|
 |
Blue-throated MacawCaninde Macaw ~ Wagler's Macaw Family: Psittacidae
The Blue-throated Macaw is a rare treat to behold, being one of the rarest birds in the world. It has become known in aviculture only since the late 1970's!As a pet the Blue-throated Macaw is very docile and affectionate, but also quite intelligent and inquisitive. Wild birds were found to be shy and reclusive but the hand-fed birds are very outgoing and talkative. Chewing and performing acrobatic antics are favorite activities as is exploring their surroundings with their tongue and beak. They are very elegant and inclined to be much more graceful in movement than other macaws. Though they don't care to be handled quite as much as their close relative the Blue and Gold Macaw, they are undemanding and friendly. They are not inclined to bite nor are they not excessively loud as many of the other macaws can be. They are quite content to entertain themselves especially if given plenty of chewing materials. These qualities make them a wonderful pet or aviary bird that can be kept even where there are neighbors close by. For information about the care of Macaws see:
|
 |
Distribution:
The Blue-Throated Macaws are found in a very small geographic
region in central Bolivia and occasionally in Argentina. It is also thought
that they once existed in Paraguay. There are very few in the wild and
they are threatened with extinction due to the natives burning much of
the rainforest and extensive trapping for the pet trade. They inhabit
humid dense lowland forests and palm groves.
There are very few Blue-throated Macaws in the wild, probably
only a couple of hundred, and they are threatened with extinction. But
today they are being successfully bred in captivity and are available
as a pet, though they are still quite rare and expensive.
Description:
The Blue-throated Macaw, also known as the Caninde Macaw
or the Wagler's Macaw, use to be thought of as a subspecies or a juvenile
of the Blue and Gold Macaw. They are similar in color to the Blue and
Gold Macaw with upperparts that are all blue and underparts that are an
orange-yellow. Their blue coloring is a bit more aqua toned having a greenish
tinge, and they have a blue band across the throat, thus the name 'Blue-throated'.
The bare facial patch is also a bit smaller and is lined with blue feathers
rather than the black feathers on a Blue and Gold Macaw's facial patch.
The tail is long and tapered and the legs are gray. The beak is a gray-black
and the eye is yellow.
A younger bird will be similar to the adults but have a
shorter tail and dark brown eyes.
Size - Weight:
The Blue-throated Macaw is a full sized macaw, though they
are a bit smaller than Blue and Gold Macaw. These birds are about 33 inches
(85 cm) in length.
Care and feeding:
A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out
for extended periods. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play
pen or parrot perch. The Blue-throated Macaw is an avid chewer and should
be provided with plenty of natural branches and wooden toys.
In the wild their food consists of fruits, nuts, and buds,
especially palm nuts which they scrape out with a specially adapted beak.
They eat a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, commercial pellets, insects
and larvae.
See About Macaws: Housing and About Macaws: Care and Feeding for more information.
Social Behaviors:
In the wild the Blue-throated Macaws are very
social birds, often seen in the company of Blue and Gold Macaws. In captivity,
these birds are mellow, friendly, and inquisitive. They enjoy interaction
with people as well as other birds. They rarely ever bite, though they
do explore their surroundings with their tongue and beak. They are happy
to entertain themselves as well; playing in their cage, talking to themselves,
and chewing on toys.
See About Macaws: Social
Behaviors for information on developing a well rounded friendly macaw.
Breeding/Reproduction:
In the wild the Blue-throated Macaw will build its nest in
palm trees. They were first bred in captivity in 1984 and are found to
be ready breeders, though the babies are a bit difficult to hand feed,
especially when very young. The usual clutch consists of two to four eggs
which incubate for about 26 days. The babies will fledge after about 3
months in the nest. Feed the parents additional high-fat seeds, like sunflower
seed, during the breeding season. The young will also require a high-fat
diet as well as additional protein.
See About Macaws: Breeding/Reproduction for information on breeding.
Sexual differences: No visible differences.
Potential Problems:
See About Macaws: Potential
Problems for information on illnesses.
Availability:
Blue-throated macaws are not common in captivity. They are
however being successfully bred and are available as a pet, though they
are still quite rare and expensive. .
| Sponsored Links |
|---|
Comments from people who have kept this pet:
I have a pair of Blue-throated Macaws, I was outside one day and heard them, and then I saw them flying. I went into the house to get them fruit and they were very hungry. They both came to me and I fell in love with them from the start. So my husband and I made some phone calls to find out who owned them, we did find out who owned them and they were in a rescue. The person that was feeding them turned her back and out they went. Well, it took some time to get them but now they are living with us and our 4 Rat Terriers. I was told they tested for PDD. They are fine now but they will always half to be tested. I did adopt them both as I did not want them to be apart. They are 5 years and 6 years old. I was told they were both female, well one is a male, and if them do by chance breed we can not let the eggs hatch because of the PDD. This breaks my heart, but we not letting the eggs hatch if they have any at all. I Love them both. The Male is a lot nicer then the Female, I was told she has been through a lot. They have all the love and food and toys and I just keep working with them. I would not want to be without them. They were sent to us for a reason and I will not let them go without love. These are wonderful Birds. I love all animals but Teacup the male and Boie the female are like my children and I am blessed to have them. Also, have your bird checked, this is a very hard diease to treat. They are very lucking to still be here. Thanks for reading and I have enjoyed reading all your comments.
