Blue-and-Gold Macaw
The Blue-and-Gold Macaw is the most widely kept large macaw and arguably the most iconic parrot in the world.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Origin
Brazil
Lifespan
50–60 years
Weight
900–1,300 g
Height
86 cm
Diet
Herbivore/Omnivore — high-quality macaw pellets, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts (macadamia TOXIC). Avoid avocado, chocolate, onion.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Psittaciformes
Family
Psittacidae
Genus
Ara
The Story
The Blue-and-Gold Macaw is the most widely kept large macaw and arguably the most iconic parrot in the world. Its striking colouration, impressive size (nearly a metre beak to tail), and capacious voice have made it a global symbol of tropical wildlife. They are intelligent, social, and capable of meaningful human speech. They are also loud beyond most owners' initial expectations — natural calls carry for kilometres. Keeping one is a 50+ year commitment.
Also Known As
Quick Facts
Discover which pets match your lifestyle
Physical Profile
Source: wikimedia
Bright turquoise-blue on the back, wings, and tail contrasting dramatically with rich golden-yellow on the chest and abdomen. Green forehead, distinctive bare white facial patch traversed by lines of small black feathers. The massive hooked black beak can crack large palm nuts.
Grooming
Low
Shedding
Moderate
Coat Colors
Recognized By
Source: wikimedia
Temperament & Personality
Affectionate and strongly bonded to owners. Playful and love attention. An neglected macaw will express displeasure audibly. Their intelligence requires constant mental stimulation. Voice can exceed 100 dB. Powerful beak can cause serious injury.
Living Profile
Care & Wellness
Professional Care Protocol
- •Largest cage practicable — minimum 90 × 150 × 180 cm. 4+ hours of interaction and out-of-cage activity daily. Fresh wood, leather, and rope toys expected to be destroyed daily. Shower or misting 2–3 times weekly. Apartment living not appropriate. Strong hardwood perches essential.
Vaccination Schedule
Vaccination Schedule
Health Overview
Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD/avian bornavirus). Feather plucking. Aspergillosis. Vitamin A deficiency from seed-only diets. Heavy metal toxicity (zinc, lead) from cage hardware.
Common Conditions
Fun Facts
Blue-and-Gold Macaws have a naturalised wild population in Miami, Florida — escaped pets established a breeding colony in Coral Gables in the 1980s.
Wild Blue-and-Golds gather at clay licks — mineral-rich river banks — where hundreds of macaws consume clay that neutralises toxins in the unripe fruits they eat.
The macaw's bare facial patch has a unique feather-line pattern in each individual — analogous to a human fingerprint.
