Macaws Character and Personality

As with everything there is always by William Hors field the exception hut on the whole Amazona Endangered Parrot Breeding Facility would recommend the Scarlets Assagay NataQl South Africa not as pets or companion birds They are not

nestsite generally as trustworthy as the Taxonomy destwction poor availability handraised Blue and here are three probable sub trapping for the avicultural trade and for Greenwinged or

Gold and can he at species of the Scarlet Macaw local household pets as well as hunting absolutely spiteful although only two are recog for the pot and for feathers for tradi times

Some to their defense at nized at this stage Ara rnacao macao tional Indian ceremonial dress all have may jump this hut those who have had and Ara macan ptera The three contributed to the rapid decline in num accusation the to have number of are visually distinguished by their dif hers of this macaw It is now extinct or opportunity the macaws as will that ferent wing patterns critically endangered in much of its for large pets agree the Scarlet does not rate on Most commonly seen in captivity is mer Central American range and only very highly with wide band of the stakes devoted the variety very reasonably common in the remote loyalty Many own ers have had sudden yellow on the wing and navy blue areas far away from human distur nonvoluntary reconstwctive perimeter and secondary flight feath bance Conservation initiative in Carara painful procedures nor have the nose and ears ers These birds more orange Biological Reserve CBR Costa Rica mally involving lips Give handraised red body coloration which fades in involves education programs for local me Greenwing any The inferior surface of have clients whose four old intense sunlight communities visitors and guards corn day year

and feath kids the Scarlets around in the primary secondary flight munity development with ecotourism push prams and under the ers have red midlines with yellow promotion and ongoing intensive hio who play houseyhousey duvet with them for outer edges logical study hours on end all

second has very deep red Anyone with serious interest in with total immunity from the massive

colour which is more colour fast and the macaws should do themselves mandible Scarlets are uncannily like

red cat in that remains These have emerald favor and buy the superb definitive your average way friendly green on the wing coverts in addition hook titled The Large Macaws cited in when it most suits them With bonded to yellow with navy primary and sec the references at the end of this article adult pairs there is the bond as with ondary flight feathers from distance Scarlets often are found in large always strong seen

this second shows almost mixed flocks of Blue and Golds and the other macaws hut there are type no yel pen odic low on the wing The inferior surface Green wingeds out of the breeding arguments Again this varies from of the feathers red These to and handraised are flight are season large groups provide pair pair pairs

third bird with to this trait than is much larger whose tourists lifelong memories as they more prone parent raised There are bouts of bicker navy blue flight feathers are replaced by fly down to the clay river banks in pairs

blue These have blue that can turn into full scale war at royal royal on dazzling display of rainbow colors It is ing the attention the lower portion of their yellow wing thought that in eating the clay from slightest provocation Any In research done Raintree from the can cause instant coverts at these river banks they detoxify the keeper jeal

Macaws in California in the USA this toxins found in some of the unripened ousy and often the result is scrap

type of Scarlet was found to he longer fwits in their diets Serious injury is uncommon hut quite few of than any other macaw including the read recent posting on the my more temperamental pairs lose few Hyacinth Photographs of my birds of Internet from Dr Donald Brightsmith occasionally feathers in

this this article and these domestic Minimal type accompany are Duke University Durham NC He is squabbles

interference from the is advis all progeny of birds originally imported soon to he heading into the field again keeper able for these volatile into South Africa from Nicaragua in Costa Rica to hang artificial nests for pairs and avoid contact and not the group of recently released Central ing eye talking to Distribution birds American Scadet Macaws in the Cuw certainly does help Costa Rica Panama the Pacific It is also Refuge on Coast is hoped Lifelong pair loyalty ques and north and east Columbia east with that this released group will form anoth leh Scarlets My best breed Venezuela and the Guianas to through male fell in love with er self sustaining population of this ing madly very Central Brazil and Squth to Ecuador endangered subspecies of Scarlet young hen placed in the adjacent east Pew and north east Bolivia and turned his of Donations to this project and the other aviary on mate many south east with outstanding work that he is doing must years surprising rage apparently Mexico to Nicaragua surely he one way in which aviculturists determined to trade her in on the model The distraction Status and Conservation the world over can play decisive role younger young

Scarlet Macaws were listed on CIThS in supporting the preservation of these was quickly moved to another aviary the old male Appendix on Aug 1985 Habitat magnificent creatures whereupon appeared

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HARIS WEB SITE Smaller Consumer Sizes Also mhagen Available after as if to us tails These the totally heartbroken Only pro approaches hurry along magnificent tails being

