Macaw Facts

About the macaw

Six genera make up the macaws, with 19 species counted, some of them extinct. They live in Central America, Mexico and South America, and once in the Caribbean, mostly in forests though some prefer woodland or savanna. A bare, pale face patch sets them apart from other parrots, and the feather pattern on each bird's face is as unique as a fingerprint. Like toucans, they have two toes pointing backward on each foot.

The hyacinth, great green and green-winged macaws are the largest, while the red-shouldered macaw is no bigger than some parakeets. Wild macaws eat seeds, nuts, fruits, leaves, flowers and young shoots. Most species are now endangered in the wild because of fast forest clearing and illegal trapping to supply the pet bird trade. Spix's macaw is probably extinct in the wild, and the glaucous macaw had only two solid sightings in the 20th century.

Did you know?

• Prehistoric Native Americans in the Southwest raised macaws at sites called feather factories.
• Selling scarlet macaws commercially is banned under CITES Appendix I.
• The blue-and-yellow macaw is the macaw most often crossbred in captivity.