Blue macaw in natural and domestic conditions. Photo of parrots

A blue macaw is a bird that belongs to the species of the genus Ara. It lives in Central and South America. A parrot is one of the most beloved birds in mankind. But a big blue macaw is a rarity in residential apartments. It has a huge size, a strong beak, loudly screams, which is not very acceptable for living quarters.

Appearance

In nature in the early twentieth century there were about 250 small blue macaws. Unfortunately, now this species practically does not occur. Large and small blue macaws are listed in the Red Book (International). Often poachers hunt for these birds.

They are considered large parrots, they have a large and strong beak, at the bottom of which there is a golden strip. A long pointed tail, the coloring is very beautiful and bright, attracting attention. On the head there is a patch of skin, it is located from the auricles to the beak. An interesting shade of eyes: at first glance black, actually a dark brown color. The blue macaw is a parrot that has a trustful and affectionate character. The bird is very inquisitive and intelligent. The weight of the blue macaw is about 1.5 kilograms, birds live up to eighty years. Distinguish where the female, and where the male, you can by the size. The blue female ara is much smaller than the male, there are no differences in color, they are the same.

Living in natural conditions

The parrot lives in Central and South America: in Bolivia and Brazil. Now there are very few blue macaws, there are about three thousand individuals. Poultry dwell in palm and savanna forests, but frequent felling and capture by poachers reduce their population. In addition, parrots of the species Ara do not actively breed.

Bright-blue plumage, a large beak, expressive eyes are the distinctive features of a blue macaw. The photos of these parrots are always very colorful and often adorn the billboards of pet stores. The cost of such birds is very high, exceeding two thousand dollars. By scaring the blue ara people call it "royal" because of its bright color and noble appearance.

Favorite food of colorful birds is fruits (ripe and immature) and seeds, nuts and flowers, insects and berries, mangoes and shoots. Every day parrots fly on walks, during which they feed on soil with useful minerals. They neutralize the properties of harmful substances that are contained in immature fruits.

Living in captivity

Blue ara in the home is rarely found, in general, it can be seen in zoos, circuses or exhibitions. These parrots like to live in pairs, they do not tolerate cold temperatures (in the daytime it should be up to 20 degrees Celsius, at night - not less than ten). Cages for blue macaws should be made from a durable material, rather than from ordinary wire. These birds have a strong beak, which they can easily break thin rods. Parrots are very fond of a wide variety of entertainment. For example, stairs and mirrors, branches of trees and perches, bells and pouches. Do not forget that all toys should be designed specifically for large birds. It is also very important to change the water daily in the water bowl, clean the contents of the feeder and give fresh food. The cell must be washed at least once in seven days.

Nutrition at home

The person who lives a blue macaw must know what to feed his pet. Food should contain fats and a reduced protein. Feed the parrot once or twice a day: give fruits, sunflower seeds and nuts, vegetables, celery, dandelions, plantain leaves. Blue ara likes to peck branches and shoots of fruit trees, sprouted grain. Occasionally, but regularly fed with oatmeal and rice porridge, young chicken meat, low-fat cottage cheese, boiled egg.

When the parrots come the breeding season, it is worth to diversify the food. You can add vitamins D and B, supplements with calcium content, perfect egg shell. Coconuts and honey are also welcome.

Blue-yellow macaw

The appearance of this Ara is very beautiful and bright. The coloring is blue, orange and yellow. A parrot loves communication, so it's better to keep a couple of birds so they do not get bored. The blue-yellow macaw is very popular. These parrots are easy to learn, imitate sounds. Their friendly character manifests itself at once, the birds are very trusting and restless. In captivity it is better to keep in an enclosure, where there is much more space than in a cage. It is necessary to bring a blue-yellow ara to cultivate, with proper training the parrot can remember about seventy words. In the diet should be fruits and vegetables, cereals and branches of fruit trees, fertilizing from minerals.

The length of the parrot reaches ninety-five centimeters, the bird has an impressive tail (about half a meter), body weight - from 900 to 1300 grams. A loud voice is the hallmark of all kinds of Ara. But the blue-and-yellow parrots do not just scream like that, but only if necessary. These birds are very communicative, to keep them just for beauty will not work, you need to pay attention and communicate with them.