Macaw Noise Concerns

I did some more research, and I went out and bought a macaw cage. Now, i guess i my choice is clear. Worst comes to worse i return the cage. I don't know why i got a new cage, as i already have one big enough for a grey or amazon. So now i might just have a flock of three birds, but...you know, baby steps. Not going to have the bird itself in around 3 or 4 years, but i wanted the cage to make sure i didn't change my mind again. I'm not trying to rush the decision of getting another bird, and i have posted threads about cockatoos, corellas, greys and macaws. I just want to make the right decision. Okay, now to my question. Which macaw is most independent? When macaws scream, how long do they scream for on average? Some things i have been told is 5-10 minutes and other times i hear they scream for hours on end. I will be spending a lot of time playing with the bird and when i am not home, my family will be home to play with the bird and talk to it. I usually do not worry about noise, because bird stores have cockatoos, and you can't hear their screams from outside the store, so it didn't matter to me. I heard that you can hear them for blocks away. Is this true? A couple of houses down doesn't matter, as one of my neighbors has a motorcycle that makes noise all night and the other has a dog that barks all day long.

Parrots are loud and unpredictable. I know this is a macaw thread but I have to share something with you. Right now I know of 3 people who have young Eclectus (not babies but juveniles) whose noise is problematic for them. They really wanted these birds. They expected some noise. But now that they are living it, it is not what they imagined. One of these birds is being returned to the breeder. Luckily this is a fabulous breeder who will always take their birds back rather than see them go through the rehoming cycle. It makes me so sad when NOISE is the reason for rehoming.

One of the guys I know on an international eclectus list said that in Europe where he lives, the number one reason for rehoming Eclectus males is noise. I would not be surprised if the same isn't true for many species.

If noise is at all a factor in the decision to buy a parrot, I don't think you should buy a parrot. There is no guarantee that your bird won't be noisy. Some like to annouce the joy of living by hollering throughout the day; some only do it at sunup and sunrise; some are just quiet by nature. But there is no way to know which you will end up with.

I have 10 parrots right now. Two of them are noisy. One of the noisy ones is ten years old. I don't see him changing.

Thank you for the advice. I do not personally mind the noise, and actually like the loud squawks or birds. I Just wanted to know if they really can scream to where the whole block can hear it. I live in a pretty noisy area, so noise isn't an issue,

Wings said:

I Just wanted to know if they really can scream to where the whole block can hear it. I live in a pretty noisy area, so noise isn't an issue,

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Definitely YES! When a big mac decides to holler, it is LOUD, and yes, the entire block WILL be able to hear it, especially if your windows are open in the summer.

Let me put it to you this way: I have 2 big macs, and when they both go at it, it's next to impossible to have any sort of conversation downstairs, forget about watching TV as you won't hear a thing, and you won't hear the radio either.:32:

Do they scream around the clock? NO. Can I predict when they'll have their 5 minutes? NO. Is there anything I can do WHEN they have their 5 minutes? YES...I either go upstairs or outside and wait for them to finish because mine don't scream out of boredom, they sometimes scream just for the fun of it.

Rosie, my GW doesn't scream a lot, but when she does it is LOUD! She doesn't do the morning/evening screaming thing, it is always for a reason. She screams when I leave if she wants me to stay and when I get home b/c she wants me NOW. She screams when she is on top of her cage and is feeling full of herself. Sometimes when I am not home she will scream b/c she thinks she hears me (my husband and kids are quick to report).

I went to the bus stop yesterday which is 1/2 block away and I could hear her screaming for me. To give you another idea of how loud it is, my daughter has cried when Rosie gets going b/c it hurts her ears. If she screams while she is on my shoulder, I have heard ringing in my ears.

We are ok with it, it is just part of my kooky baby's persona. But if noise is a concern, I would think it would become a problem when you are actually living with it daily. JMO

If you are asking about noise then I'm going to think that noise could be a problem for you. When it comes to macaws, yes you will hear it down the street. In fact when it comes to most of the medium to larger size parrots you will hear it quite a distance from your home when they get going. Macaws are large and loud. They are fabulous birds but I have to tell you that you have to prepare for the noise, the mess the destruction. Nothing prepares you for the mess that these birds can create until you actually have them in your home. Nothing prepares you for the sound they can make until you have them in your home. I love my birds, and I would not give them up for the world. I however am easy going when it comes to the sound they make. Yes, as Kendra said my daughter has actually cried when they get too loud.

Thanks for all the replies. I have narrowed everything down to cockatoos, macaws, keas, or amazons. Still not sure which, keas are an upwards of $7000 in the US. $1000-$3000 is more reasonable.

You can't hear a cockatoo scream from outside a bird store? Then it truly wasn't screaming

How big is this macaw cage in length and width?

Dimensions: 46x36x63

Any pics? I've never seen a 46"x36" before.

What brand is it?

Having three macaws, I can honestly say that you cannot catagorize them and say because of the species they are they will act a certain way. They are highly individual in their actions, likes and dislikes. I find that they DO have a group mentality when it comes to splashing around in their water dishes and to screaming sessions. Kayko will start it and get Clifford going, then Doogie will join in. This occurs for 10 minutes each night between 7:30 and 8:30. One way to stop it is to bring something good out for them to eat as a treat, like a spoonful of apple crisp, a marishino cherry, or a raisin cookie piece. Then they all shut up for 20 minutes or so. Sometimes I take Kayko and Clifford into the living room and watch TV while giving simultaneous head scritches. They really just want some extra attention before bedtime.
I would like to see you find someone with a macaw in a home environment nearby that will let you visit for several hours; say afternoon into the evening to get a first hand feel for how loud screaming is.

