Blue
and Gold Macaw (Ara-ararauna)
Blue and Gold Macaws originated in South America, however
can be found in Colombia, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,
Ecuador, Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, and Trinidad.
In their natural habitat, they are usually seen in pairs or
family groups in open marshlands and woodlands, rainforest,
and other areas with large trees.
The Blue and Gold Macaw has beautiful plumage and can grow
to an average 34 inches (86cm) in length. They are a brilliant
ultramarine blue above and gold on the underside. Their throats
are black, often described as a "black beard". The facial
skin is white and naked with rows of black feather forming
lines and will blush when excited. The crown or the front
part of the head is an exquisite bright green that becomes
blue over the rest of the head. The tail,  which
is almost as long as the body, is long and tapered, blue above
and gold beneath. The iris of a mature Blue and Gold Macaw
are yellow or sometimes yellowish-green. Young can be determined
as they have dark brown irises. There is no distinguishing
difference between a male and female Blue and Gold Macaw.
If sexual preference is absolutely necessary then surgical
or, and a preferred method, DNA sexing will be necessary.
Blue and Gold Macaw's have been described as beautiful, gentle,
intelligent, affectionate and sensitive with a flamboyant
personality. They are extremely social parrots and love being
around people they trust.
Blue and Gold Macaws while somewhat shy will form dedicated
ties with a small "flock" or the family circle. They have
respectful personalities, physically affectionate, even- tempered,
basically all-around good birds. They are usually physically
affectionate with people they know and trust. However if one
is not part of the family circle then caution is absolutely
necessary when approaching. Macaws are loyal, but mainly to
their flocks, or in your case, family members. Outsiders must
be formally introduced and accepted as additional flock members,
before attempting to handle. This introduction can take some
time to accomplish, especially with mature macaws.
Blue and Gold macaws are intelligent and get very involved
in what is going on around them; they are very social and
love playtime. Blue & Gold Macaws are considered to be  one
of the easier macaws to work with and can be trained to do
many tricks. They love praise and attention, and are quite
proud of themselves when they accomplish something new.
Of course while you're not around, it's important to keep
Blue and Gold Macaws entertained & stimulated. Leaving a television
or radio playing can provide mental stimulation to a bird
that is alone in the house. Lively children television programs
as well as cartoons will usually catch a Macaws attention.
It can also help expand their vocabulary.
All Macaws love to chew; therefore an obvious solution while
confined inside the cage would be a variety of toys and branches.
Fresh branches should be provided on a regular basis. Ensure
they are non-toxic and washed before providing. When the branches
become broken down, simply replace with new one.
Toys provide a most advantageous environment enriched with
challenges ensuring Macaws remain occupied and stimulated.
There are a number of commercially produced toys offered thorough
Pet Stores and over the Internet. (Check out our "Go Shopping"
section) Some toys work better than others and your Macaws
will have their preferences. Provide a good  sampling of toys
to determine favourites. When purchasing toys for Macaws keep
in mind their strong beaks will quickly destroy the smaller,
inexpensive toys. Make sure you purchase toys made specifically
for Macaws.
Remember your Macaws toys need to be inspected regularly,
washed, and disinfected for potential safety issues. (5 to
10% bleach solution will do the trick) Inspections should
become part of your daily routine. Macaws have powerful beaks
and can break toys producing sharp edges.
The Blue and Gold Macaw personality is quite remarkable, laid
back you might say. With respect to other pets you may have
in your house, the Blue and Gold Macaw might just get along
remarkably well with the family dog. When properly socialized
as a youngster, Blue and Gold Macaws will be playful and ever-entertaining
members of the family for many years to come.
Diet:
Provide a variety of fresh foods including green and yellow
vegetables, fruits, melons and nuts. You should offer a ½
cup fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Some favorites include
broccoli, carrots, romaine lettuce, green beans, squash, zucchini,
cucumbers, tomatoes, oranges, apples, strawberries, bananas,
grapes, melons, kiwi, mango, papaya and pears.
Blue and Gold Macaws have an abundance of energy therefore
requiring a diet higher in fat  than most other parrots. Many
of their natural foods, especially palm nuts, are rich in
oils and calories. So, ideally, the birds should be fed a
formulated (pelleted) diet especially for Macaws; to ensure
they are receiving their daily requirements and balanced nutrition
with each bite. Feed a macaw approximately ½ cup of the pelleted
diet.
Treats are important so offer two or three nuts a day. Vitamin
supplements are not needed for birds on a formulated diet.
Macaws like many parrots enjoy seeds, even though they're
not the most nutritious foods. Seed mixes designed for macaws
are available and usually contain sunflower seeds, a mixture
of other seeds, nuts and maybe some dried fruits. It is not
recommended that you feed you parrots a seed only diet.
Fresh water should be available always. Parrots dunk their
food, so water needs to be changed often. You can use bird
water bottles for some of the more messy Macaws (some are
messier than others), but they too must be kept clean and
refilled daily.
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Our
pairs of Blue and Gold Macaws
(Mac & Sierra)
Mac & Sierra
Sierra
Mac
Breeding Cage
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