Mini Macaws

One of my own personal favorites is the mini-macaw! Miniature macaws originate from various areas of South America and occupy areas from rain forests to dry open savannas. These birds vary in size of generally no longer than 18 or 19 inches. Many are only 11 to 12 inches. The best way to acquire one of these birds is as a hand-fed baby who has been bonded and socialized to people. Speaking from personal experience, as I have a Hahn’s mini macaw of my own, these birds are extremely sweet, comical, and entertaining and soon earn a special place in the family. Most species become very good talkers.

The Hahn’s macaw is the smallest of all the mini macaws. It measures 11 to 12 inches. This bird originates from Venezuela, the Guyanas and eastern Brazil. These birds are not screamers, very intelligent and are capable of entertaining themselves for hours. They are overall green, with a blue forehead, and a little yellow under the wings and red on the bend of the wing.

The Severe Macaw is larger than the Hahn’s measuring 18 to 19 inches, they are actually the most colorful of the mini macaws, their chestnut brown front plumage blends into a bluish green around the crown of the head. General body color is green. They pick up words and phrases quite easily and are extremely popular in the pet industry as they are known to be colorful, friendly and intelligent birds who quickly become attached to their owners.

The yellow-collared macaw is 14 to 15 inches long. They come from Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina. Their plumage color is green with black forehead, and are distinguished by a yellow collar in neck area. The tail feathers are light maroon that turn blue at the tip of the tail. These macaws tend to be a bit shyer in personality and also a bit noisier. Their temperament seems to make them slightly less desirable than the two previous mentioned types. Other types of mini-macaws that are not as readily available in the market for pet trade are the Illigers, Red-bellied, Noble and Red-shouldered.

Diet for the mini-macaw should consist of high quality pellet, fresh fruits and vegetables, pastas and grains, with sunflower seeds and small nuts as a treat. Fresh water should always be available. Macaws love to work with their beaks and feet to explore opening nuts and peeling fruit. In addition to being entertaining for the owner, the bird enjoys its physical and psychological interaction with food. As always, variety is the spice of life!

Another attractive feature of the mini-macaw is the ability to have the personality of the larger macaw packed into a more economical package. Housing is not nearly the size of what their larger counterparts require. A cage of approximately 24 wide by 24 deep by 30 high would be adequate. Of course, the larger the better, just be sure when selecting your cage that the bar spacing is not too far apart. Your bird should not be able to get its head through the bars. Make sure you select a cage with a big enough door opening that you can get your hand in for your bird to perch on to withdraw it from inside. Irregular shaped perches, preferably made of tree branches or manzanita wood are best. A wide variety of rope toys, donut swings, rawhide and leather encourage chewing and playing activity. Play gyms and time out of the cage are also appreciated. Routine beak, nail and wing trimming are recommended provided by an avian veterinarian.