Wild Blue and Gold Macaw Flock in Miami

[M.C Bird Rescue]

Crystal, I have a little tent and I'm sure we could fit the two of us in there with maybe a bird or two!

Lets go camping over at Daria's

Lets do it! I will meet you there. We may need a bigger tent though with SCREENS! hahahahahaha...Ok Daria..Loading the OFF.

 

[M.C Bird Rescue]

I can just see it...AA camps at Darias. We would definately get in the newspaper for THAT! hahahaha A bunch of crazy bird people sleeping in her yard to watch wild Macaws? LOL. yep..front page news.

 

[daria]

I could actually use a little help. This is a full time job! Watching them and watching out for them is time consuming and now add AA, maybe we should have a chapter called AAA Avian Avenue Anonymous for members who are addicted to the AA screen like me and their parrots. Seriously, I'm in need of some interpretation of macaw behavior right now. Fuzzy and Scruffy ,my two favoirite tamest and clownish wild macaws who are mother and son, came this AM early . I think the hawk was around because when the rest of the Fairchild Flock they hang around with showed up , they all flew abruptly and the full flock didn't circle and come back to eat. Now Fuzzy came back by himself and keeps calling from the top of a royal palm. I think he got separated from the flock of is he hanging around because the days are getting longer and I've got 5 gorgeous hens.

 

[daria]

Five minutes after my thread, the flock came back. One of the turkey vultures is circling so they all flew off after grabbing a few walnuts.

 

[M.C Bird Rescue]

What we all need is a Iphone so we can do everything from that! hahahah You could watch the Macaws and AA all at once. We all need AAA , have you SEEN how many posts I have? I am on the low scale of posts compared to others too. I always have like 4 windows open, AA, Gmail, yahoo mail, and my site. LOL

 

[Missi]

What we all need is a Iphone so we can do everything from that! hahahah You could watch the Macaws and AA all at once. We all need AAA , have you SEEN how many posts I have? I am on the low scale of posts compared to others too. I always have like 4 windows open, AA, Gmail, yahoo mail, and my site. LOL

My windows are AA, Facebook, Gmail & Flickr

AAA is a wonderful idea

Hi my name is Missi & I am an Avian Avenue Addict. I may not post a TON but I'm always on reading, learning & being entertained

 

[Lily_233]

I'm a student at the University of Miami and I usually see 6 to 12 of them on campus every other day.

As to what they've been eating: I saw 8 of them a few days ago in the Royal Poinciana trees on campus eating seeds out of the giant seed pods now that the trees have lost their leaves.

Otherwise they're usually hanging out in the royal palms. I love how happy they all seem to be chilling out with each other, it always makes my day to see some of them flying around while I walk to class. I always know to look for them when I hear that loud squawk!

 

[waterfaller1]

Welcome to Avian Avenue Lily! We LOVE pics! Do you have birds of your own?

 

[daria]

Bill Pranty, well respected ornithologist, is publishing a great article about the wild macaw flock in the April issue of the Florida Naturalist (birding mag). I am the second author and we have shots of the macaws eating poincianna seeds which is a little worrisome as they contain some toxic ingrediants. In Peru, the birds chew Manu clay to purge themselves of the toxins and I bought manu balls and put them on the feeders but the macaws were afraid of them and won't fly down to eat. I'm hoping we can add to the article at this late date to state definately that there are 24 in the flock . We weren't sure of the number but Karen had 20 at her house (she feeds them too and lives very close to the UM campus)and called me . I had 4 at my house at the exact time. There are several groups that are distinct but there is some mingling and social gathering. I'll write about Fuzzy , my favorite wild macaw, his antics and his courting of a UM birdie co ed .

