Macaw types/breeders

[CaliCash]

Hi Everyone,

Been researching like crazy, and I have some questions. I’ve read a lot and have spoken with a few breeders as well as rescues. That said, I’ve received a mix bag of thoughts from all. I’ve been pointed towards, Blue and Golds, Greenwings, Harlequins and lastly Miligolds for my desire to have a gentle, but playful temperament/natured Macaw that will be “ok” with multiple family members. I’ve also read in my research that Blue Throated Macaws fit this bill too. Is this generalization of direction from breeders as accurate as a generalization could be? I understand like people, each bird can be different, but I do get the vague generalizations, due to my experience with dog breeds(not trying to group birds into dogs), like Heelers being bred to herd, and Huskies to run and pull, etc etc. Does anyone have any recommendations in terms of a generalized type that fits my desired traits(multi person, sweet/gentle, clownish)?

Also, If I don’t find a bird at a rescue or decide to go the breeder route, does anyone have any good recommendations for breeders? I’m not shutting rescues out, just wondering so I can research Breeders as well and make sure to stay away from any bad ones. Each breeder I’ve talked with has given me a different answer on their opinions on types, so I’m wondering if that’s because that’s what they have available or if it’s truly their honest belief.

 

[Mizzely]

One thing to remember is that dogs are all one species that has been bred to have specific traits.

Each parrot is part of a different species that has historically been bred just with the first bird that shares compatible DNA. The focus has been more on plumage vs behavior. That's why dog generalizations work better than birds. To generalize an entire species is just plain hard!

That being said i don't have big macaw experience.
@Macawnutz maybe can help?

 

[MiniMacaw]

What Mizzely said is exactly right. Dogs are of one species while birds are not. And since they haven’t been selectively bred for temperament (but for very recently by a few responsible breeders), it’s hard to generalize at all.

My blue and gold is the opposite of what breeders would say a b and g is. Doesn’t mean he’s any less perfect, just that the variables are vast in personalities.

 

[macawpower58]

IMO any macaw baby will be gentle, playful and loving. Most family members will be accepted and loved.
Some may be a little more outgoing, but most will be what you wish.
It's the mature macaw that develop personalities, and what they end up as, is a gamble.
Just realize sweet babies and young birds change, sometimes drastically.
Adult macaws can remain sweet calm birds, or you may end up with a monster for some years.
I got the monster version.

Pick one you fall in love with, and stick out the ride no matter if it gets bumpy or not.

 

[BeanieofJustice]

I wouldn’t limit yourself; my Scarlet isn’t like what a Scarlet is usually described as. He’s as gentle and kind a soul as you’d ever want to meet. I got him as an adult rescue and he’s been my baby since day 1.
Go to a rescue and meet birds; I never would have thought that I would have a macaw, but he picked me. He’s good with people in general and will take to anyone who spending time with him and dances and pays attention to him.
No two birds are alike; and an adult bird will tell you who and what they are from day 1.

 

[CaliCash]

I wouldn’t limit yourself; my Scarlet isn’t like what a Scarlet is usually described as. He’s as gentle and kind a soul as you’d ever want to meet. I got him as an adult rescue and he’s been my baby since day 1.
Go to a rescue and meet birds; I never would have thought that I would have a macaw, but he picked me. He’s good with people in general and will take to anyone who spending time with him and dances and pays attention to him.
No two birds are alike; and an adult bird will tell you who and what they are from day 1.

Thank you all for your reply’s. I hope my analogy wasn’t offensive to anyone or taken the wrong way. I completely understand that fact that birds weren’t and haven’t bred for a long time for personality traits. It seems certain avian breeders think their birds are bred for personality and of course that might be their sales tactic, since I got breeders who said only go with Greenwings, being that that’s all they have available. I ask about the breeder deal, as I had one say that getting a rescue is great, but they’re their for a reason and having little ones it would be better to know the vices as a bird in a rescue shelter will act completely different than what they’ll act like when they get to your home. Again, none of this is from me personally, just what I’ve heard from others as I do my research to make sure I’m educated on my decision. I had owned an Eclectus for years and had him as a baby and he was wonderful, and I’m still very open to rescues, but also open minded to breeders too, since my experience was great with my Eclectus. Thank you all!!!

 

[BeanieofJustice]

Thank you all for your reply’s. I hope my analogy wasn’t offensive to anyone or taken the wrong way. I completely understand that fact that birds weren’t and haven’t bred for a long time for personality traits. It seems certain avian breeders think their birds are bred for personality and of course that might be their sales tactic, since I got breeders who said only go with Greenwings, being that that’s all they have available. I ask about the breeder deal, as I had one say that getting a rescue is great, but they’re their for a reason and having little ones it would be better to know the vices as a bird in a rescue shelter will act completely different than what they’ll act like when they get to your home. Again, none of this is from me personally, just what I’ve heard from others as I do my research to make sure I’m educated on my decision. I had owned an Eclectus for years and had him as a baby and he was wonderful, and I’m still very open to rescues, but also open minded to breeders too, since my experience was great with my Eclectus. Thank you all!!!

Oh yes sorry! I was at work and rushing I hope I didn’t come across poorly! I apologize if I did!
I will say that not all birds are there for a reason, some are there because people pass away. Especially with macaws living as long as they do. A baby will act differently as they grow too.
I wish you the best of luck in finding your feathered friend!

 

[CaliCash]

Oh yes sorry! I was at work and rushing I hope I didn’t come across poorly! I apologize if I did!
I will say that not all birds are there for a reason, some are there because people pass away. Especially with macaws living as long as they do. A baby will act differently as they grow too.
I wish you the best of luck in finding your feathered friend!