Alarm calls raucous Wild Ibis of all the must longed sulking did he reluctantly are flying longest large macaws return to his faithful spouse He now overhead seem to particularly annoy he lifted when the bird turns around

appears as devoted to her as before them and the Scadets will set off deaf on perch Youngsters always drag

and they have successfully bred ening racket Raptors on the other their tails over perch initially and as

instill immediate silence in of mature learn bend for number of times again so the possi hand any they they to

lift tail of birds will ward and their so that it hility original incompatibility seems my screaming and they over observe the does not touch the slight Amusingly pair of the origi silently raptors movement perch

while still These also nally imported birds from Nicaragua keeping very youngsters seem to still yells Hoa Hoa Hello in feed my flock three times day derive great pleasure from chewing

and because these their well of Spanish when they are excited times become own tails as as those their

Despite these disputes the Scarlets routine for them they invariably are aviary companions They often do this

are not difficult to breed They mature more vocal at the anticipated feeding at some point in their first year and with rapidly and can breed from three to time Pairs large clutches in the sometimes take another year to grow

four of birds nest their softfood out of the habit It does years age Younger paired get replaced as annoying not to older proven birds will breed the needed throughout the day help to pull the broken feathers out so

fastest Having said that there are many If stressed by something like seeing that they can regrow because they will

have other birds for veteri them off One either pairs that taken six to 10 years to being caught up just nip again must breed This delay in onset of breeding nary inspections they will often hang separate the culprits or simply wait for

well have do with from the roof of the the of them lose the habit distrac may something to aviary by tip to Ample poor socialization and lack of exposure their beak and let their whole body tions are the best way to keep them to adult birds and breeding behaviors at hang while making small flapping occupied and if they are busy they

when with their time this finer tuning aspect of movements wings They only hopefully will not chew feathers Fresh extend aviculture was largely overlooked This the wings very slightly in this fruit tree branches sugar cane coconut has now been proven to he of enor posture Another unusual posture of the shells palm nuts pine cones and safe

benefit bird is with commercial mous to future breeding success agitated to hang its body parrot swings and toys are and head and young birds that are initially kept in between its legs as if it is all healthy boredom relievers small groups or flocks and that have about to do pullup This postuie is

often done after visible access to breeding pairs during reversing into corner Diet their formative months and years cer of the aviary ceiling Another stress There are number of commercial

is lie almost flat tainly are at an advantage pose simply to on the diet options available these days for

Scarlets are sociable out of the perch with head low and make small parrots In South Africa many of the

breeding season and will benefit from flapping movements with both wings overseas diets are now available similar the being placed in large community to hanging stress posture although they are very expensive due

Initial hut Of all the in South the flight squabbles may occur macaws Africa to exchange rate Everyone seems the settle and Scarlets he pairs soon down as long seem to slightly more to have their own opinion as to the there food feather as are enough and water sta prone to plucking than the finer points of their nutrition regime there should he serious other The tions no fight large macaws Culprits may decision to take with regards diet

This their chest ing is an excellent way to allow pluck right to the down is basically whether the traditional the birds to exercise and the whole and breeding get covering or go hog just mixed seeds nuts fruits and vegeta

for about into peak condition the next breed strip everything they can reach bles is to he followed or the exclusive

ing season am going to build free Adult birds that pluck do not normally pelleted or extruded diets or even their flight macaw aviary approximately 35m chew wing and tail feathers combination of both

8m 115 26 16 Plucked feathers are either nipped off At Amazona Farm the Scarlet at the end of this breeding season and at the shaft or shredded along the Macaws are fed varied traditional

will allow the shaft The larger macaws to flock abdomen and back are diet Pecan nuts are readily available

together out of season commonly Feather pickers in South Africa and we cut these in

As birds will also often do the their mentioned young same to mate and half with pair of garden shears to benefit enormously from being allowed the scruffiest bird often with no feath check that they are not mouldy inside

to interact in this flock situation and if ers on the head is the unlucky inno Pumpkin seeds are relished and are funds there cent This space and permit is no bet party would probably he included in the mixed seed mix ter to ones birds result of of envi which has base of way enjoy pair incompatibility or good quality Scadet ronmental factors that the macaws are not particulady are upsetting striped sunflower and birds noisy besides the loud eady morn Due to the multitude of reasons Fresh vegetables and fruit are offered

that their ing and evening calls are not likely to parrots pluck feathers expert daily depending on what is in season

annoy any reasonable person My pairs advice is best sought in this regard and are mixed with the Aviplus Parrot Central will call loudly for their food when Young American Scarlets soft food All types of melons are

feeding youngsters as the feeding time must learn how to handle their lung cnjoyed by the Scarlets who tip their

