Macaw Adventures 2023

[BrianB]

My friend Ruby, the red-fronted macaw came in for a grooming yesterday. Ruby is the girl I watched last year while her owner struggled with some issues. She eventually returned to her original owners after she couldn't get things straightened out. Ruby was one grumpy girl because she doesn't like long car rides and it took about 2 hours to get to the store. She was happy to see me though and even though she fussed coming out of her travel cage she sat on my shoulder and gave me kisses. She gives one of her moms a lot of attitude but she is always happy to see me. Ruby isn't one of my babies, but she was a baby at the store when I first started so she's known me her whole life.

As I mentioned in another post, Christopher has been a complete witch to me recently. I haven't figured out what the issue is but after getting tired of her trying to bite me I forced the issue and got her to step up. It was either a step up or a fall on her butt, and she saw the wisdom of stepping up instead. After a little time on the kitchen island, she took a flight around the room and then crashed onto the floor. I think she was embarrassed enough that biting me wasn't a thought and she was happy to step up so I could put her back in her cage. We still have a few rough moments but sometimes just starting at her will let he know that I'm not playing and she won't get away with it much longer. I would almost say she's being hormonal, but as far as we can tell, she's just over 4 years old now. There is a toy in her cage that she grabs and then bobs on like she's being hand fed, or feeding a chick. I had to move it because she would spend hours doing it and it has a bell on the end of it that was annoying me. She's just a strange bird sometimes.

 

[BrianB]

This is Juda. He's one of my babies from last year and just turned 1. His momma said he's become an anxious boy and is easily spooked. She taught him free flight, and he did really well with it, but now he's a nervous boy and alarm calls every time she takes him outside. In my experience, Red Fronts can have some separation anxiety, but I've seen them be pretty confident too. It's all part of their sassy attitude that I love so much. My hope is that it is just part of him growing out of being a juvenile into an adult bird and his confidence will return as he matures.

 

[April]

This is Juda. He's one of my babies from last year and just turned 1. His momma said he's become an anxious boy and is easily spooked. She taught him free flight, and he did really well with it, but now he's a nervous boy and alarm calls every time she takes him outside. In my experience, Red Fronts can have some separation anxiety, but I've seen them be pretty confident too. It's all part of their sassy attitude that I love so much. My hope is that it is just part of him growing out of being a juvenile into an adult bird and his confidence will return as he matures.

View attachment 432056

He's so stunning! Hopefully it is just a phase hell grow out of.

 

[Kassiani]

He's beautiful! I hope he will grow out of his anxiety soon.

 

[zoo mom]

What a handsome boy.

 

[BrianB]

Well, I feel stupid. The pair of macaws that give us harlequin chicks haven't bred this year. They have been in and out of the nest box, but haven't really done anything. I was moving some stuff around and when I moved their cage the nest box shifted a little. I slid the whole flight out so I could get to it and put it back where it belongs. Out of curiosity I slid open the door to see what was going on inside and discovered a huge hole in the bottom of the next box. These monsters found a weak spot and ripped a hole right in the bottom of it. The bedding is piled up against the sides. It hadn't spilled out and that's why I didn't notice the hole. It's a wonder those two haven't escaped and caused mischief. I try to stay ahead of them but they always find a way to pull one over on me. I have a few nest boxes laying around. It's a good thing I didn't get rid of them.

 

[April]

Well, I feel stupid. The pair of macaws that give us harlequin chicks haven't bred this year. They have been in and out of the nest box, but haven't really done anything. I was moving some stuff around and when I moved their cage the nest box shifted a little. I slid the whole flight out so I could get to it and put it back where it belongs. Out of curiosity I slid open the door to see what was going on inside and discovered a huge hole in the bottom of the next box. These monsters found a weak spot and ripped a hole right in the bottom of it. The bedding is piled up against the sides. It hadn't spilled out and that's why I didn't notice the hole. It's a wonder those two haven't escaped and caused mischief. I try to stay ahead of them but they always find a way to pull one over on me. I have a few nest boxes laying around. It's a good thing I didn't get rid of them.

View attachment 432109

Dang! That's some heavy duty damage.

 

[BrianB]

I call them “The Monsters” for a reason. I decided to out the new nest box up tomorrow. Who knows how long it’s been this way. Another 12 hours won’t make a difference and I need to change the hangers on the new box anyway.

 

[BrianB]

The new nestbox is installed and Valentina is blaming Victor for all of the disruption. I couldn't get her out of the box so I could remove the old one. I reached under and tweaked one of her tail feathers that was hanging out of the hole in the bottom. That was all it took and she came flying out of the box. Victor took all the blame for it and she stood there and glared at him for a while. They hold feet to calm each other and he's trying his best to calm her down by grabbing her foot.

Hopefully, this will stimulate them to breed this year.

 

[April]

The new nestbox is installed and Valentina is blaming Victor for all of the disruption. I couldn't get her out of the box so I could remove the old one. I reached under and tweaked one of her tail feathers that was hanging out of the hole in the bottom. That was all it took and she came flying out of the box. Victor took all the blame for it and she stood there and glared at him for a while. They hold feet to calm each other and he's trying his best to calm her down by grabbing her foot.

