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How loud is a Green wing macaw?

pelican301

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I've been looking into getting a new parrot for a while now and I am very in love with the macaw group. I have worked with macaws before but never lived with one. I am most interested in green wing macaws because of their "gentle" personalities but am open to suggestions on other macaws. My issue is I currently live in an apartment like setting for part of the year so extreme loud noise is a no-no. Now I know that all macaws are loud... that is a given... but my questions are: are your green wing macaws constantly loud? how loud are their screams normally? Is there any other macaw that would do better in a situation like that? I know this is all relative to the specific bird's personality but I just do not want to cancel out macaws completely. I currently have a rose-breasted cockatoo and was told time and time again that he was going to be loud because he is a cockatoo and he makes less noise than a parakeet.
 

Karen

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My Macaw does not scream continuously nor does he scream often throughout the day. He can be very quiet. BUT when he does scream it is LOUD, VERY LOUD, EXTREMELY LOUD. Without exagerration he can be heard a good 1/2 mile or more down the road with the windows and doors closed. I can hear him when I walk my dog. When he screams there is no convincing him to do otherwise because anything you would try to say cannot be heard and he determines how long he will scream. They can and will scream and call out when playing and happy, when worried and alarmed and in general to check and see where you are. Each scream has it's own unique sound and decibel. JMO, Macaws are not apartment birds.
 

Mockinbirdiva

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I've been looking into getting a new parrot for a while now and I am very in love with the macaw group. I have worked with macaws before but never lived with one. I am most interested in green wing macaws because of their "gentle" personalities but am open to suggestions on other macaws. My issue is I currently live in an apartment like setting for part of the year so extreme loud noise is a no-no. Now I know that all macaws are loud... that is a given... but my questions are: are your green wing macaws constantly loud? how loud are their screams normally? Is there any other macaw that would do better in a situation like that? I know this is all relative to the specific bird's personality but I just do not want to cancel out macaws completely. I currently have a rose-breasted cockatoo and was told time and time again that he was going to be loud because he is a cockatoo and he makes less noise than a parakeet.
Hi Lewis, the main issue other than the volume requirements in your apartment setting... is that your RB2 is an "Old World bird" and macaws are "New World Birds". The dust/ dander produced from your Rosie is not safe and harmful to the sensitive respiratory system of Macaws. We have had members here who lost birds because they did mix those species together. Follow up with some reading on the topic before you make a final decision and I'll tag a couple of macaw people for you for further advice.

@Hankmacaw
@Macawnutz
@macawpower58
 

macawpower58

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Gentle? Oh my! Mine must not have heard that one!

And yes, for the most part mine is a quiet bird. Would I have him in an apartment?
Only if I'd be allowed to soundproof. There are ways of doing so.
He doesn't yell often, but when he does, I can hear him several housed down the street.

One of his favorite times to 'let go' is bedtime. I don't mind, but any close neighbors you have, they may.
 

Hankmacaw

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There is a disease called Pulmonary Hypertensive Syndrome and it is caused by the powder down from old world birds. New world birds, expecially macaws are most susceptible to it, but so are Amazons, Conures and Pionus. The old world birds that have the most powder down are Cockatoos, African Greys and Ccckateils. Please don't put an innocent Macaw at risk of death, because PHS always ends in death.


Some of the members of this forum have lost their bird to this disease.
 
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pelican301

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I have done lots and lots of research and I am aware of Pulmonary Hypertensive Syndrome. my galah is a family pet so they will not live in the same house at any time
 

Hankmacaw

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I don't understand. Your Rose Breasted is a family pet and you want to add a GW yet they won't ever live in the same house?
 

Pockets

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The short answer is "Birds in general have the capacity, and often the tendency, to be exceptionally loud." Even if a certain bird has been quiet, that is in no way an indication of how another member of its species would behave.

I think it's hard to make a species-wide generalization about noise. Everyone says that grass keets - Bourke's in particular are incredibly quiet and rarely make sounds. When mine makes contact calls I can hear him from the ground floor of my three story apartment building (while he's on the third floor.) Given - it's quite an old building and our insulation is obviously lacking. If he were anything larger/louder - a lovebird, or green-cheek conure even - I know my neighbors would be pissed. There are quiet(er) birds and tolerant neighbors - there are loud birds and intolerant neighbors, quiet birds and intolerant neighbors etc. etc.

That said - I personally would never consider having a large parrot like a macaw or cockatoo in an apartment setting in any context, as you can't determine the personality of your bird, and even on their best behavior - birds make noise. It's putting yourself and your bird in a potentially tenuous situation that can be easily avoided.

