The Military Macaw

Ara militaris



This by far is the most expensive and almost guaranteed to have major problems and issues. It is definitely true that a Macaw parrot can make noise, but it is not often, and not without some reason to be loud. Usually, if they make a loud squawking noise if they sence something to be wrong or different. Maybe a car they don't recognize is coming to the home or the dog is bothering it. They are also known to make a large noise for about 10 minutes as the sun is setting. This is an alert to their flock to settle in for the evening. But with the military macaw these events and noises seem to happen continuously almost all of the time. A pet Macaw when well cared for will seldom become ill. Yet they can contract some diseases, and there some also things in the environment that can cause illness. Behavior problems can also occur, resulting in feather plucking, biting, and loud screeching. Though it is often difficult to determine illness, some visible signs of illness to be aware of are:

• Ruffled plumage  
• Drooping wings
• Sagging body
• Extreme mood changes
• Having no appetite
• Bulges in feathering
• Partially closed or watery eyes
• Swelling of the eyelids
• Rasping
• Difficulty breathing
• Excessive saliva
• Dirty vent
• Any change in the feces not apparently diet related

Some of the more common illnesses are:

• Proventricular Dilation disease (Macaw wasting disease)
• Psittacosis (chlamydiosis or parrot fever)
• Bacterial, viral, or fungal infections
• Feather picking - results of boredom, poor diet, sexual frustration, and lack of bathing
• Allergies
• Chewing flight and tail feathers by juveniles
• Beak malformations in chicks
• Papillomas
• Kidney disease (gout)
• Toxicity - heavy metal poisoning
• Lipomas in older birds

If you notice any of these bird illnesses in your Military Macaw immediately provide a warm, secure area kept at about 86°F (30°C). Place food and water close to the perch where it is easily accessible. Behavior problems in a pet Macaw usually stem from something that is missing in the bird's environment. Some of the most common are lack of trust, becoming bored, or lack of interaction with people or other birds. When these things are missing that can lead to problems resulting in bad behavior. Try to develop a trust and spend time with your bird to help avoid these problems.