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The macaw is a colourful tropical parrot native to Central and Southern America. There are 17 different species of macaw found in the rainforests of South America. Many of the different macaw species are today considered to be endangered animals.

The macaw is an omnivorous animal and feeds on nuts and fruit in the trees along with insects, eggs and small mammals and reptiles. The macaw is known to sleep during the night meaning that the macaw is a diurnal animal, and in the morning the macaw will often fly long distances in order to find food.

The macaw is one of the largest species of parrot in the world, with the average adult macaw growing to more than a meter in height. The macaw is well known for it's array of brightly coloured feathers which are often many different colours including blue, red, yellow and green.

Macaws have recently become very popular as pets, and there is a flourishing black market for some of the rarer breeds of macaw. This only contributes to their endangered status. Please, do not buy imported macaws. The declining macaw populations is also due to the fact that the macaw's natural rainforest habitat is being destroyed due to deforestation, which is happening all over Central and South America at an alarming rate.

The macaw has a large and powerful beak which means that the macaw can break the shells of nuts and seeds more easily. Like other species of parrot, macaws have four toes on each foot, with two toes facing forward and two toes facing backward. This foot adaptation helps the macaw to grip onto prey and tree branches more easily and allows the macaw to perch in the trees without slipping off.

Macaws are known to be intelligent and very sociable birds and macaws can often be seen together in large flocks of up to 30 macaw individuals. Macaws communicate between one another using loud vocal calls such as squawking and screaming. Some species of macaw are even known to be able to mimic (copy) human sounds.

The macaw is one of the world's animals that is known to have the same breeding partner for their whole lives. Macaw couples do not only breed together but they also share their food and help to groom one another. When the female macaw has laid her eggs (typically 2 but more are common), the female macaw sits on her eggs to incubate them while the male macaw hunts and collects food for them both. The macaw chicks hatch after about a month.

Macaws are well known to humans in the areas in which they inhabit and have been known to be hunted by local tribesmen for their brightly coloured feathers. The macaw however, is also widely respected and even appears on the one of the Brazilian bank notes.

Macaw Comments (9)

Madeline

"Macaw's are such pretty birds! Good article too. "

savannah

"thanks thiz helped me alot with my project"

pharmacy technician

"nice post. thanks."

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Macaw Facts

Kingdom: A level of classifying all living things on earth, as similar species are broken into 5 groups including plants, animals and fungi....	Animalia
Phylum: A level of classifying animals within the animal kingdom. Phylum are further divided into subgroups called classes....	Chordata
Class: A level of classifying animals in a phylum. Classes are then sub-divided into further groups known as orders....	Aves
Order: A level used to classify animals. Classes are broken into sub-groups known as order, which are broken down further into families....	Psittaciformes
Family: A level of classifying animals within an order. Orders are broken down in families and families are broken down further into smaller groups called genus....	Psittacidae
Genus: A level of classifying animals within a family. Families are divided into sub-groups called genus which generally contain one or two animal species....	Arini

Scientific Name:	Arini
Type:	Bird
Diet:	Omnivore
Size (H):	76cm - 100cm (30in - 39in)
Wing Span:	86cm - 140cm (34in - 56in)
Weight:	0.9kg - 2kg (2lbs - 4.4lbs)
Top Speed:	24km/h (15mph)
Life Span:	50 - 60 years
Lifestyle:	Flock
Conservation Status: The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation s...	Endangered

Colour:	Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, White
Skin Type:	Feathers
Favourite Food:	Fruit
Habitat: The term habitat is used to describe a specific area where a particular animal lives, within an environment. Many animals have adapted to requiring specific conditions which can only be found in their natural habitat su...	Rainforests and tropical jungle
Average Clutch Size:	2
Main Prey: When an animal is referred to prey, it means that the animal is either hunted or caught for food. Animals that are referred to as prey are generally hunted by bigger animals, although there are a number of exceptions....	Fruit, Nuts, Seeds, Insects
Predators: When an animal is referred to as a predator, it means that the animal either hunts or catches other animals. Predatory animals are generally dominant within their environment and will generally hunt animals smaller than...	Human, Monkeys, Large Birds
Distinctive Features:	Large colourful body and curved beak