Wishing you the best in your search for a good companion bird species!
 

aooratrix

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I can't hear you: I have partial hearing loss from my macaws. ;)
 

Shezbug

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Wow!!! Burt just had the biggest scream session he’s ever had!
I must say I am proud of him :rofl: he got the neighbours out of their house across their huge yard and checking over my fence.... lol, they’ve said before they can only hear him if they’re outside already and are not talking or doing anything but he has never before screamed like he did just now!
:omg: The dog got scared and was still shaking and hiding at the other end of the house five minutes after he stopped.
I think at this stage it is fair to say Burt is NOT keen on large dragonflies:rofl:
As for ears ringing?? Oh dear I think my brain is still rattling in my skull so I’m sure once that settles my ears will too.
 

Matt0071

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I live in a condo with 12 other ppl
I asked my next door neighbors and ppl down below if they hear my b&g Macaw when she does her screaming fit
And they said at times but not that bad or they don't even care to much or doesnt bother them
She doesnt scream to much maybe a few times during the day and last for maybe a minute if that
Cant be any different then a dog barking his head off for hours throughout the day and it happens at our condo all the time with a lady that has a couple poodles that bark constantly
At night I could see there being a problem if she would scream but daisy hits the hay around 7-8pm and sleeps like baby till we wake up in the am around 7 or 8am :)
I guess it just depends on how well your neighbors are I guess :)
 
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Sarah13

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It depends on the bird.
I have had 2 greenwings (one passed at 2 likely due to avian bornavirus/already very ill when I adopted her and passed at the vet) and a blue and gold that was originally adopted by my brother but is for some reason bonded to me.
I have lived in 7 different apartments across the country for college and my career with my current GW with no issues.
I have never received a noise complaint and neighbors didn't even know I had the bird until they saw me flying or walking with it outside.
The blue and gold would likely get me in trouble or at least noticed so she definitely stays with my brother.
Some macaws are fine in apartments and some are too loud. I was just fortunate.

As for gentle, mine is but again, every bird is different. I do a lot of flying and training as I have 4 members in my family, travel with her often, and also have bird sitters on occasion so my macaw being moderately social/handleable are requirements I have for her.
With me and a few people she knows and trusts, she is indeed a gentle giant that is very sweet, soft with her beak/feet, playful, cuddly, etc.
 

Matt0071

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Yes I totally agree with the above post
People always say don't own a macaw If u live in an apartment
It just depends on your situation and always approach your neighbors before and mention that u are getting a parrot and see what they say or feel about that
Our complex is pet friendly and again dogs here make more noise then my blue and gold macaw
Again she will scream maybe once or twice a day but that's when I am vacuuming below her cage and that's pretty much it lol
Other then that she talks alot and does this rawr thing but nothing to loud what so ever
As stated aver every bird is different so it all depends as I stated she sleeps like a baby at night
No peep what so ever and I have my dog winston and my b&g macaw daisy :)
My neighbors know obv I have a macaw and they hear her at times but they don't mind what so ever
The birds outside are way louder too lol we have crows here in canada that literally we are infested with the crows and they are very loud in the mornings
Daisy has a cage but she is hardly even in it what so ever even when we are sleeping I leave the cage door open so she has the option of going back in or sleeping on top of her cage and usually she sleeps on top of her cage but at night at some point she will venture back into her cage and sleep on her wood perch
 
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Ella.pi

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Macaws have always been my heart birds but I held off until I was in a big house in the country to adopt my blue and Gold, mainly because I was afraid of the noise factor, but also because I didn't have enough room until then.

She's only 21months old so this might change at some point... but i'm always surprised at how quiet she is! yes, when they scream, they are THE LOUDEST but she very rarely vocalises and when she does, it's only for very short bouts at a time, a few times a week. For now, she's super gentle, playful, sociable, shares an aviary with smaller species without any issues (was raised with them as a baby) and is very strongly bonded to my children and myself.

At this point in time, If I had a big enough appartement that she could realy fly in and a Macaw room, or at least the space to fit an indoor aviary type cage, I could easily live with her in an appartement without her bothering the neighboors. That being said, she burns most of her energy outside and free flighs so she might not be the same if she lived a different lifestyle. She would be more challenging destruction wise for sure, as she loves getting into everything! and more high maintenance as she's clingy and want's to be involved in anything we're doing while in the house with us.

They all have unique personalities and I can imagine having a big Mac screamer must be hell... so I guess you have to at least be sure that your neighboors are bird friendly.

The only thing I can say for sure is that my patagonian conure is much smaller but so much louder! she vocalises loudly all day long. I can't imagine close neighboors would tolerate her!
 

Ella.pi

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I'm more concerned about you already having a cockatoo? I didn't get your explanation of how you intended your Macaw to live seperately?
 
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