The majestic macaw
Without a doubt, the macaw is one of the most beautiful animals to inhabit our planet. From the striking blue of the hyacinth, to the vibrant red of the scarlet, to the rich green of the military, they bring to us nearly every color of the rainbow.
Who wouldn’t want to share their life with a creature so stunning it makes your eyes water? On one end of the macaw is a long and sweeping tail, and on the other a formidable beak that is gentle enough to feed chicks in the nest yet strong enough to crack a Brazil nut.
The hyacinth, who holds the title as the largest parrot of any species, can break a broom handle in half effortlessly. With a bite force of hundreds of pounds of pressure per square inch, the macaw is not a bird to trifle with.
It is often their powerful beaks that cause people to shy away from macaw ownership. And it’s a good thing, too, because macaws will sense, and take advantage of, the fear they strike in a timid human.
The macaw is famous for the “lunge”, a maneuver that looks like an attempted attack with a “near miss” outcome. In fact, it is the macaw’s way of testing the mettle of the humans around it – rest assured that if a macaw intended to bite, the result would not have been a “miss”!
When that human shrinks away in terror, not only does the bird find it amusing, but it also learns that this human can be manipulated by fear. Clever bird.
If you are afraid of that oversized beak, a macaw is certainly not for you! Even an experienced macaw owner will maintain a healthy respect for its capabilities.
How to keep your macaw from biting you
It is reasonable to assume that you brought your macaw home to be more than just a colorful ornament in your living room. We all want to share our lives with our birds. It is a crime to think of the macaw that languishes in its cage because it is unmanageable. Does your macaw’s aggression keep you from having meaningful interaction – or perhaps any interaction at all?
If the enormous beak is the first thing you see when you look at your bird, the solution will require that you make some changes to YOUR thinking…the beak is not a weapon, it’s a tool.
Birds are social animals and they thrive in a flock setting. Your macaw looks to the humans in its life as its flock members and both WANTS and NEEDS their companionship. Since your macaw can only react to its environment and is unable to make changes to it on its own, it is up to you to turn things around.
Target training, which can begin with your bird still in the cage, is OUR tool. We can use it to undo their manipulative behavior simply by making it unnecessary.
Because training is a cooperative effort, birds learn that we are happy to connect with them and don’t need to be coerced with aggression.
For more help, please take a look at how our One Day Miracle DVD series can help you with your macaw.
39 comments
I love you’re YouTube channel and watch it religiously. I have a Hahns macaw, and my partner and I are considering having our first and only child in a few years. How were you able to manage having a baby, and all these parrots? I’m so nervous with doing it with one parrot and 2 chihuahuas.
Do you guys have any macaws for adoption?
Hi, I am trying to get more info about my Hahns Macaw. I can’t find much about him on the web. Can you help? I love your videos and have been watching them, but I don’t know if my Hahns could be training the same as regular Macaws, and also with there eating habits??? Hope you can HELP!!!
Love your Videos ! I got a beautiful Greenwing name Toby,Got him when he was 4 months old now he 12 yrs.old. He is spoil rotten, I thinking about getting another parrot not sure about them getting along what do u think…He the best parrot in north Carolina .thank again for your videos……Ps have u got any t-shirt w/a greenwing on it..
Hello! Love your videos! Got my wife a blue throated Macaw, named Baby Blue. He 9 years old and the sweetest thing. Looking for a monthly subscription to a toy box… what do you recommend?
I adopted a blue and gold macaw parrot about a month ago and started following y’all on your. You’re videos are very helpful however, my bird is a little aggressive. I’m trying to target train him and the nipping is getting better but if I pet his head and neck he climbs to the top of the cage and won’t come down or he’ll take the target stick out of my hand and throw it down. Lol, he’s kind of funny really. I have been just kind of not pushing but there’s not much progress. Should I continue to push or just wait until he seems ready. He was with his other family for eight years and I’m sure it makes a difference. Hopefully y’all might have a few pointers
Ive bonded with a military macaw at a bird store. He was surrendered to the store with a Catalina macaw because they were breaking their cage and they were too load. They were housed together, but I have no idea whet sized cage they lived in. He is seven and has never flown in his life because his wings were always clipped and he never left his cage. He was terrified of everyone and We could tell the Catalina was picking on him. I tried to interact with him but he wasn’t having it, but after spending loads of time with him, he started to trust people. We have bonded and when I’ve been thinking about taking him home. I’m respectful of his beak and to be honest i hate silence so the load noise would be no problem.