 

[waterfaller1]

Hi Daria, how exciting. Thanks for sharing

 

[Danita]

Bill Pranty, well respected ornithologist, is publishing a great article about the wild macaw flock in the April issue of the Florida Naturalist (birding mag). I am the second author and we have shots of the macaws eating poincianna seeds which is a little worrisome as they contain some toxic ingrediants. In Peru, the birds chew Manu clay to purge themselves of the toxins and I bought manu balls and put them on the feeders but the macaws were afraid of them and won't fly down to eat. I'm hoping we can add to the article at this late date to state definately that there are 24 in the flock . We weren't sure of the number but Karen had 20 at her house (she feeds them too and lives very close to the UM campus)and called me . I had 4 at my house at the exact time. There are several groups that are distinct but there is some mingling and social gathering. I'll write about Fuzzy , my favorite wild macaw, his antics and his courting of a UM birdie co ed .

Let us know when it comes out, I would love to read it.

 

[daria]

Fuzzy got his name because he is a hybrid and has the ruff of red on top of his beak of his scarlet grandmother or grandfather. I thought he was part military as there was a military spotted ont he UM campus flying with the flock for years but I also have e mails from birders about a scarlet with the Fairchild Gardens flock and Susan Clubb, the Old Parrot Jungle vet, confirmed from pics about Fuzzy's linage. His mother's name is Scruffy because of her frayed feathers and aged apperance. Fuzzy and Scruffy belog to the Arvida flock and would arrive with them. Scruffy being the matriarch would be the lookout and Scruffy being the lowest on the totem pole didn't get to eat much which broke my heart as both mom and son looked like they needed improved nutrition. One day Fuzzy was so hungry he flew on top of my pet bird's cages and started eating from their bowls. He ate so many walnuts I didn't think he'd get air borne. Soon mom followed his lead and both rapidly gained weight and got comfortable with my macaws and me. Fuzzy even started staying for babysitting. Mom and the Arvida group would head out and leave Scruffy for an hour or two before picking him up. Fuzzy has a clown's personality. If I didn't come downstairs fast enough to refill his bowl, he'd fly to my kitchen balcony and start dismanteling my mobiles or picking off my decorative tile or chewing the balcony railing. He'd copy my birds, eating pellets, playing with their bells and even walking up on the patio stairs. He takes nuts out of my hand. More Fuzzy stories to follow......

 

[waterfaller1]

Pics, we need pics!! Fuzzy sounds incredible. Amazing for a wild one to be so tame. That is so cool.

 

[Gigi]

Macaws are gorgeous! You are so lucky to have so many in your life. I had no idea they could be such homebodies. I would have settled for an outdoor enclosure, but your birds have the whole yard with no bars or walls. That is truly incredible.

Please post some pictures of the wild macaws!

 

[daria]

Here are some pictures od Fuzzy and Scruffy. The first two were taken this morning. Notice how low they go.

 

[daria]

You really need to click on the picture to see well. The first has Fuzzy's girlfriend hanging from the palm fond to the left -notice my birds on my new cages (off the patio to cut down on the mess but really close so I can play with them. I just opened the cages to put them on the swinging branches to play with the wild ones.

 

[Bokkapooh]

How awesome it is to see them fly outside

 

[ronsig]

It took me a while to read the whole thread and check the links and videos too. It is amazing to hear a flock or nandays or monk parakeets flying overhead in Florida.
But a flock of macaws in your backyard and flying by?
I am trying very hard not to be envious.
Thanks for posting pictures and information!!!

Sigrid

 

[daria]

I used to love sleeping late but now I'm up early to feed my "babies". You have no idea how beautiful it is to see the macaws flying in formation. They are great flyers and look like huge humming birds when they land. I try to accomodate birders and anyone else who wants to see the flock as viewing them shoud be on everyones "List" who loves birds. I've hosted 70 birders and the birds show up every time, they even gotten used to being photographed. I've probably gotten a reputation as an eccentric (sounds better than crazy) but the wild macaws and my own pet birds are a major part of my life, they enrich it so .

 

[tracie]

Oh Daria, I just love hearing stories about these beauties. Until I got Jack my blue and gold I could not relate, but once you have experienced macaw love, you understand why everyone who has one just loves them to pieces. I think alot of us here can relate to the "eccentric" label...lol., but I couldn't agree more, they are a major part of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. We need more stories and pics... it is just never enough.