CC BY 2.0 · Luc Viatour · source
Quick Facts
- Type
- Bird
- Size
- About 76–86 cm long, including the tail
- Weight
- About 1–1.3 kg
- Habitat
- Tropical rainforest
- Diet
- Herbivore — fruit, nuts, and seeds
- Active Time
- Diurnal, active by day
- Lifespan
- 30–35 years in the wild, 60+ in captivity
Field Notes
- Blue-and-yellow Macaws form lifelong pair bonds and are often seen flying wing to wing as a couple.
- Their enormous beaks generate enough force to crush hard palm nuts that few other animals can open.
- They frequently nest in cavities high in dead palm trees overlooking water.
- In captivity these macaws can live 60 years or more.
About the Blue-and-yellow Macaw
The Blue-and-yellow Macaw is a large, brilliantly coloured parrot of tropical South America, ranging across forests and woodlands from Panama to Brazil and Bolivia. Its rich teal-blue upperparts contrast sharply with golden-yellow underparts, making it one of the most striking birds of the Amazon. These macaws are highly social, flying in pairs and flocks and roosting communally, while filling the air with loud, far-carrying calls. They favour forests near rivers and swamps, especially stands of palms whose nuts they crack with their massive beaks. Intelligent and long-lived, they form strong, lasting pair bonds.
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