The Whale Dreamer

DID YOU KNOW?

Macaws mate for life!

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Macaws are the largest of all parrots, with the Hyacinth Macaw taking the title of the biggest one, at 3 feet long from head to tail.  These beautiful birds are easily identified by their bold, colorful feathers and long tails. One might chance upon a flock of macaws taking flight in the rainforests of Central and South America, a mesmerizing sight for many. Macaws feed on fruits, nuts, different plant parts (which aids with seed dispersal in forests), and snails. Their strong beaks make for good tools to crush the nuts (they are so strong that they can crush a person’s knuckle!).

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Macaws hold significant importance in the culture of Pueblo Native American people. To them, the macaw is more than just a colorful bird- their feathers represent the sun. The Pueblo people work with these feathers in their rituals; yellow feathers may be used in marriage ceremonies. For certain rituals, the scarlet macaw, military macaw and the blue-and-gold macaw’s feathers are held in high regard.

 

CURRENT STATUS:

Three macaw species are currently listed on IUCN as critically endangered and three as endangered.

 

CHALLENGES:

The current threats to macaw habitat are farming and logging (cutting trees for timber), and housing and building development on the land they live on. These activities have reduced or eliminated the forests they live in and depend upon to survive. Many people don’t realize that they are often captured as part of the pet trade. Certain species such as the Cuban Macaw are extinct today, while the Spix’s Macaw is believed to be extinct in the wild. Losses like these have reduced the total number of macaw species from 19 to 17.