General characteristics of Macaws                                                                                                  The destinctive feature of a Ara Macaws compared to other parrots is mostly seen as the bare lore area between the beak and the eye. However the  family of Anodorhynchus  blue coloured Macaws do have feathered lores.

The most well known are the large brightly coloured Ara Macaw species like Blue & Gold, Scarlet, Green-winged. However there are some very interesting smaller Macaws which are often less well known.

Ara Macaws

Blue and Gold Macaw (ara.ararauna)

Most commonly available large Macaw (34-36" length). Widely distributed over South America. It has been found easy to breed in captivity and also has a very good pet temperament.

Blue-throated Macaw (ara.glancogularis) 

Very similar to the Blue & Gold in appearence, except for the extensive blue throat colouration. The yellow coloured areas are darker than the Blue & Gold.The top colour of the head is entirely blue, where the Blue & Gold is green around the forehead. Listed as CITES I since 1983, this is rarely kept Macaw in captivity.

Scarlet Macaw (ara.macao)

Although fairly common in captive collections this Macaw is endangered in the wild and has (CITES Appendix 1 listed). This large Macaw (35"length) has a unpredicitable temperament and normally after about 2 years of age becomes difficult to handle as a pet parrot.

Green-winged Macaw (ara.chloroptera)

 Another commonly bred large (36" length) Macaw. Breeds well in captivity. Commonly found throughout South America.Generally has a more gentle temperament than the Scarlet Macaw. Making it a popular pet Macaw.

 Military Macaw (ara.militaris)

A large Macaw (27-29" length), a Macaw of Central and Southern Mexico. It is primarily a mountain specie of the semi-arid forest areas near streams. Sometimes kept as pet Macaws but their temperament can be unpredictable.

Red-fronted Macaw (ara rubrogenys)

A Macaw of southern and central Bolivia. This is a olive green coloured Macaw, with orange red patches on the ear coverts, forehead, shoulder, underwing coverts and thighs. Mostly kept as aviary Macaws in Europe, although some are sold as pets in the USA. Although there are few breeders, some have found the species quite prolific. Harry Sissons was said to have bred around 90 babies with four or five pairs during the mid 1980's. The first recorded breeding at Wuppertal in Germany in 1978.

Blue Macaws (Anodorhynchus)

Perhaps the largest and most desired family of  Macaws, this group consists of 3 species although it is sometimes believed that they could be regarded as related and therefore subspecies. The Lears Macaw (a.leari) and Glaucous Macaw (a.glaucus) are extremely rare in the wild and in captivity and both listed as CITES Appendix I. These Macaws are on the very edge of extinction in the wild, and sadly the latter may already be.

Photos above (left to right): Blue and Gold, Blue-throated, Green-winged, Hyacinthine, Military, Red-fronted and Scarlet Macaws

Smaller Macaws

Noble Macaw (diopsittaca.n.cumansis) is slightly bigger in size 13” and has the upper mandible of the beak horn in colour. Similarly they are common in the wild but not often found in collections in Europe. A similar but slightly larger sub-specie is found at 13.75” as the Neumanns Macaw (a.n.longipennis).

Yellow-collared Macaw (ara. auricollis) is the next in size at 15”lives in almost all types of terrain. Now quite difficult to find in collections in spite of many being imported during the 70’s.

Illigers Macaw (ara.maracana) is 17” in size and is a CITES 1 listed species living in the forest near water courses, now rare and endangered in the wild because of deforestation. Not often found in collections these days although many were imported in the past.

Severe also known as the Chestnut-fronted Macaw (ara.severa) is 19” has a wide distribution in the wild and prefers the open forest edges and swampland. In spite of the large number imported not that often found in collections.

 Red-bellied Macaw (ara.manilata) similarly has a wide distribution and mostly found in palm groves near water. Although they have been often imported in large numbers they have not been found to be particularly easy to breed.

Photos above (left to right): Blue-headed, Hahns, Illigers, Noble, Severe and Yellow-collared Macaws