with bright red plumage covering most of its body, wings and long tail. Brilliant blue and yellow feathers also adorn the lower wings. The bird’s strong beak is adapted to breaking hard nuts found in the rainforest.
Habitat The scarlet macaw can be found from southern Mexico to Peru, as well as Bolivia, eastern Brazil and the island of Trinidad. They prefer to spend their time in tall, deciduous trees in forests and near rivers, usually in large, noisy groups. Macaws also mate for life, nesting from January through April in the holes of dead canopy trees. Mated adults lay up to two eggs per year, and preen each other and their offspring for hours, cleaning bugs from their feathers.
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| Scarlet Macaw |
Diet
Nuts, leaves, berries and seeds from the rainforest make up the bulk of the scarlet macaw’s diet. It’s strong, hooked beak is perfect for breaking nuts and seeds. Interestingly, the scarlet macaw can eat fruits toxic enough to kill other animals. This could be because they also eat large amounts of clay, which is thought to neutralize plant poisons.
Threats
The primary threats to the scarlet macaw are habitat loss from rainforest destruction and heavy exploitation for pet trading. In Costa Rica, these birds, which are frequently stolen from their nests, can be sold on the black market for $200. In the United States, baby birds smuggled into the country can be sold for as much as $4,000. Because tourists bring in almost $14,000 a year to see birds like the scarlet macaw in the wild, biologists hope that local governments will devote more attention to the protection of these magnificent birds.
Scarlet macaws have been kept by the Pueblo Indians since 1100 A.D. They are extremely sociable and are popular because of their looks, clear speech, gentle nature and affectionate dedication to their caregiver. Specialized pelleted diets are highly recommended and should consist of 60–70% of the diet; use fortified seeds in moderation as they are higher in fat and less nutritious than pellets Fresh fruits and vegetables, such as apples, berries, pears, grapes, broccoli, and carrots Clean, fresh, filtered and chlorine-free water changed daily.
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| Scarlet Macaw |
Do not feed birds fruit seeds, avocados, chocolate, alcohol or caffeine as these can cause serious medical problems. If your bird is used to a seed diet, convert to pellets gradually; fresh pellets or seeds and fresh, clean, chlorine-free water should always be available Fresh fruits and vegetables should be given daily and discarded when not eaten within 24 hours; macaws appreciate quality and variety in their food.
Scarlet macaws Birds acclimate well to average household temperatures; be cautious of extreme temperature change;
cage should be placed off the floor in an area that is well-lit and away from drafts. A cage approximately 36" W x 36" D x 60" H, with metal bars spaced no greater than 1" apart, makes a good home for your Scarlet macaw; as with all animals, it is best to provide the largest habitat possible; a flight cage is strongly recommended. A variety of appropriate perch sizes, including a parrot perch outside the cage, to exercise feet and help prevent arthritis is recommended. A metal grate over the droppings tray will keep the bird away from droppings; line the droppings tray with cage paper or appropriate substrate for easier cleaning; to avoid contamination, do not place food or water containers under perches.
