a horn colored tip. The facial skin are blue. The bill is gray-black, becom­ overall olive tinge. The lower abdomen patch is white, the iris is orange. The feet ing horn colored on the culmen and at (between the legs) is reddish-brown. The are pale yellow. The upperside of the the tip of the upper mandible. The primaries are blue, edged with green. tail is blue becoming brownish-red, primaries are blue, edged in green. The upperside of the tail is green, the the underside is olive-yellow. The The tail is blue with a dusky yellow underside is olive-yellow. The naked face length is 15 in. (38 cm) and the female under tail. The facial skin patch is gray. patch is light yellow. The feet are gray, 30 MarchiApril 1996 the bill is black. The iris is dark brown. collared, Illiger's, Blue-headed, Severe, All birds are kept in suspended It is 18/19 in. (48 cm) long and weighs Red-bellied, Cuban and Spix's make cages. The aviary has 10 foot walls. The 10 ounces (290 g). It is distributed over up the miniature Macaws. They range cages hang down two feet from the a large area along the Andes mountains from the smallest 12 in., Hahn's to the rafters and are four feet offofthe floor. in southeast Venezuela, Colombia, Peru largest, 22 in., Spix's Macaw. They are The cages are "L" shaped. Each cage is and Bolivia. It is also found in Trinidad, mostly green in color, with most of 4 ft. high. The long side is 10 ft. long. Guyana, French Guyana, Surinam and the other colors appearing on the head, The narrowest end is 27 in. wide and Brazil. It is common to numerous in the wings, underwings and tail. What they the widest part is 42 in. Each cage has wild but is very skittish and difficult to lack in color they make up for with their two perches, 27 in. and 42 in. The find. Also it has not been attractive to charming personality. Anyone who has boot ofthe "L" is 2 ft. deep. The nest box aviculturists. Breeding begins in February kept a Yellow-collared Macaw can is hung on the outside of the boot in parts of its range to as late as attest to this. The other miniatures are with the entrance hole facing away September in Trinidad and Brazil. It is close behind the yellow-collared in from foot traffic (toward rear wall) for uncommon in aviculture, mainly due to personality. maximum privacy. Two cages form a U the difficulty of acclimatization, fre­ There are many benefits to keeping shape. A solid sheet metal barrier sep­ quently dying without any discernible the miniatures. Miniatures are less arates both the long side ofthe cage and cause. It has bred infrequently in avi­ expensive on the whole than the larger the short nest box area from the adjoin­ culture. It prefers a fairly dark location Macaws. Their smaller size permits ing cages. for a nesting site. Three to five eggs are smaller a cage. Their voice is not as deep, The basic needs are few. Besides shel­ normally laid with a 25 day incubation loud nor carries as far, although, the ter, food and water must be provided. period. smaller Macaws can be quite noisy. Birds should have fresh water daily The Cuban Macaw, Ara tricolor, is Their personality competes with the and more frequently if possible. Germs extinct. Beyond a doubt, it was the larger. They can talk and do tricks, the breed readily in a damp environment. most colorful of the small Macaws. key is patience and early training. Many Most diseases occur because of dirty The overall color was red, paler and handfed babies will be saying one or two water and damp conditions. Therefore more scarlet on the underparts. The words before they are weaned. They are it is imperative that the container and crown tinged with yellow goes from colorful even though their basic color water be kept as clean and fresh as pos­ orange to orange-red down the neck. is green. sible. A variety offoods are fed. Dry seed The rump was blue, the bill blackish with First let me describe my set up. It may should comprise about 40% ofthe total a lighter tip. The primaries were a dark surprise you that they can survive in tem­ diet. I feed a seed mixture that includes blue. The upperside of the tail was peratures as low as 15°F. I live in the sunflower seed, more in the winter red tipped with blue, the underside foothills of the Sierra Nevadas in than in the warm months. The remain­ brownish-red. The face patch was prob­ Northern California. The altitude is der of the diet consists of fruits, veg­ ably white. The feet were brownish. The about 1600 feet. In the seven years I have etables, nuts, cheese, etc. The food iris was yellow. It was 18/19.5 in. (45­ lived here, the highest temperature should be fed daily. I do not use hop­ 50 cm) long. It was found only on the was 116° and the lowest 15°F. We have per type feeders. The fresh fruits and veg­ island ofCuba. The last known bird was had as much as six inches of snow at etables should probably be removed shot in 1864. Several birds were kept by a time. Cold weather arrives about within four hours of being fed. Again zoos but there is no record of any November, with February frequently moisture is the problem. The longer the breeding success. being the coldest month. Warm weath­ moist food is kept with the birds the The Spix's Macaw, Cyanopsitta spixii, er arrives in late April, early May. Hot more bacteria that will be allowed to mul­ is the most endangered ofthe remain­ weather arrives inJuly with the hottest tiply. Dry food could be kept longer but ing small Macaws. There are probably month being August. The weather is by changing it daily I control two 30 or less birds known to exist, none in quite variable; the daily high tempera­ things. First, rodents cannot contaminate the US. For the last five years only one ture can be 90° to lOO°F for as much as the food as easily and second, I feed only male has remained in the wild. Early in a week or two inJanuary or February. the amount I want the birds to consume. 