My favourite bird is...the Macaw

Hey guys, I am back and rollin'

To celebrate here is an extra BIG Feature Hope you'll enjoy it, and a big thanks to Sylpheah for keeping the group so well in that time

Macaw was Suggested by MagicBirdie

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My favourite bird is ...

The Macaw

Macaws are native to the forests in Mexico, South America, and Central America.












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Smart little birds! Animal behavioralists believe that macaws have the intelligence of a four year old. This means they can learn not only words, but solve puzzles, learn dozens of tricks, and even be taught simple performances.

Like other parrots, Scarlet macaws are left-handed. They use their left foot to handle food and grasp things while their right supports their body.






Although hyacinth macaws are the largest, they are also one of the more gentle macaw species. However, they are an endangered species and take lots of time and attention when kept as pets.







They are monomorphic birds, meaning that the sexes appear the same.






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A macaw's facial feather pattern is as unique as a fingerprint.

The white face of the bird turns light pink when it gets excited.







The beak of this beautiful bird is hard and powerful, which helps it to break open hard seeds and even acts as its third foot, while climbing.








They mate for life. Macaws mate for life and use the same nesting area year after year. Deforestation can be devastating to macaws, as they find it hard to find acceptable nesting areas.

The mates can be easily recognized in the flying flock, where they are seen flying very close to each other.

Fast Facts

Order:
    Psittaciformes
Average life span in the wild:
    Up to 60 years
Size:
    11.8 to 39.5 in (30 to 100 cm)
Weight:
    4.5 oz to 3.75 lbs (129 to 1,695 g)
Group name:
    Flock
Did you know?
    The hyacinth macaw—the largest of all parrots—has an enormous wingspan of more than 4 ft (127 cm).
Diet:
     Herbivores, depends on trees for foods and likes to nuts, fruits, seeds, berries
Range:
     Tropical South America from Trinidad and Venezuela south to Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, and Paraguay
Habitat:
     Tropical and subtropical forest that grow in swampy ground or rivers
Age of Sexual Maturity:
      3 to 4 years of age
Gestation Period:
      24 to 28 days
Number of Offspring:
      2 to 3









The care of the young chick is taken by both the mother and the father. However, the parents will only raise the strongest chick.

Baby macaws are born blind, naked, and completely helpless. Both the mother and father birds eventually will feed the babies by regurgitating food into their mouths. Their eyes open at about one to two weeks of age.






Macaws are able to reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.







Only few left! There are only 80 surviving Spix’s macaws in captivity.






Sounds like… Macaws get their name from the sounds they make in the wild.

A day in the life

One of the outstanding natural sights in South America is a large flock of colorful macaws bursting up from the forest canopy in flight.
Macaws live in pairs, family groups, or flocks of 10 to 30, which helps give them protection from predators like large snakes and birds of prey. They usually wake before dawn, preening their feathers and calling to one another, perhaps communicating where they are and what they plan to do next. Then, as a group, they fly up out of the trees to journey to the day’s feeding grounds, often traveling quite a long distance to a grove of trees with ripe fruit. They feast until midday, when they settle down for more preening and "chatting," then forage more in the afternoon. Shortly before or after dusk, they all take wing again to return to their roosting site, where they call to each other to figure out who sits where. The sitting arrangement can change from day to day!
Sometimes squabbles break out, but macaws rarely physically injure each other. Once everyone is settled, they quiet down, fluff out their feathers, and prepare to snooze through the night.

Other big Psittaciformes:

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Many sources used, e.g. National Geographic

^{Other favourite Birds:
The Toucan | The Flamingo | The Kingfisher}