All species of macaws occur in South and Central Americal and Mexico. A few species, now extinct, once inhabited the islands of the Carribean. Macaws range in size from very small to extremely large. All Ara species have conspicuous patches of bare skin on the face, although some species, such as the military, green-winged and blue and gold, have bands of short feathers striping the facial skin. All macaws have long tapering tail feathers and display brilliantly colored plumage. Some of the feathers are tiny, whereas others, such as the heavy flight feathers of the wing and tail, are very large. Beneath the colored outer feathers is a thick layer of gray down; this layer provides ample insulation from cold weather and helps regulate the body temperature. Some birds appear to have eyelashes. In reality these eyelashes are specially structured feathers. There is no sexual dimorphism in any of the species, and immature birds resemble the parents. Mandibles are made of hard keratin and may be beige, black, grayish or two-toned. The upper mandible is solid and tapers to a point on the end; the lower has a curved edge and forms the floor of the oral cavity. Stories relating to the amount of pressure in the bite of macaws do not exaggerate when they tell of individuals breaking broom handles in half. It has been my experience that many macaws occupy themselves by crushing coral or granit rock when made available. Indeed the macaws are capable of inflicting serious wounds if handled improperly, but for the most part they are docile, gentle birds that will not bite unless provoked. The legs and feet are scaled and may be black, gray or beige, depending upon the species. Some individuals lose the dark coloration on the feet and legs as they grow older or as a result of poor nutrition or illness. Like other parrots, the macaws have a four-toed food, two toes facing to the front and two to the rear. The claws are strong and pointed, made of the same material as the beak. In battle the claws are used as weapons very effectively. Claws may be grayish black or beige. The disposition of the birds varies from individual to individual and not as a function of species. Some macaws can be quite aggressive, but the majority are docile creatures. You may encounter an extremely nervous macaw; certainly some are emotionally disturbed. The point here is that no one group of macaws is more gentle or more aggressive than any other group. Do not listen to people who label one species gentle and another nasty. The labelers have not had ample experience handling macaws or they would refrain from such labeling. Macaws are long-lived birds, with a life expectancy of approximately 50-65 years. This is a conservative estimate, but the stories about macaws living to 100 years is floating around the bird world. A 60 year old macaw is an old bird. Some individuals may live into their 70s, while others may not make it to 50. A great deal depends upon genetic disposition and the general health of the individual.
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MACAWS
