Large, long-tailed and often colourful New World parrots in six genera. They’re popular as companion birds, though several wild species are of conservation concern.
Quick answers
What is it?Bird
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?Sometimes
Macaws are popular companion parrots, though several species are threatened in the wild.
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inSouth America, Central America
HabitatRainforest, Forest, Grassland
ColoursBlue, Red, Yellow
SizeLarge
Legs2
Covered inFeathers
Lives inflocks
Lives for50–80 years
Can fly
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Mexico, Central America and South America; formerly the Caribbean.
- What it eats
- Seeds, nuts, fruits, leaves, flowers and shoots.
Did you know
Gathers at riverbank clay licks to eat soil that neutralises the toxins in unripe seeds.
Macaws have a large bare patch of pale skin on the face.
Often confused with
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