How long can macaws breed

Blue-and-yellow macaws are found mainly in rainforests in swampy and riparian areas. They nest high in trees to avoid predation. Blue-and-yellow macaws are from 81 to They are vibrantly colored, with blue on their backs and wings, yellow under parts, green forehead feathers, and green tips on the end of their wings.

Their under-wing coverts and breast are yellow-orange and they have black beaks, throat, and legs. Their eyes are yellow and their facial area consists of bare white skin with several black feather lines around their eyes. Low, Blue-and-yellow macaws form monogamous pairs that mate for life.

Blue-and-yellow macaws reach sexual maturity at 3 to 4 years of age. Their breeding season is during the first half of the year and they breed about every 1 to 2 years. Nests are found high up in tall trees, mainly in cavities already made by other animals. Females lay 2 to 3 eggs and incubate them for 24 to 28 days, after which the young hatch blind and featherless. After 10 days the young begin to develop feathers.

Within 3 months fledglings become independent. Blue-and-yellow macaw males and females care for their young through providing for them and protecting them. During their first week after hatching, only the female will feed the young through regurgitation, afterwards the male will also feed the young.

Both parents show extreme aggression towards intruders in order to protect their young. The life span of blue-and-yellow macaws in the wild can be up to 50 years while their breeding age ranges from 30 to 35 years.

They can also live up to 50 years in captivity. Blue-and-yellow macaws are mainly found in pairs but can congregate in groups to form flocks. When in pairs, they fly close together with their wings almost touching.

When foraging they may join small, noisy flocks during the early morning, by midday they begin to search for shade. Blue-and-yellow macaws are extremely wary, at any sign of danger they fly into the air screeching loudly.

Home range sizes are not reported. Blue-and-yellow macaws communicate by loud vocalizations or flock calls. They also have highly developed visual acuity. They have very complex social behavior and vocalizations, as do all macaws. Blue-and-yellow macaws mainly eat seeds, nuts, and fruits. They use their strong beaks to break open nut shells and to crush seeds.

In some cases, they consume clay found at riverbanks which allows them to digest the toxins from unripe seeds that they may have ingested. Ragusa-Netto, Known predators include harpy eagles Harpia harpyja , hawk eagles Nisaetus cirrhatus and orange-breasted falcons Falco deiroleucus that attack while the birds are in flight.

Humans are also predators because they hunt these birds for the pet trade, food, and feathers. Blue-and-yellow macaws are important seed predators in tropical forests, they may influence forest dynamics through seed predation and dispersal. Blue-and-yellow macaws are popular as pets because they are beautiful, behaviorally complex, and have the ability to mimic words and sounds.

At your home, one of their primary activities will be chewing, exploring items ANY item with their beaks. Bird proofing of areas they roam around in is very important, for their safety as well as yours damaged electric wiring can result in fires.

Bird owners usually find ways to hide cables or protect them with plastic tubing available at Home Depot or like store. Ideally, they should have a nice-size play area -- some people even provide them with a bird room. I received an inspiring e-mail from a Blue and Gold Macaw owner who expresses very clearly what it takes to provide a macaw with a healthy and stimulating environment. She describes what it is like living with her "Blu" - who developed into a wonderful pet due to all the attention and wonderful care he receives at his home.

I bought him from Pet Smart on his first birthday,May 5th Actually my 14 year old son begged me to buy him and Blu became my companion. I knew nothing about parrots, so I read everything I could about them. To my surprise, he was more than I anticipated in upkeep; however, I took on the responsibility and it paid off. From day one, Blu spent every day out of his cage, in a play area in my bedroom, taking showers with me daily, and going on car rides at least 3 to 5 days a week.

He has become such a delight, but I wouldn't recommend a parrot of this type to anyone who is not capable or willing to include him as an active member of the family. I include Blu in all activities I participate in daily. He eats what my other family members eat, and fresh berries and fruit are part of his staple diet. As a result, his colors are shining and magnificent, and he often reminds me he thinks so too. And he is. He can be loud, but I control it to some extent by distracting him with "quiet conversation" and "soft voice levels".

He loves to cuddle, says he loves me after a drenching shower, asks for nuts "cracker" he says, any time he see's anyone eating something "delicious" looking.

It amazes me how he uses the proper words for situations. For instance, he says "I'm a pretty bird: not "you are a pretty bird" like I tell him. He laughs when I trip or drop something, he smiles most of the day, and asks to go "bye bye" when he sees me getting ready to go somewhere.

He tells me when he wants to go to sleep and back to his cage for the night, "night night"? There is no doubt he is extremely intelligent because he speaks cognitively a large part of the time.

He is a pain the in butt at times, but so are my other family members. Love him and he loves twice as hard. I never ignored him, or left him alone for more than an hour or two, so I'm not sure about how he would be if I didn't. He goes on vacation with us, every time.

Bird breeders have existed for centuries and have always seen profits due to the demand that has never waned. Mating Displays If your bird is going through a hormonal period, you may notice some awkward new ways in which the bird carries him or herself, or odd physical displays when the bird is interacting with you.

These can include eye pinning, regurgitation, and displays such as wing flapping or tail fanning. In the wild, female parrots will not lay eggs unless they have a mate and a suitable nesting site. In captivity, however, some parrots will lay eggs or even have repeated clutches of eggs despite the absence of a mate.

Females lay 2 to 3 eggs and incubate them for 24 to 28 days, after which the young hatch blind and featherless. Most macaws are bred regularly in captivity. Breeding season is usually in spring and early summer, although some pairs will breed almost year round.