Hopefully, this will stimulate them to breed this year.

View attachment 432162

That is seriously the sweetest thing

 

[Kassiani]

Is that like blaming someone for something they did in a dream?

 

[BrianB]

They are cute together. They are almost always in sync, but when they disagree it's intense. There is never a clear winner, but she's usually the dominant one. She will back up and move away when I get their food dishes, he tried to pull the dishes out of my hand or bite me. More than once I've quickly tapped him on the beak and told him to back up. He looks very offended that I dared to touch him. I won't even attempt it with her because she will hurt me if she gets the chance. The cage cleaner called me one day while I was out because she had escaped. He didn't close the door all the way, and when he turned around she was on top of the cage looking down at him. I figured as long as she didn't get down, or go to the top of another flight cage things would be ok. She didn't bother anyone, but she was sure proud of herself for being out. When I came back home and went out there with a towel she decided her adventure was over and went back in.

I checked the camera and they are both in the next box, so it must meet with their approval. I wish I had been able to hook up a camera to see inside the box. I want to do it with all of them, but it's difficult to run wires to all of the cages and make sure they stay secure and away from beaks. That will be my project for the fall.

The last time I checked the red-fronted macaws were on 3 eggs. There may be more, but that's all I could see in my very quick peek inside the nest box. The timing is good because they should hatch right around the time we get back from vacation. There might be another surprise macaw baby coming too, but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[BrianB]

A few days ago, my family in Miami had a pair of macaws stolen from their backyard. I don't know all the details, but it sounds like the thefts were connected to someone working for a roofing company that was doing work in the area. Their video cameras showed someone come into the yard, snatch the birds and carry them out, then get into a car without a license plate. Yesterday the thieves were caught and my brother-in-law got his birds back. It looks like the thief had been doing this for a while, and there were several other birds that were recovered, but some are still missing. Some humans are horrible.

Police recover stolen birds.

 

[April]

A few days ago, my family in Miami had a pair of macaws stolen from their backyard. I don't know all the details, but it sounds like the thefts were connected to someone working for a roofing company that was doing work in the area. Their video cameras showed someone come into the yard, snatch the birds and carry them out, then get into a car without a license plate. Yesterday the thieves were caught and my brother-in-law got his birds back. It looks like the thief had been doing this for a while, and there were several other birds that were recovered, but some are still missing. Some humans are horrible.

Police recover stolen birds.

Thank goodness they got them back.

 

[owlsthetic]

A few days ago, my family in Miami had a pair of macaws stolen from their backyard. I don't know all the details, but it sounds like the thefts were connected to someone working for a roofing company that was doing work in the area. Their video cameras showed someone come into the yard, snatch the birds and carry them out, then get into a car without a license plate. Yesterday the thieves were caught and my brother-in-law got his birds back. It looks like the thief had been doing this for a while, and there were several other birds that were recovered, but some are still missing. Some humans are horrible.

Police recover stolen birds.

That's terrifying! I'm so glad your family was able to get their birds back. I really hope the other missing birds can also be found and reunited with their families too

 

[BrianB]

The baby red-fronted macaws are starting to hatch. This morning, I peered in the box and saw one, possibly two babies. The first time I looked I could only see 3 eggs, but they were so agitated with me that I may not have been able to others.

We normally take long weekend types of vacations because it's so hard to get someone to watch the flock for us for more than a few days. This year we decided to do something longer and luckily a friend is free to house-sit for us. She's great with our birds, and Christopher seems to love her. There are 3 baby greys coming out of the nest box tomorrow, and we were hoping that the RFMs would hatch right before we leave. They can stay in the box until we get back so she isn't overloaded with babies to feed while we're gone. They will be about 20 days old instead of 15.

A friend had asked me about hand-feeding a baby hyacinth for him. Last year he lost a chick about a week before hatching. He didn't have an incubator to put it in and since the pair is outside, an unexpected change in the weather caused the chick to die in the shell. He has asked if I would help him since he didn't want that to happen this year. His pair laid an egg and right before he was going to pull it for me to incubate it, a snake got the egg. They laid again so he purchased the incubator for himself and when he pulled the egg he discovered it wasn't fertile. Maybe next year. I would love to participate in hand-raising one of those beauties.

 

[BrianB]

A friend asked me if I would breed Chewy with a blue and gold and what would the offspring be. If a B&G and a Scarlet make a Catalina, and a B&G and a Greenwing make a Harlequin what would the offspring of a Ruby and a B&G be? I have no desire to breed Chewy but it’s an interesting question.

 

[SumitaSinh]

A friend asked me if I would breed Chewy with a blue and gold and what would the offspring be. If a B&G and a Scarlet make a Catalina, and a B&G and a Greenwing make a Harlequin what would the offspring of a Ruby and a B&G be? I have no desire to breed Chewy but it’s an interesting question.

Ya I've also asked you this question before.

 

[SumitaSinh]

Maybe a Ruby- gold?

 

[BrianB]

Here are the baby red-fronted macaws. Daddy was determined to eat my face and he climbed about halfway out of the door to try to get me. I wasn't close enough for him to reach. He's quick, and I know better. Momma keeps them together during feeding but they wiggle around when she steps away. There is one more egg in there but we'll see what happens.