Macaw Care Guide

Macaws are the largest parrots, from Mexico, Central America and South America, with long tapered tails and beaks strong enough to dismantle furniture. VCA calls them high-maintenance birds that need a great deal of space, attention and time out of the cage. Their loud screech and destructive chewing make them unsuitable for many homes. They suit experienced keepers with room for a very large cage or aviary, no close neighbours, and a plan for a bird that may live 50 years or more.

Care requirements

Need	What to provide
Enclosure	Large species at least 4 × 5 × 5 ft (120 × 152 × 152 cm); mini macaws at least 3 × 3 × 4 ft (90 × 90 × 120 cm). Plus at least 6 hours a day out of the cage (VCA; RSPCA)
Temperature	Within about 54–79°F (12–26°C), away from radiators, stoves and draughts (RSPCA)
Humidity	Normal indoor air. Aviary birds need a draught-proof, insulated indoor area (RSPCA)
Lighting	Flicker-free bird UVA/UVB lamp run for natural daylight length, with shaded perches (RSPCA)
Diet	About 75–80% pellets; the other 20% vegetables, a few tree nuts and a little fruit (VCA)
Lifespan	Mini macaws 30–40 years; large macaws 50–60, with a maximum around 75 (VCA)
Social needs	Lots of daily attention. One large parrot per cage; neighbouring cages in one room are fine (VCA; RSPCA)
Legal notes	No common restrictions; check local rules.

Mini macaws vs large macaws vs hyacinth

	Mini macaws	Large macaws	Hyacinth macaw
Species	Hahn’s, yellow-collared, severe	Blue-and-gold, scarlet, green-winged	Hyacinth
Length	12–20 in (30–51 cm)	30–40 in (76–102 cm)	The largest macaw
Weight	150–300 g (5–11 oz)	900–1,700 g (2–3.7 lb)	Large-macaw range
Temperament	Calmer, gentler, but still noisy	May bond to one person and be aggressive to others; some nervous and excitable	”Gentle giant”: calmer and easier-going
Lifespan	30–40 years	50–60 years	50–60 years
Minimum cage	3 × 3 × 4 ft (90 × 90 × 120 cm)	4 × 5 × 5 ft (120 × 152 × 152 cm)	4 × 5 × 5 ft (120 × 152 × 152 cm)

Source: VCA. VCA notes that the hyacinth is also the most expensive to buy. Scarlet and blue-and-gold are the macaws most often kept as pets.

Space, exercise and chewing

MSD says macaws need a lot of exercise as well as a lot of time and attention. The minimum large-macaw cage is 4 × 5 × 5 ft, and the RSPCA adds at least six hours a day flying or moving freely outside it. A macaw that can’t fly in your home needs climbing frames, ropes and play stands to make up the difference.

The beak needs work too. VCA calls a macaw’s beak exceedingly destructive and recommends a continuous supply of toys made from hard wood, tough plastic, leather and cardboard. Plan on replacing them constantly. Cages need to be stainless steel or securely powder-coated. Wood, wicker and bamboo don’t survive, and chipped paint gets swallowed.

Fat, nuts and heart disease

Macaws are unusual among parrots. VCA says they need more fat than most other species, and wild macaws eat a lot of palm nuts. A few tree nuts a day, such as Brazil nuts, walnuts or almonds, are appropriate. VCA notes that hyacinths do well with a moderate daily amount of macadamia nuts.

That doesn’t mean a nut or seed bowl. VCA warns that macaws pick sunflower seeds and peanuts out of mixes, and that these are low in calcium and vitamin A. It lists high cholesterol, atherosclerosis and stroke among macaw diet problems. Its list of common conditions adds that atherosclerosis is common in adult macaws kept on all-seed diets. Pellets should form about 75–80% of the diet. Switch slowly, mixing pellets into the old food until the bird is clearly eating them.

Diseases to know about

VCA lists several conditions that are especially relevant to macaws:

• Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), once called macaw wasting syndrome. It is linked to avian bornavirus and causes slow weight loss, regurgitation and sometimes death.
• Papillomatosis, wart-like growths in the mouth or vent, more frequent in older macaws.
• Chlamydiosis (Chlamydia psittaci), which causes breathing problems, diarrhoea and liver disease, and can infect people.
• Feather picking, often in birds tightly bonded to an owner they can’t “mate” with.

VCA also flags a subtle warning sign: a sick macaw may regress to juvenile behaviour. This is especially true with gut disease. Take a sudden return to baby-like behaviour seriously.

Five things new macaw owners get wrong

• Buying the cage before measuring the room. A 4 × 5 × 5 ft cage plus clearance doesn’t fit most apartments (VCA).
• Feeding a large-parrot seed and nut mix as the main diet. This leads to atherosclerosis and stroke (VCA).
• Expecting a large vocabulary. Macaws talk less than greys or Amazons, and scream far more (MSD).
• Housing two large macaws in one cage. Large non-colony parrots are likely to fight (RSPCA).
• Missing a slow weight loss. PDD and other wasting conditions show up first on a gram scale (VCA).

Avoid

• Avocado and onion (VCA).
• Iceberg lettuce and celery. They are mostly water (VCA).
• Grit and gravel. These cause gut blockages (VCA).
• Wooden, wicker or painted cages that the bird can chew and swallow (VCA).
• Ceiling fans running and windows uncovered during flying time (RSPCA).
• Unsupervised contact with children. A macaw’s large, powerful beak can do real damage.
• Non-stick (PTFE) cookware, smoke and aerosols near the bird. Bird lungs are highly sensitive to airborne toxins. Overheated PTFE gives off fumes that can kill a bird quickly (VCA).