Illiger's Macaw

Welp, I've expanded my search yet again. Whew, I just can't stop! LOL

After visiting with a GW Macaw for a good while and him being so affectionate and sweet, I have decided to start looking into the Mini Macaws. (I know not to base this off of just one experience, but I figure I can do the research anyway.) I also talked a great deal with his owner, who also owns two other GWs, two Blue Throats, and two Buffons. After telling him what I wanted in a bird and the species I was interested in, he asked why I hadn't considered Macaws, or even the Minis. I honestly had no idea. I guess I just thought they were too big and the Minis super nippy. But I'm willing to do the research and visit with some to overcome the stereotypes associated with them.

I am quite drawn to the Illiger's. All that I have read on the Mini Macs suggests that it is the best fit to me. Everywhere describes them as "sweet, affectionate, with a big personality, not prone to be very loud, etc." I think they are a good size for me and something I am drawn to. Anyway, does anyone have one? I've noticed they are not too common. Anything you can tell me about them?

How would you say they differ from, say, Amazons or possibly the bigger Conures?

I also cannot find, for the life of me, what bar spacing they need. Does anyone know? I know they are bigger than the Hahn's which needs 3/4".

Thanks, everyone!

I met Mara Wentz's little red front Erin, what a sweetie she was. I was suprised at how small she was having never seen one in real life. When I went on my 1st search, I was really interested in the minis myself. The Illigars are beautiful! I have never lived with one, so don't have much to add on that front.

Thanks!

Bump

I posted some time back about a guy in Downey who lost an Illiger last summer, and went looking for it in feral flocks. That started a project chasing and recording feral flocks in SoCalif, which he posted on his site.

Fran's Exotic Birds in Cypress had an adult Hahn's for sale last month.

I was very interested in the Illigers , but found out they can gt really nippy and nasty.
If that doesn't bother you , they are a very beautiful bird.
If your thinking about a mini , why not just go, for a Greenwing ? Or a Red Front ?

Luvmytooo, Greenwings are not in the Mini Macaw Family. Greenwing Macaws are the 2nd largest Macaws next to the Hy Macaw. The best Mini Macaws are by far the Hahns Macaw or severe Macaw. Best of luck joe

JJones1719 said:

Luvmytooo, Greenwings are not in the Mini Macaw Family. Greenwing Macaws are the 2nd largest Macaws next to the Hy Macaw. The best Mini Macaws are by far the Hahns Macaw or severe Macaw. Best of luck joe

Click to expand...

Hi Joe ,
Oh , I didn't mean that , lol. I meant that if she is thinking about a mini macaw, why no just get a Greenwing macaw.
Go big or go home
Kidding , they are all nice birds. I used to be interested in the Illigers myself.

Thanks, everyone!

I've changed my mind... Yet again... Sigh. I think this is the toughest decision I've ever had to make! Geez! I am now stuck on a male Eclectus. Oh, boy.

Well, at least you're thinking & looking before leaping.

Have you spent time at a rescue? You might find you are attracted to a bird you might have otherwise rejected, based on others' comments.

Example: My yellow crown amazon. Before I met him, I thought all 'zons were aggressive. He is affectionate & conversational. I love all of our flock, but if I had just one bird, it would probably be him. Or Goose-the-greenwing (before Goose, I described myself as "not a macaw person.") Or maybe "Little Bird Blue" the budgie. Seriously. I am SO not a budgie person.

Would I have picked ANY of those 3 out of species descriptions & then asked for comments on a forum? Not a snowball's chance in a warm place . . . I wanted a Grey or a Linnie - or an Eclectus.

Get off the forum for a while & go to rescues and/or breeders & meet personalities.

Seriously.

Fall in love with an individual, not a species. I thank Blue for more than he will ever know - he 'trained me' to be a parrot-person. And Goose . . .

Just like PaulE the Yellow-Crowned Amazon taught me to love parrots, Goose made me fall in love with HIM.

Go find your new-best-friend in person.

That's the best advice I can give . . .

Good luck!

KBEquine said:

Well, at least you're thinking & looking before leaping.

Have you spent time at a rescue? You might find you are attracted to a bird you might have otherwise rejected, based on others' comments.

Example: My yellow crown amazon. Before I met him, I thought all 'zons were aggressive. He is affectionate & conversational. I love all of our flock, but if I had just one bird, it would probably be him. Or Goose-the-greenwing (before Goose, I described myself as "not a macaw person.") Or maybe "Little Bird Blue" the budgie. Seriously. I am SO not a budgie person.

Would I have picked ANY of those 3 out of species descriptions & then asked for comments on a forum? Not a snowball's chance in a warm place . . . I wanted a Grey or a Linnie - or an Eclectus.

Get off the forum for a while & go to rescues and/or breeders & meet personalities.

Seriously.

Fall in love with an individual, not a species. I thank Blue for more than he will ever know - he 'trained me' to be a parrot-person. And Goose . . .

Just like PaulE the Yellow-Crowned Amazon taught me to love parrots, Goose made me fall in love with HIM.

Go find your new-best-friend in person.

That's the best advice I can give . . .

Good luck!

Click to expand...

Thank you SO much.

Don't worry, I am doing this as well! I have already visited a man that breeds and raises parrots, falcons, hawks, and an eagle. I had a visit scheduled with a rescue 4 hours away, but they actually got shut down before I had a chance... There are literally zero rescues within a four hour drive of where I live, other than that one. I am scheduled to meet with a breeder and a lady with 16 parrots next weekend, and I am very much looking forward to it! I also visit a bird store about an hour away every chance I get. There's also one other store that I visit about half an hour away that has a few birds. If ANYONE knows of any rescues in Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio, please feel free to let me know, because I can't find ANY!

Oh, and get OFF the forum?! LOL I don't think that's even possible! Heheheehe I'm addicted!

I lived with an Illiger's macaw for 9 years. He was my best friend. We had a bond that was just between us. That parrot had my heart. Unfortunately I lost him a year ago to a stroke and his year anniversary is coming up next week.

I took his death pretty hard. I still miss him and his weird macaw ways. Illiger's are NOT beginner birds. They are very smart and have a firery personality. Diego was very bonded to me to the excusion of others. If I was in the room only I existed but if I was not around others could handle him. I did my best socializing him like I did my Noble Macaw (who goes to anyone and loves everyone especially if you have food) but Diego turned out to be a one person bird.

I recommend the Illiger's macaw but they are very complex and are very smart. For his cage I used a Kings 306 brushed stainless steel. It HUGE and made for the larger macaws and the bar spacing is pretty wide but enough to keep Diego's macaw noggin in. People use to make fun of me of how huge his cage was compaired to the size of the bird but Diego used very inch of that cage. He was free flighted too and trained to fly free in my home. God I miss him.

Noblemacaw