26 NovemberDecember 2000 return to their and for this reason heads back to get the last bit of juice as often does and the day you find your aviary

are sometimes kept at liberty and they do with grapes Melons are cubed bird hanging needlessly dead in the they even are allowed to free This should and fed with the skin Generally the aviary will he very sad day indeed fly and red only he allowed in areas where there is dark green orange vegetables Macaws need to exercise and fly and less threat from like overhead are fed Broccoli spinach green peas the Scarlet should he housed in an dangers and the more and beans celery and then beetroot aviary where both birds can fly at the cables predators only

like Blue and Golds red peppers pepperdews chilis same time without the wings of either common species should he allowed free breed oranges pawpaw carrots pumpkins touching each other or the sides of the to fly of Scarlets to and sweet potato The sweet potatoes aviary Any aviary 18m wide Sm long ing pair belonging

flew in their are cooked in the microwave to break 2m high 165 66 friend never once very hut took to the down the starch or larger will be ideal The narrower large aviary eagerly added the skies on their accidental and Kaytee pellets are to widths will only allow one bird to fly at escape made before mixed variety of boiled peas and time Scarlets will breed in much many spectacular flypasts

beans that are fed at midday and this smaller aviaries hut in order for them to being recaptured some days later to

of soaked immense reliefi is mixed into variety sun maintain optimum health and fitness everyones

there is substitute for client of mine allowed his Scarlets flower barley wheat oats and no ample flight

his sorghum The soaked seeds are only space Suspended aviaries are not suit to roam free around farmhouse in left to soak overnight in warm weath able in my opinion unless they have Balgowan in KZN only to have them

er so that the seed basically just swells the same flight space and this is usually killed by wild genet cats at night He up hut isnt all roots and shoots not cost effective We have plenty of was understandably upset and pur

Fungal inhibitors are used in the soak space and labor in South Africa and chased another pair promising to keep

and rinsed off well before small for them in his but lost them to ing process hanging cages large macaws large aviary

Affordable is after for them feeding Spirulina now are the lazy mans option cats again feeling sorry and them Needless produced in South Africa and being use UK Twilweld postgalvanized letting out to say

firm believer in have welded he is an client is phytonutrients mesh with an aperture of ex Sentimentality

started to include this in the soft food has often hurdle when it comes to 25mm 25mm larger aperture great

ration Pasta rice cheese scrambled the disadvantage of allowing scaveng successfully breeding parrots and what

lean chicken and other tit humans like egg breast ing feral birds and rodents entry into we as may to think is

bits the old fashioned the which disease often not in the best interests of the including very aviary may carry and often frowned birds themselves upon wholegrain and parasites use wire diameter of milk fed bread soaked in are as occa 25mm Scarlets are not generally wire

sional treats chewers like the Buffons Green Breeding

Garden flowers hottlebrush cape wingeds and Hyacinths can he hut Seasonal

there Scarlets breed at time of the honeysuckle cigarette hush mar are always exceptions and it is may any

malade hush pentas and berries in certainly better to he safe than sorry year hut are usually reasonably season

season nandina cotoneaster privet recently heard that there have al in South Africa Individual pairs will

various palm nuts especially been many cases of lead poisoning of often go down at approximately the and and that purn osa dates sugar cane macaws tend tu lick wire when it same time each year However they and selected fresh Napier grass is damp in the UK in aviaries where may occasionally he late in comparison branches from trees wire scrubbed fruiting mulberry new was not properly to previous years and even skip breed

loquat plum peach are given daily down and allowed to naturally oxidize ing altogether in other years With fac

depending on availability for period outdoors tors like diet having been kept relative

and this still Escaped macaws will commonly ly constant occurring the Aviary Design

It must always he remembered that

any loose piece of wire in any cage is PARROT BANDS COCKATIEL BANDS LOVEBIRD BANDS PARAKEET BANDS Since death trap for close handed parrot CANARY BANDS FINCH BANDS STAINLESS STEEL FEEDING NEEDLES 1978 Use Vshaped perch holders to ALL SIZES PLASTIC BANDS FEEDING SYRINGES CLAW SCISSORS secure perches instead of tying with BAND CUTFERS PWEflES NETS wire and make sure that any wire used

on the main aviary framework is

clipped short with sidecutter and

bent flat the frame against Somehow Send self addressed stampS

for brochure the birds manage to get these offend envelope

of wire underneath their ing pieces Bird Leg Bands and die slow and terrifying rings PO Box 2943 San Bernardino CA 92406 Dept AF death through hanging It may seem Phone 909 8824649 Fax 909 8825231

N1onda thru 800 400 Email lmbirdearthlinknet it Friday am to Pacific Time terribly unlikely to happen hut so pm

the afaWATCHBIRD 27 climate is usually the deciding factor GRENADE cyhalothrin per the bird insofar as having to either draw