1995 a female was released and the This past spring was unseasonably I am able to control their weight much latest reports indicate the two have cold, as much as 15-20°F below normal. easier. It is far easier to avoid a fat bonded. Fall will be the earliest they will Our rainy season normally begins late bird than it is to get a bird to lose mate. The general plumage is a dull blue October and ends in April averaging 20 weight. I no longer feed sprouted seeds with a faint greenish tint to the breast inches of rain. due to the bacterial problem. After 20 and abdomen. The bare lore and cheeks All the birds are kept in unheated years my veterinarian convinced me that are a dark gray. The underside of the buildings that are open to the ele­ I am contaminating my birds need­ tail and wing-coverts are dark gray. ments. The buildings are garage-like lessly. I just couldn't keep the sprouts The bill is blackish, the iris is pale yel­ structures with no insulation or finish­ germ free by soaking in bleach water low. The feet are gray. It is 22 in. (56 cm) ing on the inside. The roofs have open­ or using calcium propionate. I also do long and weighs 11.5 to 13.5 ounces ings that allow ventilation and, when kept not use additives in the water. Just feel (332-389 g). It is found only in a remote uncovered in the winter, allow the rain the inside of the water bowl a couple area of northeast Brazil. It has bred in in. They have concrete floors. There are ofhours after you have added something aviculture with the latest and most suc­ no windows. There are misters inside to the water. It will already begin to feel cess being in the Philippines. to cool the air and provide humidity. This slimy. The ideal breeding ground for Miniature Macaws belong to the winter we had double our normal rain­ germs. When I want the birds to have family, Ara. The Hahn's, Noble, Yellow- fall and humidity has been a problem. additives in their diet, I mix it into afa wATCHBIRD 31 their wet food, fruits and vegetables. more the individual bird and how it was each breeder kept five pairs, of sepa­ Generally, the birds will eagerly take the raised then a true generalization of all rate blood lines, of the same species additives along with the fruits and veg­ male, handfed birds. Domestic and rather than one pair ofbirds offive dif­ etables once they have acquired a taste certainly handfed birds have lost their ferent species. Five pairs would provide for them. I add a good quality vitamin fear of humans and therefore can a broader base for observing and doc­ every two to three days. I add dry become vicious. I find this true of umenting the traits of each species. A wheat germ at the beginning of the Yellow-collared, seldom with Severes. breeder could expand his collection breeding season. I add dry calcium to First you must start with a pair, a without pairing up related offspring. With hens that have been heavy egg layers female and a male. I strongly suggest one five pair, the loss of one bird or one pair or have a known calcium problem. I have their birds sexed. There are sev­ would not devastate the breeding pro­ have used bee pollen to encourage eral methods available. I recommend sur­ gram. breeding. All this is added to the wet gical, laproscopy, because the results are food and generally ingested. Because the immediate; the sexual maturity can be Record Keeping fruits and vegetables are moist I do determined; the internal organs are Birds need to be identifiable. not have to add additional liquid to get visible; and you can get a general idea Memories are short. Tattoos, open and the additives to stick. If these addi­ of the bird's general condition; some closed bands, DNA and microchips are tives were fed with the dry food, they internal problems can be observed. some of the methods of identifying would remain in the bottom of the There is some risk involved as with all individual birds. You may have to use food dish. If given in the water, the taste surgical procedures. Blood sexing (chro­ more than one type on a bird. The change seems to be more upsetting to mosomes) is less invasive but requires most accurate method of identification the birds and ofcourse the sliminess will more time to get the results. You must is DNA. This is like a fingerprint. No two set in within a couple of hours. I start mail the blood sample to the lab and wait birds are alike. With DNA you can tell with a small amount of wet food and for the