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Red-shouldered macaw(Ara nobilis)
Phylum —chordata
Class — aves
Order — psittaciformes
Family — psittacidae
Genus – ara
Appearance
The Red-shouldered macaw, at 30 cm (12 in) long and 165 g (5.8 oz) weight, is the smallest of all the macaws. Like all macaws, it has a long narrow tail and a large head. It has bright green feathers on the body, with dark or slate blue feathers on the head just above the beak. The wings and tail have feathers that are bright green above and olive-green below. The leading edges of the wings, especially on the underside, are red. Their eyes are orange, and the skin around the eyes is white without feathers, just as in the larger macaws. This bare patch of facial skin is smaller in proportion to the head than the one seen in most larger macaws.
Habitat
It is native to the tropical lowlands, savannah, and swamplands of Venezuela, the Guianas, Bolivia, Brazil, and far south-eastern Peru.
Behavior
Red-shouldered macaws are very kind natured. Their personality is similar to the large macaws.
Diet
Red-shouldered macaw usually feeds on various seeds, fruits, nuts and plant matter, as well as the occasional insect or small reptile.
Reproduction
The Red-shouldered macaw nests in a hole in a tree. There are usually three or four white eggs in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 24 to 26 days, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 54 days after hatching.
In captivity
The Red-shouldered macaws can live up to 25 years.
Like their larger macaws cousins, Red-shouldered macaws have the same social, dietary, and exercise requirements. If you think that a Red-shouldered macaw is for you, make sure you have plenty of time to devote to training and bonding with your bird. A bored or neglected Red-shouldered macaw can become angry, destructive, or depressed. If you do not spend time with your bird, plan for bird bites, damaged property, and getting frustrated with your bird.
Birds left alone for long periods are prone to self-mutilation or feather plucking, which can snowball into more severe health problems.
Red-shouldered macaws do not require a very large cage like other macaws, however, they do need ample space. Expect to get a cage that is 3-feet tall, long, and wide.
Prices for veterinary bills, quality feed, toys, and cages add up quickly. If you can't give your bird the best of everything, consider holding off on getting one until you can. Or, choose a pet that might be low-maintenance.
In captivity, Red-shouldered macaws eat a high-quality pellet and seed mix. This staple is in addition to daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, which make mealtime a fun spectacle to watch. Macaws, depending on their size, will eat about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of parrot mix and about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of fruit and vegetables per day. Provide fresh drinking water every day. These parrots will be delighted with dark greens like kale and spinach as well as broccoli, carrots, squash, and even some chili peppers. For fruits, consider staples like apples, peaches, oranges, and pineapple. Many Red-shouldered macaws also like bananas and figs. Just be sure to clean up any fruit leftovers to keep the cage clean and free of ants or mold.Some parrots can become picky eaters, but you can diversify their diet by introducing new foods slowly. Do not feed these birds avocados, chocolate, or alcoholic beverages as they can be toxic.
In captivity, a Red-shouldered macaw needs an adequate amount of time out of the cage to play, exercise, and stretch its muscles. Provide your parrot with at least two hours of supervised out-of-cage playtime a day.
Social and intelligent, Red-shouldered macaws respond quickly to training which gives birds mental stimulation and keeps them from getting bored. You will have a lot of fun teaching these little birds tricks. Introduce new tasks throughout their lives to keep them mentally engaged.
With these parrots, it's best to ignore unwanted behavior—including excessive noise. Scolding has the opposite effect; it shows the bird that loud, stern squawking is an acceptable form of communication. Your best approach is positive reinforcement. Reward good behavior and quiet moments, and your little bird will start to understand what is acceptable behavior. They aim to please their keepers and handlers.
