Mini Macaw
The Mini Macaw - Small Bird, Huge Personality
The beautifully colored Macaw is a fairly large bird, though a pint-sized version, the mini Macaw, is sometimes the better choice for a pet. The members of the Macaw family are found from southern Mexico, through Central America, and into the northern part of the South American continent. The Macaw is a member if the parrot family, and one of the more colorful members at that. 17 different species of Macaw have been identified, spanning 6 genera. A number of the species, 6 to be exact, fall into the category comprising the mini Macaws.
The larger members of the Macaw family typically grow to a length of just under 3 feet, so they are fairly large birds, too large to be a household pet in many cases ,as they should be housed in an aviary which gives the opportunity for flight, even if it may be somewhat limited. A mini Macaw however is often a good choice for a pet as the largest of the mini species rarely attains a length of over 16", and the smallest measures around 12 ". Some of the prettier large Macaws are on the list of endangered species. This is generally not the case with the mini macaw, although one or two species are considered threatened or endangered.
Regardless of the species, the mini Macaw usually makes a fine pet. One exception is the Red-bellied Macaw. Though once considered endangered, it no longer is, but is difficult to breed in captivity and it even more difficult to provide it with the kind of diet it seems to demand. The other mini Macaw species are generally easy keepers, not terribly finicky about what they eat, and generally are good breeders.
One of the smaller mini Macaws is the Severe Macaw, also called the Chestnut-fronted Macaw. A lively little bird, the Severe Macaw can be taught to say a few words, and in fact a few develop a fair-sized vocabulary. As is the case with some dogs, the Severe Macaw has a tendency to become a one-person pet, and has to be socialized and handled very often when young by more than one person to keep this from happening. The Severe Macaw, once difficult to obtain, has become more common in recent years thanks to its excellent breeding habits in captivity.
Illiger's Macaw, the Blue-Winged Macaw, while making a good pet, is quite fond of flying and will be much better off in an aviary than in a small cage. A large aviary is best, since this species is quite an acrobat in the air. It generally does not make a good pet unless you have two of them. The Illiger's Macaw is definitely not a loner and needs companionship to be at its best.
There are three species of Red-Shouldered Macaws, Hahn's Macaw, the Noble Macaw, and the Long-Winged Macaw. If you're looking for the smallest mini Macaw, Hahn's Macaw would be your choice, even though the other two species aren't a great deal larger. The Hahn's Macaw usually grows to 12" in length. It, along with the other Red-shouldered Macaws, has a predominately green body, a blue crown, and a red area on the wing. The Noble Macaw and the Long-tailed Macaw are 1" to 2" longer than the Hahn's Macaw.
The Hahn's Macaw is usually considered to be the best Macaw for a first time owner of one of the Macaw species. It is an easy to care for little bird, highly sociable, easy to handle, and can usually be taught to say a few words. Should you get two of them, it is a good breeder in captivity.
A mini Macaw that is slightly larger, but still fits within the “mini” category is the Yellow-collared Macaw. Another very friendly and very intelligent small Macaw, the Yellow-collared Macaw does have one slightly disturbing characteristic. Although it can be trained to say a few words, it also knows how to deliver a very loud squawk for such a small bird. It might make a good “watch bird”.
If you want a smaller parrot, one with a long tail, a slim body, and bright plumage, a bird that is friendly, playful, intelligent and can be taught to talk, consider the mini Macaw.