results. The advantage ofthis pro­ how closely related your stock is. increase it as the birds consume more cedure is that a young bird can be Unfortunately, with DNA alone, you can­ of it. The amount of food they eat tested much earlier and with less stress not look at the bird and see any exter­ varies by weather, season and breeding than by laproscopy but it tells you nal identifiable characteristics, such as condition. I feed my birds once a day, nothing else about the bird. is it a female or male, or what cage it in the morning, because ofmy personal DNA testing is now available. It is came from, etc. A tattoo in the wing web, schedule. The earlier the better. My unique to the individual bird, a chro­ commonly used for denoting sex, is not birds quiet down only after they have mosome fingerprint. It can be used to ofmuch additional value. Males are tat­ been fed. My wife and the neighbors are ensure that closely related birds are tooed in the right wing web, females in appreciative of my consideration. '1 not bred together. DNA is hard to tin­ the left. You must capture the bird to know of others that feed twice a day. ker with and thus could be used to pos­ examine the tattoo. Tattoos fade over Generally they feed the dry food in the itively identify a bird. It could be used time. Microchips implanted in the breast A.M. and the wet food in the r.M.When to establish a pedigree, much like those need to be read by a scanner. Again, I have the time, I will try feeding twice for dogs, so that championship lines without a band nothing is visible, and a day and observe the results. The could be established, etc. the bird has to be caught up to read the afternoon feeding should be early information from the chip. Open bands enough that the birds have plenty ofday­ Aviculture can be put on adult birds; can be light left to consume the food. Macaws The Cuban Macaw has been extinct placed on the appropriate foot for sex like to eat fairly early and bed down for over 100 years. The Spix's is endan­ identification; can be seen from a dis­ (roost) before it gets too dim. (My gered and rare in aviculture. None are tance. The disadvantage ofopen bands cockatoos stay active and eat later than known to exist in the United States. The is that they can be manipulated; removed the Macaws.) Blue-headed is rare. Blue-headeds have' from one bird and put on another. been kept in the U.S. I am not aware of Closed bands are put on young birds. Breeding any that are currently in the U.S. The Red­ If the appropriate size is used, the Most of the birds available today bellied and Illiger's can be found but band cannot be manipulated after the will be domestic raised. Any wild caught breeding success is somewhat spor­ birds have matured. Bands must have Macaws available for sale will be older adic. The Hahn's, Noble, Yellow-eollared number inscribed on them so the bird birds since imports have been closed for and Severe are common aviary birds with can be traced and matched up with the over two years; exports from Brazil a fair breeding record established. Ten other records you keep. A record keep­ were banned about 10 years ago. or so years ago you could get these ing system should be kept simple. If it Domestic raised birds make good breed­ Macaws for $100 to $150 per bird. is too difficult or time consuming it ing stock taking all things into consid­ Today they are much more expensive won't be kept up. There are data base eration such as parentage, how the but available. Even with a species ofbird software programs available that permit bird was raised, current health, etc. that is still fairly common in the wild and one entry to be posted to several The only drawbacks to domestic raised captivity, there is a need to manage the records. There has not been a lot of breeders are 1) handfed males are species so that our children's children demand, so the software available is alleged to make poor breeders; 2) the will have the benefit ofknowing them. expensive and not as comprehensive as bird can become quite vicious especially There are more than enough exam­ one would like. Record keeping is in a breeding condition. For me the jury ples of plentiful species being deci­ important because your memory will fail is still out on whether handfed males mated to the point of extinction. you. Information that should be record­ make poor breeders. I believe it may be Aviculture would be well served if ed consists of the species of bird, sex,

