Macaw: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Macaws
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Scientific classification
: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae Genus: Ara Anodorhynchus Cyanopsitta Propyrrhura Orthopsittaca Diopsittaca
Species
Many, see text

Macaws are large colorful parrots and classified into six of the many Psittacidae genera: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Propyrrhura, Orthopsittaca , and Diopsittaca.

Parrots are zygodactyl, like woodpeckers, having 4 toes on each foot - two front and two back.

Other varieties of Macaw include the Scarlet Macaw, the Military Macaw, the Yellow-collared Macaw, the Severe Macaw, the Green-winged Macaw, and the Hahn Macaw.

Status

Of the seventeen remaining species of macaw, only the Blue-and-yellow Macaw is not endangered in the wild. Five species of macaw are already extinct, and Spix's Macaw is now considered to be extinct in the wild. The Glaucous Macaw is also probably extinct, with only two reliable records of sightings in the 20th century. The greatest problems threatening the macaw population are the rapid rate of deforestation and the illegal trapping of birds for the bird trade.

Macaws eat nuts and fruit and can destroy trees, so if kept as pets they should be provided with twigs to break.

Bonding: Macaws have a long life span - Claimed 150 years in the wild and 75 years in captivity. They will bond primarily with one person - their keeper.

Other sub-bondings also take place and most macaws that are subjected to non-aggressive behavior (aka love) will trust MOST humans and can be handled by even strangers if someone familiar is within eyeshot of the bird.

• Anodorhynchus
  • Anodorhynchus glaucus : Glaucous Macaw Status: Critical

• • Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus : Hyacinth Macaw Status: Endangered

• • Anodorhynchus leari : Indigo Macaw or Lear's Macaw Status: Critical

• Cyanopsitta
  • Cyanopsitta spixii : Little Blue Macaw or Spix's Macaw Status: Critical

• Ara
  • Ara ararauna : Blue-and-yellow Macaw
  • Ara glaucogularis : Blue-throated Macaw Status: Critical

• • Ara militaris : Military Macaw Status: Vulnerable

• • Ara ambigua : Great Green Macaw Status: Vulnerable

• • Ara macao : Scarlet Macaw or Aracanga
  • Ara chloroptera : Red-and-green Macaw
  • Ara rubrogenys : Red-fronted Macaw Status: Endangered

• • Ara severa : Chestnut-fronted Macaw
  • Ara atwoodi : Dominican Green-and-Yellow Macaw Status: Extinct (1791)

• • Ara erythrocephala : Jamaican Green-and-Yellow Macaw Status: Extinct (early 1800s)

• • Ara gossei : Jamaican Red Macaw Status: Extinct (late 1700s)

• • Ara guadeloupensis : Lesser Antillean Macaw Status: Extinct (1760)

• • Ara tricolor : Cuban Macaw Status: Extinct (1885)

• Orthopsittaca
  • Orthopsittaca manilata : Red-bellied Macaw
• Propyrrhura
  • Propyrrhura couloni : Blue-headed Macaw
  • Propyrrhura maracana : Illiger's Macaw or Blue-winged Macaw Status: Vulnerable

• • Propyrrhura auricollis : Golden-collared Macaw
• Diopsittaca
  • Diopsittaca nobilis : Red-shouldered Macaw or Hahn's Macaw

ITIS 177653, 177659
as of 2002-07-15