Macaws: Spectacular Birds That Need Spectacular Space

Think Hard Before You Buy

Popular large macaws include the blue-and-gold, green-winged and scarlet macaws; the hyacinth is the biggest of all. "Mini macaws" such as the Hahn's and severe macaws are smaller but still loud, clever and long-lived.

Big Birds, Big Demands

Macaw calls carry a long way: in the wild they keep flocks in touch across the forest. In a house, that means neighbors will hear. Their beaks crack hard nuts with ease, so they need constant safe things to chew, and will chew furniture, trim and cables if given the chance.

Macaws are sociable and many are affectionate, but they need hours of interaction every day and plenty of exercise. A bored macaw can become noisy, destructive or start damaging its feathers.

What They Need Every Day

• Space: for large macaws, the Merck Veterinary Manual suggests a cage of at least 48 × 36 × 66 inches (122 × 91 × 168 cm), with bars about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) apart, plus a bird-safe room or large aviary for daily flight.
• Company: several hours a day of interaction.
• Chewing: a constant supply of wood, cardboard and foraging toys, and macaw-strength hardware.
• Diet: a formulated pellet base with vegetables, fruit and some nuts, as your avian vet advises.
• Budget: cages, toys and vet care for a bird this size cost far more than for small parrots.

See bird cages and stands, foraging and seed vs pellet diets for the details.

CITES and the Law

All macaws are listed under CITES. Several, including the hyacinth, scarlet, great green, blue-throated and red-fronted macaws, are on Appendix I, the highest level of protection. Listings change, so check the exact species.

• Great Britain: species listed in CITES Appendix I are generally treated as Annex A under wildlife trade rules, and buying, selling or commercially displaying them usually needs an Article 10 certificate from APHA. Ask to see the certificate and check its ring or microchip number matches the bird.
• United States: the Wild Bird Conservation Act restricts importing many wild parrot species, and some species are also covered by the Endangered Species Act, which can restrict sales across state lines. Check with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Elsewhere: check with your national CITES authority before buying, selling or moving a bird abroad.

Rules differ by country and by species. Check a species' current listing on the CITES Species+ database, and ask your national authority (APHA in Great Britain, the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the US, or your country's CITES management authority) before buying, selling or traveling.

If You're Still Serious

1. Spend time with the species first: volunteer at a parrot rescue or visit an experienced keeper, at the noisy times of day as well as the quiet ones.
2. Consider adopting: parrot rescues often have macaws looking for homes, and can match you with a bird whose personality suits you.
3. Find an avian vet before the bird arrives; see finding a vet.
4. Plan for the long term: who will care for the bird if you can't, and how that will be paid for.
5. Buy only with paperwork: a closed ring or microchip, captive-breeding records and, where needed, the right certificates.

If this all sounds like too much, that's a good answer. A cockatiel, conure or parrotlet gives a lot of parrot personality with fewer decades and decibels.