I am very blessed to share my home with a Blue Throated Macaw. Her name is Kasey and I rescued her from a home in a windowless cement room and a dirty, rusty cage with no toys. She is a delight! But so intelligent. She can take anything apart and she loves to chew. I'm always looking for that perfect Blue Throated toy. She is cuddly, affectionate, and loud. She is a member of our family now and we love her.
I am the proud owner of one of these majestic birds. Kiki is one year old and he is very loving and sweet. He is an acrobat and a clown. He loves to swing upside down, hanging on by one talon. He is good natured and seldom squawks. I also have an amazon and a conure, as well as two small dogs. They all get along fairly well. Though the bluethroated are hard to come by, this bird is worth the effort.
My name is Paulie, and I am 8 years old. I was found in a basement in a small cage with three other birds. My new owner came to visit me and he felt sorry for me. I made an effort to trust him so I jumped up on his arm without biting him. He decided then he wanted to take me home so he bought me a large cage all of my own to enjoy with toys and everything. I get a bath every morning and I now eat veggies and fruits as well as regular bird food. I live with a Hahns Macaw named George, A Harlequin Macaw named McKala, a sengal named Dusty, and of course the conure named Gandoff. My owner knows that I am a rare find and after the life I had this one makes me feel so at home. I get to see and listen to videos of birds in the wild and my new owner wants to take me outside like he does McKala. Yes he uses a harness. Paulie, is a great bird, I have noticed that like all other comments here he does not like being handled as much as the other birds. But being he was 8 when he came here and not used to being handled I think he is doing great.
My Blue Throat is 3 years old and makes me laugh all the time. He is a born clown who loves to hang, flip, and generally do whatever it takes to get your attention. Although he prefers me, he will go to anyone for attention as long as they don't try to cuddle him. His only drawback is that he is a natural engineer and has been able to open any lock on any cage that he has had. His newest cage is a custom built stainless steel cage which took him approximately 30 seconds to figure out. It is now padlocked when we are not home. I would recommend this breed to any macaw lover that wants a more docile, slightly smaller species.
A gorgeous blue-throated girl named Kailani owns me. She is the sweetest, cuddliest bird I have ever owned. She'd lay in my arms for hours on end if I let her! I agree with Joe that they are one-person birds. Kailani LOVES me, but will bite anyone else and refuse to get up on their arm. It's funny, and makes me feel special, but I'm trying to train her out of it. So far it isn't working so well. She acts like a total baby with me though. When I'm cuddling her, she'll flip a wing every now and then and make this pitiful sweet little baby-like macaw sound that I just love. I hope she never grows out of that. Make sure to feed your macaw baby freshly sprouted seeds and nuts on a daily basis, they'll thank you for it ;)
Some of the coolest comments:
I HAVE A PAIR OF BLUE THROATS THAT ARE 11 YEARS OLD, AND THEY ARE NOW FINALLY STARTING TO BEAK FEED EACH OTHER! I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER BREEDERS WHO HAVE SUCCESSFUL PAIRS AND THEY SAY THAT THESE ARE VERY HARD TO BREED. THEY USUUALLY START BREEDING AROUND 10-12 YEARS OF AGE! A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE REGULAR MACAW! AND ARE VERY DIFFICULT PARENTS, YOU WILL FINDING YOURSELF INCUBATING THE EGGS! THEY ARE ALSO VERY JEALOUS BIRDS! THEY CAN BOND TO ONE PERSON AND SOMETIMES WILL ATTEMPT TO ATTACK THE OTHER PERSON IF YOU INTERUPT THEM! I HAVE BEEN BREEDING BIRDS FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND SINCE OWNING THESE MACAWS AM VERY SURPRISED AT THE DIFFERENCE SAY TO THE B&GS! BUT ON A POSITIVE NOTE THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL AND IF YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON HANDLING THEM YOU WILL BE FINE! THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE BLUE THROATS! I BELEIVE THEY WILL BE ON THE ENDANGERED LIST IN THE WILD FOR SOMETIME BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF RAISING THEIR YOUNG! THANKS
Author: Clarice Brough, CAS
[Home] [Newsfeed]
[Saltwater Aquariums]
[Reef Aquariums]
[Freshwater Aquariums]
[Cats][Pet Birds] [Small Animals] [Reptiles] [Cute Pets] [References] [Team] [Pet Links] [Pet Supplies] [Care Sheets] [About Animal-World] [Site Map][Privacy Policy] [Recommended Pet Books]
- #1: Discover parrot taming techniques where you never get bitten.
- #2: Download 'live' and free videos of parrots being trained
- #3: Build trust with your African Grey
- #4: Put an end to your Cockatoo or Conure's screaming
- #5: Sign up for FREE 3 day parrot training e-course
- #6: Get over 120 minutes of parrot behavior specialists powerful advice
-
Click Here to read steps
#7 - #10
