Macaws can live for 80+ years




Macaws are the largest of all the parrots.
There are over 370 different types of parrots on Earth, and the Macaws are the largest of all of them. Large macaws normally weight between 2 and 4 pounds, which is fairly hefty for a bird -- their bones are hollow in order to make them lighter, so that they can achieve flight. The largest of the macaws, the Hyacinth Macaw, can reach lengths of nearly 3 and a half feet long from the beak to the tip of the tail. In addition, they boast a wingspan of up to 60 inches, which is a whopping 5 feet!

Macaws are beautiful, brilliantly colored members of the parrot family. Many macaws have vibrant plumage. The coloring is suited to life in Central and South American rain forests, with their green canopies and colorful fruits and flowers. The birds boast large, powerful beaks that easily crack nuts and seeds, while their dry, scaly tongues have a bone inside them that makes them an effective tool for tapping into fruits.



Macaws also have gripping toes that they use to latch onto branches and to grab, hold, and examine items. The birds sport graceful tails that are typically very long.






Macaws are intelligent, social birds that often gather in flocks of 10 to 30 individuals. Their loud calls, squawks, and screams echo through the forest canopy. Macaws vocalize to communicate within the flock, mark territory, and identify one another. Some species can even mimic human speech.

Macaws can live for 80+ years
You may have heard bird lovers mention before that birds can live for nearly 100 years -- and this is absolutely true, and especially in Macaws. When properly taken care of, some Macaw species, such as Blue and Gold Macaws can for an average of 60 years, and many have been recorded to live for up to 80 years or even more. For this reason, those who are interested in adopting a Macaw are strongly cautioned to make sure that they are willing to commit a large amount of time to caring for their pet. It is not at all uncommon for these birds to outlive their owners, so provisions must be made for their care in those types of unfortunate events.

  • Macaws are native to the jungles of Central and South America.
  • Macaws have large, powerful beaks that can easily crack nuts and seeds.
  • They have dry scaly tongues that even have a bone inside them, so as to tap into fruits.
  • Macaws have toes with special grips on them enabling them to latch onto branches as well as to hold items
  • Because they are social birds, macaws usually gather in flocks of about 10 to 30 individuals.
  • Some species of macaws can even mimic human speech.
  • Macaws usually mate for life.
  • There are 17 different species of macaw parrots. Many of these are endangered.
  • The most endangered types of macaws are hyacinth macaws, red-fronted macaws and blue-throated macaws.
  • The glaucus macaw is thought to already be extinct outside of captivity.


Flocks sleep in the trees at night, and in the morning they may fly long distances to feed on fruit, nuts, insects, and snails. Some species also eat damp soil, which may help to neutralize chemicals in their fruity diet and ease their stomachs. Macaws typically mate for life. They not only breed with, but also share food with their mates and enjoy mutual grooming. In breeding season, mothers incubate eggs while fathers hunt and bring food back to the nest.There are 17 species of macaws, and several are endangered. These playful birds are popular pets, and many are illegally trapped for that trade. The rain forest homes of many species are also disappearing at an alarming rate.

The macaw is one of the world's animals that is known to have the same breeding partner for their whole lives. Macaw couples do not only breed together but they also share their food and help to groom one another. When the female macaw has laid her eggs (typically 2 but more are common), the female macaw sits on her eggs to incubate them while the male macaw hunts and collects food for them both. The macaw chicks hatch after about a month.

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