There is that the blood at late an interesting theory litre water to kill any mites lice biting stage or perform an

cells that This information lowpressure accompany flies that may he in the nests Infested endoscopy procedure

frontal weather systems are actually birds may even he dipped in this solu obviously comes in very handy when major breeding stimulant for many tion although degree of resistance available this early The same can he done for chicks species Thunderstorm activity certainly has developed to the pyrethroids hatching in the nest hut

does excite my birds and they breed was recently advised by my specialist careful monitoring needs to he under locally during this stormy season avian vet that he has used FRONT taken in order to avoid mismatch of

Some years many macaws are bred LINE fipronil dog and cat flea reme eggshell and chick certain while elsewhere Brooder decreased by breeders dy very successfully as an external par temperature is in the few bred This often country are asitic control on birds This product by approximately 02C per day hut

corresponds to drought and rainfall fig interferes with the development of the varies with individual chicks The fact that in the wild feed hatched ures many exoskeleton of the insect and is safe to newly chicks on macaws often breed formula for three to large only on use as spray on infested birds Kaytee Macaw

alternate still four weeks and then them years because they are use flat golfhall sized eucalyptus change

flying with youngsters from the previ chips as nesting substrate for the over to AVIPLUS PREMIUM until

ous season may also contribute to Scadets which they chew into smaller weaning at 1214 weeks Scadet them skipping season in captivity pieces Certain pairs chew these into neonates are characteristical vocal and have feed narrow pieces and other pairs chew ly very strong

First Time Parents them almost into fine sawdust Both ing response and care must he taken

birds breed adults will their house when are fed not to Captivebred readily actively get in they being dam

whether parent raised or handraised order and then the hen will disappear age the soft tissues in the mouth and

throat will Parent raised birds might have an edge for up to week before the first egg is They easily grah and swal handraised birds in laid The low and should he fed on my opinion archangel wing display is teaspoon

unless the handraised birds with dessert if this were well threat posture exhibited by birds in spoon method is

socialized It takes used Plastic attached as youngsters expe breeding condition and also is an indi tubing to of catheter also be rience to become good parent and cation strong paircompatibility tipped syringes can off and swallowed If tube the first attempts at breeding may he when synchronized ie when both pulled

disappointing for the keeper hut the birds display together feeding always make sure the tube is hack the birds soon will get the hang of things It long enough to pull out

may be good idea to leave only one Incubation and Handraising oesophagus if it is swallowed Metal tubes should he used the fertile egg with an inexperienced pair Scarlets will usually lay 34 eggs and not once

and see how they manage In this way start to incubate soon after the first egg feeding response is strong because of

if with artificial is laid interval three the risk of If you are competent your Lay is two to days esophageal puncturing

and food is incubation and handraising you can at therefore the youngest chick will often puncture occurs deposited

least be certain of chicks he unahle for under the the hird will fairly some on to always compete food skin definitely die unless the perch Reliable foster parents may resulting in stunting Handraising or operated on ASAP to

also he useful option supplementary feeding until the chick remove the foreign matter Crop burns

has caught up would he the safer are common occurrence in South Nestboxes and Pests option in these cases Africa and care must always he taken

horizon If that the formula use 12 feet eggs are pulled as laid then some to make sure is not

tal that wooden octagonal barrels as nest pairs will lay up to 10 eggs or 23 warmer 39C

boxes for the Scarlets The timber used clutches Days to hatch 25 27 Hatch Microwave heated formula is often not

thick untreated African interval stirred boiled is South Pine is 23days and chick weights properly and water ftom

and have found the Scarlets less for Central American Scarlets at hatch the kettle not allowed to cool suffi

destructive than the other and this is the main of large are very high at around Q6S Eggs of ciently cause

macaws They make few minor this subspecies are extremely large crop burns

modifications mainly to the entrance with an average egg measuring Crop hums are result of total ire area of the nest and then do not do 315mm and having mass of 43g sponsihility and are unnecessary hut

much further damage Eggs are incubated at 375C happen nonetheless Accidents can These and these long nests prevent damage to at sea level and normally developing happen to anyone injuries he the lengthy tails of the adults and give embryos require 5055o RII Once can treated successfully by special

the whole family plenty of room Nests extemal pip has taken place then ist avian veterinarian Severely burnt tis

with the revolu will discolor dark and this are regularly sprayed RH is raised to 70 and the temperature sue is an indi tionary South African bee deterrent dropped to 372C until hatch cation that the tissue has died The

BYE send the whole affected will BYE BEE to discourage passing eggshell with its traces of area literally fall out

of killer bees from of the swarms invading blood to the labs for DNA sex determi crop and this is often the first

them also use the cattle dip nation and thereby avoid any trauma to time that inexperienced handfeeders

28 NovemberDecember 2000 ih

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