32 MarchiApril 1996 date of birth, parentage, prior history, making any changes. Unless it is a chicks in the nest. The parents were type ofidentification, cage, mate, breed­ matter oflife or death, you have the time ready to recycle before they had com­ ing record, offspring, sales informa­ to contemplate all ofthe above. You may pleted the current cycle, the eggs and tion, and general history such as any just save yourself some money and a babies had to go, for the next clutch. medication given, problems noted or breeding season. Also, before you What I have given you is what I am unique happenings. A good record implement a change, make sure you currently doing at my ranch at this system will allow you to analyze each understand the complete procedure. I time. Some ofthis may conflict with what bird, its reproductive history and iden­ am reminded ofthe person who heard I have said previously. I do not have tify any trends. a speaker say they used a certain addi­ 100% breeding success. Therefore I tive to bring their birds into breeding con­ still have things to learn. I try to make Network dition. They began using the additive and any changes gradually, so the birds I strongly encourage individuals to were amazed at how successful they can adjust without major shock and become involved in the avian network; were in getting eggs and chicks. so that I can monitor and measure any join a club, subscribe to magazines, Unfortunately they were not told that the effects the changes may have. I do not join a consortium, join a stud book additive should be discontinued after the pretend to have all the answers. By shar­ program and just get to know as many hens were sitting. They had high loss­ ing information we may move closer to aviculturists as possible. Expose your­ es of discarded eggs and bloodied that 1000/0. self to as many viewpoints as possible. + Keep an open mind. Have trusted asso­ ciates you can call on when you have a question or are just puzzled. One can always learn something new that will Lora Parque Foundation Supports be helpful by just listening to others. Listen to others who keep birds differ­ ent from the ones you keep. The per­ Census of son who breeds owls may have the answer to your nesting or territorial Red~tailed problem; softbills may make you aware Amazons in Nature of dietary problems such as iron defi­ ciency; cranes may alert you to the types ofand need for courtship and dis­ play in successful breeding; endan­ The Red-tailed Amazon (Amazona tive with much improved census ob­ gered species will make you aware of brasiliensis) has been a rare bird with servation becoming possible. The DNA and the need for bio diversity; hom­ a restricted wild population for many platforms also provided a good oppor­ bills stress the need for monitoring decades, at the end of the 1980's it tunity to undertake biological obser­ your birds. I have listened to lectures on was estimated that the wild population vation of this species as an additional all of the above and I have come away at that time numbered only 3,000 and benefit. was declining. This species survives with information that I could use or In the beginning of 1995 we re­ raised questions in my mind and got me from a small coastal region of Sao ceived a communication from Pedro to wondering what would happen if I Paulo and adjacent Parana states, in Scherer Neto who asked if the Loro tried that; would it solve the problem Brazil, where it migrates daily be­ Parque Foundation would be willing I am having with whatever? I attend any tween the Atlantic forest feeding areas to fund the costs of two more obser­ lecture that I can. Most ofthem are inter­ and the Mangrove forests which pro.. vation platforms to further aid the cen­ esting and I come away with informa­ vide the roosting and breeding sites sus of the remaining wild population. tion that either I can use or it gets me for this species. We have been happy to provide $1,500 to thinking how I can use or adapt A principle figure in the study of (US) to cover the material costs of the information so that my birds will be the Red-tailed Amazon in the wild has these two additional observation plat­ better off. been Pedro Scherer Neto, who has forms, with the construction being un­ There is a warning I must put here. been working with this species since dertaken by the staff of the Natural Do not change your practice drastical­ 1982. He has been able to establish History Museum. ly just because an "expert" says to do accurate estimates of the remaining this or "never" do that. A lot of thought wild population size by carrying out a The result ofthis project should be should go into any decision before census throughout the habitat of the improved census observation of the changing any procedure you are cur­ species natural distribution. The most Red-tailed Amazon which is regarded rently using. Birds are creatures of effective area to survey the Red-tailed as essential in the future close moni­ habit and can be upset by the slightest Amazon is by undertaking a census of toring of this species. With a local change. God gave us all a brain. We must birds at known overnight roosting education programme already running use it! Listen to what people say, ana­ sites, which Pedro Scherer Neto has and local people being encouraged to lyze it, does it conflict with other infor­ been doing for several years. In 1'994 act as guards for known roosting sites, mation you have received, does it seem he experimented with the building of then it can be hoped that the remaining logical, is it practical, what do I hope to two observation platforms at forest wild population will remain stable and accomplish? After doing all that, sit canopy level close to known roosting can be more closely studied in the next back and wait a couple weeks before sites, the result was extremely effec- few years.•

afa WATCHBIRD 33