Red Macaw Health And Guide

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These birds have been targeted by Indians for many years. The red macaw meat was eaten, and the heads of the Indian tribes were decorated with their magnificent feathers. Their nests were used in rituals because they were believed to bring wealth. After the conquest of America by Europeans, these birds began to be caught and sold to rich houses on the Eurasian continent. We are talking about arakanga, or red parrots.

A sad fate befell their ancestors. Endemic to Jamaica, the Jamaican Red Macaw was completely exterminated by humans. Due to human atrocities, the species of red macaws that have survived to this day are also endangered and are listed in the CITES convention. Nowadays, it is not often possible to meet a bird in captivity, but all owners of these beautiful birds are happy to note that they have found a true and faithful friend in life.

Description and Appearance

Where do they live?

The red macaw lives in the north and south of North America. Populations of red parrots have been spotted in Mexico, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Ecuador, Panama, Suriname, and Trinidad.

Lifestyle in the natural environment

They inhabit tropical forests with high humidity, as well as hilly areas near water bodies. The prefer to settle in the crowns of tall trees, where they spend the night and hide from the heat of the day. Ther leave their shelters only in search of food in the morning or evening. For this purpose, flights are carried out (the speed of birds reaches 60 km/h). They fly very close to each other, almost touching their wings.

Credit: Pexels

Every day it visits river shallows where there are deposits of red clay (eating it neutralizes intoxication from eaten poisonous fruits). They live in small groups or flocks of up to 50 individuals. The enemies of wild red macaws are people, birds (eagles, hawks, and toucans), large monkeys, snakes, and jaguars.

Among the behavioral features are excessive caution, dexterous tree climbing, and excellent vision and hearing.

The Arakang\’s diet is very varied. On the daily “menu” of birds, you can find:

• Berries, fruits (figs, mangoes, mombin).
• Different types of nuts (palm, Brazil).
• Seeds, flowers, or inflorescences of plants.
• Young shoots of bushes and herbs.
• Flower nectar.
• Insects and their larvae.

Birds eat both on the ground and on tree branches. You can hardly hear the birds while they are eating.

They often raid agricultural fields with grain crops, causing significant harm to farmers.

Reproduction in the wild

Arakanga become sexually mature and capable of breeding after 3 years of age, and their reproductive abilities last until approximately 30 years of age. Red birds “fall in love” and create a family for life, but offspring do not appear every year.

The breeding season falls during the rainy season: autumn-winter in South America and winter-spring in North America. Birds nest in tree hollows at a height of at least 28 meters from the ground. The nests can be reused.

Credit: Wikipedia

The mating dance of the “newlywed” macaws is very interesting. They sit next to each other, unfurl their tails, and carefully move each other’s feathers. The whole process is accompanied by bird sounds reminiscent of gurgling. To interest the female more, the male can start dancing, swaying his body, throwing his head back, and nodding. With the approval of the “lady,” the act of mating occurs.

Only the female incubates the eggs for 26–28 days. The male guards the clutch all this time and brings food to his \”beloved.”. One clutch can contain up to four eggs, from which blind, deaf, and naked cubs hatch. Plumage appears in babies 3 weeks after birth, and they are fully feathered only by the 4th month of life. They will see parrots in a month. The brood tries to leave the nest at the age of 4 months, conquering more distant territories every day. The young live with their parents for up to 2 years. Even two chicks rarely manage to survive to maturity (due to the negative influence of environmental factors).

Lifespan of the Red Macaw

The Arakanga is a long-lived species of macaw that lives up to 80 years in the wild and up to 50 years in captivity.

The lives of wild red birds are shortened by poachers, predators, natural disasters, weather conditions, and infectious diseases.

At home, the life expectancy of the Macaw is influenced by care and nutrition. If not maintained properly, the pet may die suddenly.

Keeping at home

The red macaw is a bird that is not for everyone. This species requires special conditions of detention, which not all breeders can comply with.

Basic recommendations for keeping a red parrot in captivity:

• Spacious dwelling (aviary), equipped with the necessary equipment.
• Maintaining room temperature at 25–30°C and humidity in the range of 60–80%.
• Access to natural light.
• Choosing the right diet.
• Communication with your pet for 2-3 hours a day.

Intelligence and character

The red parrot is chosen as a pet because of its intellectual abilities and sociability. Ornithologists say that the bird can learn up to 600 words. The bird is not only capable of repeating phrases but also knows how to capture intonation and timbre, which it also perfectly imitates.

But this parrot’s temperament is peculiar, sometimes capricious. The bird becomes strongly attached to its owner and environment, and when they change, it can become aggressive. Birds can also show aggression towards small children or other pets.

If you don’t communicate with Macau every day and don’t play, then the parrot begins to scream in a shrill voice and falls into depression, which manifests itself by plucking itself.

Setting up a cage for a parrot

A number of requirements are put forward for the maintenance enclosure:

• minimum dimensions: 0.9 x 0.9 x 1.5 m;
• cage material: strong metal rods with a diameter of 2–2.5 cm, located horizontally;
• retractable bottom;
• the presence of a house for sleeping (dimensions: 0.6 x 0.7 x 1 m);
• strong lock with two bolts.

Equip the bird’s home with the necessary equipment:

• Feeders with drinkers (metal or ceramic).
• Poles (tree branches, beams, perches).
• Toys (ropes, swings, ladders).

The cage is cleaned weekly and disinfected once a month. General cleaning is carried out twice a year. Feeders and drinkers are washed every day.

What can you feed your red macaw?

Feeding schedule: 2 times a day (morning and evening).

The diet should include:

• Grains (wheat, millet, oats, and lentils) should make up 60–70% of the total feed.
• Seeds (sunflower, safflower, hemp, canary seed).
• Nuts.
• Fruits (apples, peaches, papaya, mango, pear, plum, banana, orange).
• Berries (cranberries, cherries, currants, raspberries, hawthorns, rose hips, grapes).
• Vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, peas, beans).
• Greens (branches with leaves, microgreens, dandelion leaves, celery, chard).
• Chicken meat and bones, yogurt.
• Porridge (buckwheat, oatmeal, millet).
• White bread and boiled eggs (during the mating season).
• Vitamin and mineral complexes for parrots.
• Chalk, lime, and eggshell.

Credit: Lafeber

Reproduction in captivity

In captivity, Macau parrots hardly reproduce. However, especially skilled breeders manage to get offspring from these birds.

For breeding, first of all, you will need to have a married pair of red parrots at maturity (at 4 years old). Birds need to recreate conditions as close to nature as possible.

• equip a large and spacious aviary for a couple of birds;
• equip the bird\’s house with a nest measuring 0.5×0.7×1 m, line it with sawdust;
• maintain the temperature at 20-22⁰С, and humidity – about 80%;
• minimize contact with birds and disturb them only when absolutely necessary;
• Maintain a healthy diet (focus on protein-rich foods).

The Red Macaw is an interesting species that, alas, is already in danger of extinction. Only people can protect birds from extinction, whose activities often provoke a decline in the bird population. So that we do not lose such amazing representatives of the fauna, before acquiring them, it is necessary to think carefully about whether it is worth removing this graceful bird from its natural habitat and whether we can provide it with the necessary comfort in captivity. Those who have already adopted Arakang need to make every effort to ensure that their pet is surrounded by attention, care, and rational care.

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