ANIMAL: Blue-and-Gold/Blue-and-Yellow Macaw Ara araruana Type of Animal: Parrot Habitat: Forest, woodland, savanna, swamps, streamsides, riversides, open marshland Location(s): Ranges from S/E Panama to N Paraguay as well as Trinidad. Introduced in Puerto Rico, S Florida, & parts of Mexico Appearance: Large macaw species, bright blue top feathers & light orange to gold to yellow neck/belly/tail coverts/wing coverts, blue tail, green hues on top of head, black throat/beak, whitish face Food/Diet: Fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts, seeds, legumes, leaves, bark, plant matter, clay Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in zoos, wildlife centers, aviculture, & aquariums. Reintroduction into Trinidad. Captive breeding to reduce demand for wild-caught birds. Lifestyle: Flocks of 10-100 birds. Monogamous pairs breed solitarily. Additional Info: Called: Male: Cock Female: Hen Young: Chick Group: Flock Weight: Male: 2.5-2.7 lbs Female: 2.2 lbs Young: 0.7 oz Gestation: 1 month Life Span: 30-40 years in wild, 40-80 years in captivity Height: 2.83 ft Body Length: 2.83 ft Tail Length: 2 ft Main predators of adults are raptors, snakes, crocodilians, coatis, tayra, felids, monkeys, opossums, & rats. Toucans & false vampire bats prey on chicks. Sexually mature at 2-3 years old. Strong beaks easily crack open nuts. Females lay 1-3 eggs. Chicks may stay w/ parents for up to a year. Due to diet, they play important role in seed dispersal. They have a 3.4-3.6 ft wingspan. These macaws very wary in the wild. Often use nest cavities created by woodpeckers. These macaws sometimes outcompete critically endangered blue-throated macaws in N.C. Bolivia where the 2 species coexist. Ingest clay/sand/minerals/salt to help neutralize toxins in some of the foods they eat. Bonded pairs stay very close together when flying, w/ wings almost touching. Fun Fact(s): Certain hybrid forms occur in captivity, such as Harlequin Macaws (hybrid of Blue-and-Gold & Green-Winged), Catalina Macaws (hybrid of Blue-and-Gold & Scarlet), Milligold Macaws (hybrid of Blue-and-Gold & Military), & Bluffon’s Macaws (hybrid of Blue-and-Gold & Buffon’s Macaws). Can fly at speeds of up to 35 mph. Fairly popular pets but tend to be very high maintenance. These birds can sometimes outlive their owners. These macaws are quite playful & inquisitive & are great mimics of human vocalizations. Like other macaws, they can be very loud.