No no! No need to be sorry at all! I didn’t take anything the wrong way. Your situation is awesome with your Scarlet and honestly nice to hear he’s so great. I hope I get that and find a rescue when the time comes in the coming months. As someone trying to add that new family member you want to do as much as you can to be educated and then breeders, shops and rescues contradict one another it becomes confusing and almost seems like a crap shoot(pardon my language) in what you truly get and all the research you do can be useless on the type/breed you go with, with all the other variables going on. I guess I’m just trying to make sure I do what’s right by the bird and both sides are happy.

 

[BeanieofJustice]

No no! No need to be sorry at all! I didn’t take anything the wrong way. Your situation is awesome with your Scarlet and honestly nice to hear he’s so great. I hope I get that and find a rescue when the time comes in the coming months. As someone trying to add that new family member you want to do as much as you can to be educated and then breeders, shops and rescues contradict one another it becomes confusing and almost seems like a crap shoot(pardon my language) in what you truly get and all the research you do can be useless on the type/breed you go with, with all the other variables going on. I guess I’m just trying to make sure I do what’s right by the bird and both sides are happy.

Oh yeah, I can remember all of that. It's hard to know where to start, and I understand your feelings about it being a crap shoot, and I think it's great that you're coming at it from all of those sides! I only brought up Sam Axe to point out that they don't always live their reputation. And he's been as easy a bird as you could ask for, personality wise, I knew when I brought him home he had physical issues but he's been improving. When you do connect with the right bird, you'll know. They just might not be the bird you expect.
I remember doing a lot of research before I brought Sam Axe home, though I do think spending time with him helped me more than anything. I honestly think it's great that you're looking at as many sources as you are. I read a lot of books, and my scarlet wasn't exactly as most of them were described.

 

[melissasparrots]

Most baby parrots will be good with multiple family members. Most adult parrots regardless of species will not. Once mature, and sometimes even around 9 months old, they start picking their favorite. An adult male macaw can be a force to recon with even if you are the favorite and can be almost dangerous if you are not the favorite. Make sure you understand that and make sure you and all your family are actually okay with having a bird in the house that can only be reliably handled by one person in about 5 years. Also make sure that the person who least wants the bird is okay if they are the chosen one and the person that most wants the bird is the one that the bird treats like garbage and bites every chance they get. Make sure you have your head wrapped around that and its not a deal breaker where you end up rehoming the bird due to disappointment and it not meeting the standard for you. If that sounds like a major disappointment, get a dog instead. If you are still okay with it, get a female blue and gold or greenwing and hope for the best. Some females can actually be very good. Fewer males. If you get on a breeder's waiting list, do not take a male just because he's the only one that hatched that year. Wait for a girl. Leave the males for single people that already have a lot of macaw experience.

 

[CaliCash]

Most baby parrots will be good with multiple family members. Most adult parrots regardless of species will not. Once mature, and sometimes even around 9 months old, they start picking their favorite. An adult male macaw can be a force to recon with even if you are the favorite and can be almost dangerous if you are not the favorite. Make sure you understand that and make sure you and all your family are actually okay with having a bird in the house that can only be reliably handled by one person in about 5 years. Also make sure that the person who least wants the bird is okay if they are the chosen one and the person that most wants the bird is the one that the bird treats like garbage and bites every chance they get. Make sure you have your head wrapped around that and its not a deal breaker where you end up rehoming the bird due to disappointment and it not meeting the standard for you. If that sounds like a major disappointment, get a dog instead. If you are still okay with it, get a female blue and gold or greenwing and hope for the best. Some females can actually be very good. Fewer males. If you get on a breeder's waiting list, do not take a male just because he's the only one that hatched that year. Wait for a girl. Leave the males for single people that already have a lot of macaw experience.

Thank you for the insight! That’s good to know about the females, as my Eclectus was a male and we got him because we were told that females can be more difficult. That said, I’ve always got along better with all things female, we have horses and my swore I needed a gelding and I got one and he’s my wife’s now and I have a mare that adores me and I do her. Is that statement about females just in macaws or usually so in others too?

Again, I appreciate all the information form you and everyone else! Thank you all!

 

[melissasparrots]

Thank you for the insight! That’s good to know about the females, as my Eclectus was a male and we got him because we were told that females can be more difficult. That said, I’ve always got along better with all things female, we have horses and my swore I needed a gelding and I got one and he’s my wife’s now and I have a mare that adores me and I do her. Is that statement about females just in macaws or usually so in others too?

Again, I appreciate all the information form you and everyone else! Thank you all!

Certain species have the females as the more aggressive. Other species have the male as the more aggressive/territorial. In eclectus and a few smaller species like budgies, parrotlets, possibly ringnecks and lovebirds, the females are a little or a lot more prone to become aggressive with hormones. With for sure cockatoos and amazons and a slightly lesser extent macaws and possibly african greys, the females are the sweeter sex. Some female macaws can be pretty rough and rowdy as babies, but it usually won't compare to territorial aggression from a mature male. I think some mature male macaws can be a little scary. Females tend to be more situational and just all around easier to handle. Getting a female does not guarantee a pet that the whole family can handle. But they are still easier to deal with on average. The difference between a mature male and female amazon or cockatoo can be like polar opposites. My males get hormonal and want to fly across the room and take chunks out of whatever body part of mine they attach to first. My females just lift their tail, flutter their wings and sweetly ask for sex. They might get a little crabby when the competition (my dog or other humans) come around, but I've never had a hormonal female leave me with a scar or had to just not handle the bird for a few months due to not wanting to bleed or allow aggression to repeat itself often enough to become habit. Almost without fail, when I hear of someone wanting to get rid of their macaw because its so aggressive, its a male.