Macaws 101

Name: Macaw

Description: In addition to being possibly the most beautiful bird on the planet, macaws are also active, affectionate, playful, intelligent and engaging. There are many varieties of macaws, including scarlet macaws, blue and gold macaws, military macaws, and hyacinth macaws, according to exoticbird.com. Additionally, you can choose the rarer mini macaws, with species like Hahn's, noble, and yellow-collared, according to About.com.

Grooming: There are three primary types of grooming for which a macaw owner is responsible, according to PetPlace.com. First, bathing or showering can be done indoors by misting the bird with warm water and allowing them to dry in a warm area, or, on a warm day, by sprinkling them inside their cage with the hose and letting the sun dry them.

Clipping a macaw's wings will keep them calmer and easier to take outdoors. Make sure you know what you're doing before beginning to clip; clipping a blood feather can cause serious blood loss, while clipping too much, too little, or unevenly can also be major problems.

Finally, routine nail clipping is necessary.

Common Health Issues: According to Madeline Franco, President of the Southern Nevada Parrot Education, Rescue, and Rehoming Society, "Yellow collars are somewhat prone to thyroid disorders, and heart failure is not uncommon among the species."

Training Tips: Macaws are very smart, with some able to mimic phrases and others able to perform acrobatic feats. But in order to train these behaviors, you'll need a good deal of patience, according to PetParrots101.com. Consistent training -- about an hour a day -- is most beneficial, and only one person should act as the trainer for best results. And remember, if they don't trust you, they won't learn your tricks, so make sure to play with them, handle them, and interact with them. Stick to one trick at a time, minimize distractions, and don't take them to a new room to train them, as this can make them agitated.

Best Families for Macaws: Macaws generally live 30 to 50 years, but can live up to 100 years. That's a major commitment, according to exoticbird.com. Generally speaking, a bigger bird will mean a larger commitment -- they're louder and messier than their smaller counterparts, according to About.com. A macaw will need an adult who can spend an hour or two a day with it to supervise time out of its cage. If your family is away from the house for long days or travels often, or if you're not sure you'll be somewhere you can keep a macaw long-term, this is probably not the best pet for you. Be sure to consider the cost, as well. Besides the necessities like an appropriate cage and toys, remember you will be paying vet bills over a 50-year period.

What Macaw Owners Say: Franco, a lifelong, self-proclaimed "bird person," sees both the pros and cons to owning a macaw. "On the positive side, they are highly intelligent, responsive, trainable and beautiful. Several of mine talk, but I haven't spent a lot of time teaching them that skill. They pretty much say what they hear and like, and whatever might elicit a human response. My birds have their own bird room, which I consider absolutely essential for keeping birds of this size."

"On the other hand, they must be socialized and should be handled daily, or they can and will become nippy," Franco continues. "Macaws, particularly the hyacinth, greenwing, military, blue and gold varieties, can be 'a lot of bird' for an inexperienced bird owner. Were it not for my predisposition, I'm sure there could be plenty to tarnish the experience of owning macaws, such as space and attention required, noise, and dietary and recreational needs."

Tags: bird, exotic birds, exotic pet, ExoticBirds, ExoticPet, macaw, parrot, pet macaw, pet parrot, PetMacaw, PetParrot, scarlet macaw, ScarletMacaw