New here. Looking forward to owning a Macaw.

Hello to all. My name is Alfredo and I have had a few previous experiences in owning birds. I used to have a male alexandrine. My family is thinking about moving to Cancún and if we do, we are looking forward to owning a Macaw. I wanted multiple opinions for deciding what species to go for and why.

Thanks in advance!
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Greenwing, because I think they are the smartest. Maybe that's because I own one and he is super smart and a great talker. I'm sure you'll hear the same about every other type from their owners. The choice is really yours. I have heard that Scarlets can be nippy. Hyathins are really great birds but are super expensive to buy and maintain. Do your research and I' sure you'll make the right choice.

Thanks for your reply. I was thinking of maybe a blue and gold and a green winged since the start. Does that sound like a good combination, or will it cause some type of problems?
Thanks again

There are so many choices! It really depends on so many things. Greenwings and Scarlets are some of the most beautiful and flashy. It's hard to compete with those amazing red feathers. Blue & Golds and Military macaws are other common species. All of these macaws are pretty big and their beaks can be very imposing. Make sure you're comfortable with a bird that size on a one-on-one basis.

We have a Red-front macaw which is less common. They're also much smaller than the ones mentioned above. Just like Willist is sure his Greenwing is the best; I'm absolutely positive that my RFM is lightyears better.

It really depends on what you want. Do you want a cuddler? Flyer? Talker? Is size a concern?

The only direct experience I have with macaws is with our red-front and our friend's blue-throat. I'm very happy to give you more information on those. Both are smaller, but not mini-macaws. Let me know if you're interested.

I think the colors of the Catalina Macaw's are absolutely gorgeous. But I know nothing about their personalities.

blue and gold!! LOL i'm biased x

Hey welcome I have blue and gold and Greenwing on the way

HRH Di said:

There are so many choices! It really depends on so many things. Greenwings and Scarlets are some of the most beautiful and flashy. It's hard to compete with those amazing red feathers. Blue & Golds and Military macaws are other common species. All of these macaws are pretty big and their beaks can be very imposing. Make sure you're comfortable with a bird that size on a one-on-one basis.

We have a Red-front macaw which is less common. They're also much smaller than the ones mentioned above. Just like Willist is sure his Greenwing is the best; I'm absolutely positive that my RFM is lightyears better.

It really depends on what you want. Do you want a cuddler? Flyer? Talker? Is size a concern?

The only direct experience I have with macaws is with our red-front and our friend's blue-throat. I'm very happy to give you more information on those. Both are smaller, but not mini-macaws. Let me know if you're interested.

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Hi. I live in San Antonio. I do feel very comfortable with a large bird. I used to handle my uncle's eagle in Mexico. My neighbor used to have a macaw that I fell in love with.My ideal macaw would be a large, talker, cuddler.
Thanks.

patterson said:

Hey welcome I have blue and gold and Greenwing on the way

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Thanks, Please let me know how they get along.

I have to agree, you cannot go wrong with either the Green Wing macaw or Blue and gold. Thanks

Hi, I just got a new Harlequin macaw two weeks ago. She is a cross between a Greenwing and a Blue and Gold. She has a beautiful orange chest and a green head and multi shades of beautiful blue wings and body. The under sides of her wings are a golden yellow, her she has black feather lines on her white facial patches and little black feathers around the bottom of her beak. She is stunning! I had set out to get a Greenwing until my husband did some research and read about the Harliquin. This hybrid is suppose to have not only the beauty, but the even temper and comical temperment from the blue and gold and the gentle nature for the Greenwings. I have read that they can be quieter than the average Greenwing. Since ours has the B and G for the father it has a size like a B and G, and not the massive size of the Greenwing. I held several greenwings and their enormous beaks and hudge bodies were just a little too big for my taste.

Blue and Gold birds are suppose to have an even disposition in general if you like those colors. I would not go with a Scarlet unless you found a really nice one because I have read and seen in general that they can be tempermental and nippy. I'll take my Harliquin named Marley any day. I looooooove this bird!!!! Good luck and do some research. Lesley

Harlequin Macaws are big cuddly babies...They're beautiful too.... I love Scarlet's too, but yes they tend to be more nippy at times. Green Wings and Blue and Golds are some of the better choices. BUT with any macaw, they have their days where they're just plan cranky....

Was suppose get my harlequin last year but didn't work out fingers crossed he has more soon they are lovely

I must say that Hybrids are interesting, just like dogs that are muts sometimes make the best pets. It's something about having a natural Macaw that keeps the blood line pure is what I am interested in. I know many Hybrid macaws and watched them from very little to mature, There is changes as they mature and sometimes not in a good way. As a baby they may favor the personality of a green wing but as they mature, they B&G becomes more dominate. I also know pure bred Macaws that are very sweet as a baby but once the hormones kick in, watch out. One of the members in my club has a B&G and was very sweet, at around 5-6 years old, he will not allow you anywhere near him. He only wants the attn of his owner. This is also true of some hybrids. I hope the best for all who own Macaws both pure bred and hybrids. Joe

Human species are always making hybrids......I think that the behavior of any one bird is an individual thing. I was going to get a pure bread greenwing but of the two that were available in town I did not like their size or personality. The hybrid Harlequin was the most calm and the sweetest macaw that we could find last month here in Houston. The breeder said that they had tried to put several other greenwings with the female mother greenwing and she had rejected them only wanting the blue and gold. Hopefully if I raise this bird right it will spend it's entire life as a companion bird and when I die and pass it on it will be well mannered in it's second home so that it will have a good relationship with the future owners and it will stay in a human family. When I looked at this beautiful sweet bird she was already here and no less of a bird than any pure bread. We love her very much. Lesley

B&G do have the tendency of being a one person bird. Mine is like that, but I don't care for him to go to anyone else anyway. I like him just the way he is, that way no one can steal him from me!

Lesley, Green Wing Macaws are not like other Macaws, They do not give themselves to you willing, you must earn it. Once the bond is made with a Green Wing, it is really like no other or perhaps the bond on a HY macaw.
It took me months before the Bond with my Neleno took place and I worked very hard for his attn. Now, I would compare my bond that I have with neleno to any owner of any Macaw out there.
For example, I took my Boys 4 Year SI Eclectus Guapo, 2 Year old Green Wing Neleno to Petsmart yesterday just to get some food Pellets and some toy. While shopping, many customers came up to me and could not beleive how trained and well behaved my boys are. many could not beleive the strong bond and effection both my boys displayed. Neleno was on my shoulder, a customer was asking questions about my Eclectus. While I was about to give the answers, Neleno bent down, got in my face and kissed me just for the sake of kissing me. The customer I was talking to stated that she had never seen a bird show such love that my Green wings shows for me. I placed my eclectus on my other shoulder and picked up my Green wing onto my hand and asked Neleno for a hug. With his huge wings opened and he wrapped them around me and placed his head onto my chest. The customer said, oh, I have to get me one of these macaws.
I'm sure many Macaw owners here on this board can tell you stories about the bond that they have with their Macaws, but I beleive that there are so many different levels of bonding both great and bad bonding. Bad bonding is when the Macaw thinks of you as it's mate, Great bonding is the Macaw looks at you as one of the close flock members. Most Macaws that I have seen fall somewhere in between.
I hope the best for all Macaw owners out there but is someone was getting a Macaw for the first time Macaw owner, Other then the HY, I would strongly advise them to think about the Green Wing. Thanks Joe

Hello, I'm new too. I'm sure you'll love caring for a macaw parrot. They are extremely intelligent and fascinating birds. Remember to post pics too!