I have a Blue and Gold Macaw Bird.Her name is Keira .I am needing to re home her as my health has gotten bad. I just came from eye doctors today and she said since I sleep with my eyes open and my bird has lots of dander she is making me go blind. I don’t want to do this I have to. I am going blind cause of my bird.Help.
So we just adopted a blue and gold macaw she’s very timid and always screaming I’ve bought her toys and will allow us to touch her always snapping at us what is my best plan to get her where we can actually pet her and get her Use out arm as a purge
Two things – I tried to change my phone number and could not. New number is 281-766-7050 Also I need DVD ASAP TO REVIEW before my consults
I recently adopted a 27 yr old Macaw that can not fly and her wings are in bad shape from past abuse. At first she was tame, friendly, easy to handle, and well behaved. We have had her 8 weeks and she is completely changed to the point of driving us crazy. Constant screaming. Lunging at me all the time, and just very noisy. She has lots of toys and is in good health. What can I do? We dont want to be another family to give up on her because we know she is a good bird. We have never owned a Macaw before her, btw. Thank you
My husband and I both love our macaw very much, and I have had a lot of people to ask me what?? you have a Macaw? I said yes. we love her very much. these people told me that they had given theirs away because they could not handle theirs, and gave it away. My comment is:: if they did not want a Beautiful Parrot, and did not want to take the time with it then they should not have bought one in the first place. I asked they why did they do that, and they wanted company, and when it started to bite then they could not stand it so they gave it away. to me they did not need to get it in the first place. These Macaws need love, and patients. they are so very Beautiful. when I see one I just want to get another one. I go to the bird shows when I can, and most of the macaws that have owners the owners cannot stand them they want to sell them, because they did not take the time with them, and the Macaws bite to the very bad extent to I love them. If I could I would have a very large avery. I would have a whole room of them. they are so beautiful. to me people do not know what beauty is. I use to have a decal on the hood of my car, and it was an Eagle. when I use to take a long drive I looked up, and the large one would land on the hood of my car, and I would slow down.It would stay on it usually for a mile then take off. this was every time I drove down that hwy. every time. It was beautiful. they were so close you could see the color of their eyes. I have always loved birds. thanks for listening. I just still would like to get some of youre imput on her curled feathers. the flight wings. she can fly I was just concerned about the wings. thanks
my Blue, and Gold Macaw: her name is shiloh. Female. she is 8 years old. most of the time she is great: however a lot of times she does want to interact with me, and crawls down on the arm of my chair, and stands on me, and is very culdly, and licks me. she is very sweet, but she is scarey a lot of noises we live in town. she wants to get on me , but when I go over , and talk to her she declines. if she really wants to get on me she slides down, and gets on me, and it is so good. she crawls all over the back of my shoulder, and neck. without warning she lunges, and tries to bite for some reason. the house is quiet sometimes, and sometimes not. most of the time she wants to stay either inside of her inclusure or the door then she seems to get mad when i go over to talk to her or want to pick her up. I also want to know what the problem is that :: the incllosure is very big, and big enought so she can spread her wings. the avian vet she is healthy. However the very tips of her flight wings are curled why is that?? she is healthy. should I just have the very ends clipped or let them stay? I do not want the whole wings clipped so she cannot fly. every now, and then she takes a notion and flys to me in the house where I am , and that is great. she is so loveable. I love that. she is a Joy to have I just have some quirks with her. she does not like showers though. I really do need some answers. Shiloh is big enough that I have not been able to find a flight suite for her I have taken her outside, but not often. my next door neighbor has 30 cats. inside, and out. I half to take her in the sun room. can I get some answers please? I love her she is my baby. I need some help, and about her food also. please.
My female Macaw often takes off flying but then lands in the top of the tallest tree and I must climb to fetch it!!!! I want to cut her wings but also do not incase she is up against any danger. Do you sell the harness and leash for flying and how much would it cost together with postage to Croatia?.
Leave a comment