Range

South America is the native home of the blue and gold macaw. Here they can be found throughout Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname and Venezuela. The population in Trinidad and Tobago is now extinct.

Habitat

They make their home in woodlands, savannas, palm swamps and forests. Typically they live along streams and rivers.

Reproduction

Breeding season varies by range though is typically in the first half of the year.

Pairs of macaws are monogamous and will remain together for life. Brighter colored males tend to have better success in finding a mate.

A pair of macaws will create a nest in a tree hollow often in the trunk of a palm tree. Often these hollows have been formed by other animals.

In to the nest a female will deposit two or three eggs. These eggs are incubated for up to 28 days by the female. The male remains with the female and both will work together to defend the nest.

Once the chicks hatch they are blind and featherless. Typically only one chick will survive to adulthood.

The chicks are fed with regurgitated food. During the first week this is almost exclusively performed by the females though after this both parents will share the duties.

Fledging takes place between 10 and 13 weeks old. After fledging they will remain with their parents for a further 6 months to learn how to survive in the forest.

Sexual maturity is reached between 3 and 4 years old.

Behavior

Most of their time is spent in their pairs. Pairs may come together to form flocks though. When in flight the pairs will be close together with their wings almost touching.

When danger is spotted the flock will take the skies and begin to screech loudly.

Their call is loud, shrieking ‘rraa-aarr’ or ‘kurr-rakk.’ In captivity they can be trained to make vocalizations which sound similar to human speech.

In flight they can travel at speeds up to 56km/h (35mph).

Predators and Threats

The main predator of the blue and gold macaw is birds of prey such as the harpy eagle.

Humans affect their population through hunting and habitat loss. They are hunted both for food and feathers. To feed the pet trade they are often victims of the illegal wildlife trade.

As they typically only raise one chick successfully some conservation efforts involve removing additional eggs and artificially incubating them. They then release the additional chicks.

Quick facts

The blue and gold macaw is one of the 17 macaw species.

Blue and gold macaws are a popular pet species across the globe.

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