Macaw parrot breeding
Macaw parrot breeding recently there has been a surge of interest in the large macaws. Much of this interest has been in the sphere of pet-keeping. Unfortunately, a lot of people, who purchase these birds as companions do not understand how difficult it can be to ensure that macaws have a good quality of life in the confined conditions of a house. Furthermore, many macaws are wing-clip soon after they are wean, thus are denied their need to fly. These super-intelligent birds have very different needs to the smaller species, which make up the majority of the birds kept for breeding and for pets. I would like
In Europe there seems to be an increasing appreciation of the importance of quality of life for the larger parrots kept in aviaries. Macaws – with the exception of Hyacinthines are truly birds of the canopy. They need height in an aviary situation. Unfortunately, they rarely get it. At Loro Parque, on exhibit, there used to be macaw aviaries which were 4.8m (16ft) high. What a difference in the behaviour of the macaws in these aviaries to those in suspended aviaries! They were more confident and relaxed. Because of the length and the height, it was a joy to watch them in flight. True, it was necessary to climb a ladder to
Macaw parrot breeding
The benefits of these large aviaries include increase fitness and, equally important, the opportunity for macaws to choose their own partners where several birds of the same species are flow together. I should make it clear that I refer only to the Ara species. While a group of Hyacinthine Macaws can be keep together, they should never be keep with Aras. The power of their mandibles can and has resulted in deaths.
It should be emphasise that a major reason for breeding failure with the larger parrots is incompatibility. This is not usually a problem with the small macaws. But the high price of the large species means that it is more difficult to assemble a group whose individuals can be try with different partners or allow to chose their own mates.
When kept in spacious accommodation macaws will give so much pleasure to everyone who sees them. An ideal macaw aviary, in my opinion, is one, which is large enough for the birds to fly when they wish. This means a minimum length of 40ft (12m). Macaws may spend a lot of time walking or climbing but this is no reason to deny them the opportunity to fly. A macaw in flight, even in an aviary, is a magnificent sight. Personally, I would rather have one aviary, 100ft (30m) long, in which I could watch macaws in flight, than any number of smaller ones. Quality of life is so important – especially for birds with a wing-span of 3ft (1m).
Large macaws
Large macaws can be keep in planted aviaries. The plants are seldom destroy unless the aviary is too small. I firmly believe that the presence of plants, either inside or close to the outside of the aviary, has a beneficial effect on parrots and other birds. Keeping birds outdoors has disadvantages, especially from the aspect of security. Nevertheless, quality of life is so greatly enhance by exposure to weather (but with protection from extremes) and seasons, the sky above and observation of the local bird life, that these benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Parrots are extremely observant and enjoy watching what is going on around them. The inside of a building is an environment totally lacking in stimuli for a macaw unless much effort is put into correcting what is otherwise a very boring environment.
Diet
Food can play an important part in relieving boredom. I believe that large parrots should be fed twice a day – and three times when there are young in the nest. Large macaws in my care in the breeding centre at Palmitos Park always had nuts twice a day – until I was admonish for spending too much money on nuts. It is a fact, however, that the Hyacinthines have not bred since I left – and did not breed before. High fat foods are essential if the large macaws are to breed. The most successful collections are those which feed nuts in good quantities. In one, the curator told me that Hyacinthines not bred until macadamia n
A well-known breeder in Australia bred from his macaws soon after they came out of quarantine. During the next few years none of the several pairs of macaws nested again. When I visited him he asked me what he was doing wrong. A quick glance in the food dishes told me. The diet was too low in fat. He was even feeding millet because some of the macaws were plucking themselves and he feared that sunflower was to blame. I suggested that he should feed sunflower ad lib – and in a few months he had a fortune in macaw chicks.
Macaw parrot breeding
To feed macaws only on pellets, as I have seen in the USA is, in my opinion, a form of cruelty. These intelligent birds need the occupation and stimulation provided by a range of foods, which provide contrasting taste, textures, colours and beak exercise. Because they have huge beaks does not mean that they cannot enjoy very small items of food. I have watched a Hyacinthine Macaw delicately remove and eat all the tiny seeds from the outside of a strawberry – then discard the pulp. Macaws generally prefer fruits to vegetables. Their favourites are orange, pomegranates, grapes, guavas and loquats. All the other usual kinds can be offer. Cooked chicken on the bone (with sharp bones remove) and other cook meat is usuall
Parent-rearing
Few captive birds have such a great need to be keep occupy as macaws. In my opinion there is no better way to do this than to allow them to rear their own young. One nest, or even allowing them to rear just one chick, will occupy them for at least seven months of the year. In the changed financial avicultural climate of today, compared with say ten years ago, mass production of many species is unwise. It brings down prices and makes young more difficult to sell. There should surely be less emphasis on hand-rearing certain species and more emphasis on producing parent-reared young for future breeding stock. This Adding a calcium (and Vitamin D3) supplement to the rearing food is es
If removed at six months, they do have pet potential. However, the buyer has so conditioned to the purchase of hand-rear birds, that a parent-rear bird would probably be very difficult to sell for this purpose. This is a pity. Parent-reared birds have a much better sense of self-identity; they are more independent and less clinging and less demanding.
Nest sites
Unlike some parrots, macaws usually readily accept the nest site offered. This may be because in the wild the large species cannot easily find nest sites and they need to be adaptable. In the Pantanal region of Brazil Hyacinthine Macaws now accep nest sites because of the shortage of natural nests. Cliffs are the natural nesting sites of Lear’s Macaws and, in some areas, Green-wings. Some macaws prefer horizontal nest-boxes. In a warm climate it gives the growing young more room to move about; they can be very cramp in an upright box. If outside nest-boxes is use, they should be encased in strong welded mesh and the floor should be of double thickness of wood. Both these precautions will help to prevent accidents should the birds prove to be very destructive to the woodwork. Nest inspection from outside the aviary, preferable from the safety of a se
Failure to nest
I have already mentioned what I consider to be the three most important factors in breeding macaws – these are wing exercise, compatibility and a suitable diet. Unlike some parrots, macaws usually nest quite readily when these requirements is met. If they don’t what should you do? First of all, do not assume that you have a pair. Make quite certain – by surgical or sexing. if you have a confirmed adult pair and they are compatible, and not attempting to breed, there may be something stressful in their environment, or at least one bird is sick or in some way unsuitable for breeding.
I recall the case of a pair of Hyacinthine Macaws in my care at Palmitos Park. They seemed compatible, but the female would not enter the nest-box. he indicate that she was interest in nesting on the ground. She was therefore give a nest-box at ground level. She enter and stay inside but no eggs were laid. We therefore had her surgically sexed again and found that there were few egg follicles on the ovaries. In a female which offers a good prospect for breeding, many eggs can be see as small white spots on the ovary. As we had other females, which had never had an opportunity to breed, we immediately changed the female. Three months later the new female laid her first clutch, which was infertile. However, within six months we had our first chick from this pair.
Macaw parrot breeding
There is no point in persevering with apparently incompatible adult pairs for more than a year or so, new mates should be found. Before taking that often difficult and expensive step, there are a couple of changes, which can be made. Either separate male and female for a few weeks, or move them to a different environment – preferable a very large aviary. In the breeding centre at Palmitos Park one pair of Military Macaws had not been successful in breeding. The female always laid eggs off the perch. The pair was therefore sent to the park where they spent several months flying in a large aviary. On being returned to the breeding centre, the female laid in the nest six weeks later. Never again did she lay from the perch.