Got it off of amazon this is what it is labeled as on amazon." Prevue Pet Products Silverado Macaw Dometop Cage 3155S Silverado 46-Inch by 36-Inch by 78-1/4-Inch"

Wow, any pics?

I was told the silverado cage cannot hold a macaw or cockatoo because the bars are too flimsy.

Well, should i send it back? I guess i could put a galah in there or something. I haven't unpacked it yet.

I was looking at that cage before, from all the reviews on it, looks good to me!

I guess my macaws are pretty quiet compared to some of you guys....lol....But they have their moment at times but generally very quiet over all. I was told by Heather that Lola screams a lot over at her house, but she's rather quiet in here. She chatters a lot during the day making sounds, talking, etc. She amuses herself and play all over the cage. There's certain things that will cause Willie to scream, IF the back door is open, IF I'm holding Lola and he's getting jealous, IF my partner is on the phone (LOL), and rarely screams when I'm on the phone, only a few occasion. He does it more to my partner, about 98% of the time...lol....Lola screams to get my attention when I first come home until I go say hi to her then she's fine. She'll also scream if Willie is screaming. But like I've said, overall, very quiet. My previous neighbor didn't even know I had a Macaw cause he never hears him scream. Now Java the U2 I just rehomed, he screams ALL the time and when we put in new windows it cut down a lot of the noise but you can still hear him outside. He make his presence well known....

I would advise you if you are interested in a Macaw or other large birds to visit a rescue in your area that house Macaws or other Parrots to see first hand as to what they are like. Each Parrot is so very different from others. Nothing is ever the norm when it comes to Parrots.
The Members here can only tell their stories based off of their own Macaws.
There are some Macaws that are more vocal then others but this is not always the case.
If you do your homework, learn as much as possible about these amazing birds, I'm sure when it is time for you to own one, you will make the right choice.
I own a 6 year old Male Eclectus (Guapo) and a 5 year old Green Wing Macaw(Neleno). I live in a Condo and have worked very hard on what levels are noise is allowed. Yes, there are times when they may get over excited and scream but it is never for long periods of time, it is mostly 1 scream, then they make eye contact with me as if to say, My Bad****
I use hand signals with my birds and words that they both know as commands when an action is not wanted. This has taken me years to teach them.

Noise is a big factor when thinking about bringing a Macaw into the home. If you read the Books about Macaws, most will say that the Green Wing is more quiet then others. My Neleno would rather talk then scream. This is also true for my Eclectus.
The better question is, can you make the time for them. They are not like dogs and cats that can be left alone for hours on end.
They only thrive when interacting with you. They demand your attn. If not given, this is when behavior issues come into play.
They too can start feather plucking or harming themselves in other ways and will do anything to get your attn.
Finances are another issue. Macaws are not cheap. Food, Toys, and vet visits can be really expensive. Sure there are ways to lower the cost on toys by making them yourselve. I used to do this but as time went by, I found myself just going out and purchasing them to save time.

I also found that King cages are your best bet when it comes to housing a Macaw. Please stay away from cages from asian countries. Most are not made with bird safe materials.
Also stay away from asian bird toys.

If a Macaw is in your future, you cannot make a better choice, they are amazing creatures, they form very strong bonds with their owners (flock members) they are very loyal to you. They really go out of their way to please the one they love.
Until you are hugged by a Macaw, you have not lived. My Neleno will stretch out his wings, specially after bath time, lay his head onto my chest and wrap his wings around me. I have a picture on my desk at work and most people that know nothing about Parrots or Macaws cannot believe their eyes when they see it. The first thing they say is, Is that real or photo shopped. I have to learn how to attach the photo with this site. So cool.
Best of luck to you. Joe

Aw that is so cool. I am thinking of galahs, gang-gangs, keas, macaws, hawkheads and caiques.

sodakat said:

Parrots are loud and unpredictable. I know this is a macaw thread but I have to share something with you. Right now I know of 3 people who have young Eclectus (not babies but juveniles) whose noise is problematic for them. They really wanted these birds. They expected some noise. But now that they are living it, it is not what they imagined. One of these birds is being returned to the breeder. Luckily this is a fabulous breeder who will always take their birds back rather than see them go through the rehoming cycle. It makes me so sad when NOISE is the reason for rehoming.

One of the guys I know on an international eclectus list said that in Europe where he lives, the number one reason for rehoming Eclectus males is noise. I would not be surprised if the same isn't true for many species.

If noise is at all a factor in the decision to buy a parrot, I don't think you should buy a parrot. There is no guarantee that your bird won't be noisy. Some like to annouce the joy of living by hollering throughout the day; some only do it at sunup and sunrise; some are just quiet by nature. But there is no way to know which you will end up with.

I have 10 parrots right now. Two of them are noisy. One of the noisy ones is ten years old. I don't see him changing.

Click to expand...

Very well stated. Yes, MACAWS ARE LOUD. They can be heard a good city block away. Is this often you ask, YES, it can be several times during the day. Night however they are quiet. My Eclectus male has a scream or more like a screech that I swear could break glass. Fortunately, it's not that often, maybe a couple of times a day. But they aren't quiet birds either. Fortunately I own my home and my neighbors aren't that close or else I would have a problem.

0_o My neighbors aren't too close. I have a friend rehoming her hyacinth after it bit off her thumb. I want to go for it, but i like my thumb. I use it for various activities.