Macaws - Facts for Kids

Basic Information

Macaws belong to the scientific group (called an order) Psittaciformes, the family Psittacidae, and are part of the subfamily (smaller group) Arinae!

There are 19 different types (called species) of macaws spread across six different groups (called genera), with the most common belonging to the group called Ara!

A group of macaws is called a “band,” “fleet,” or “pandemonium” — the perfect word for their noisy gatherings!

Macaws are native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and formerly the Caribbean, with most types living in the Amazon Basin!

Wild macaws typically live for 25–50 years, but in captivity, they can live 50–70 years, with some reaching over 80!

The Hyacinth Macaw is the heaviest, weighing up to 4 pounds (1.8 kg), while the smallest, the Red-shouldered Macaw, weighs only about 6 ounces (170 grams)!

The largest macaw, the Hyacinth, can measure up to 40 inches (100 cm) in length from beak to tail-tip!

Male macaws are called “cocks,” females are called “hens,” and babies are called “chicks” or “nestlings”!

Macaws are herbivores, primarily eating fruits, nuts, seeds, and plant material in their natural habitat!

Macaws live in complex (complicated) rainforest homes, with different types living in specific places from lowland (low, flat areas) rainforests to mountain forests and grassland edges!

Physical Characteristics

Macaws are the largest parrots in the world, with the Hyacinth Macaw reaching lengths of up to 40 inches (100 centimeters) from head to tail-tip!

A macaw’s beak is so strong it can crack open a coconut — that’s about the same force as a large dog’s bite!

The beautiful blue-and-gold macaw has feathers that aren’t actually blue — they look blue because of the way light bounces off special tiny structures (like tiny mirrors) in their feathers!

Macaws have a special third eyelid called a nictitating membrane (like an extra eyelid) that slides across their eye horizontally like a windshield wiper to protect their eyes while flying!

A macaw’s tongue is so special it has a tiny bone inside it that helps them manipulate food and make complex sounds!

Macaws can turn their heads so far around — almost 180 degrees, nearly straight backward — that they can peek behind them without moving their body!

A macaw’s foot has four toes — two pointing forward and two pointing backward — which helps them grip branches and climb like expert acrobats!

Some macaws have special oil glands that help keep their feathers healthy and water-resistant, but three special blue macaws — the Hyacinth, Lear’s, and Spix’s macaws — don’t have them at all! These macaws use other methods like bathing to stay clean.

The largest macaw, the Hyacinth Macaw, can spread its wings up to about 4 feet (1.2 m) across — about the same as a seven-year-old child is tall!

Macaws have more neck bones (called vertebrae) than humans, which allows them to rotate their heads with amazing flexibility!

Macaws have more neck bones (called vertebrae) than humans, which allows them to rotate their heads with amazing flexibility!

Behavior & Intelligence

Macaws are as smart as a young human toddler — around 2 or 3 years old!

In the wild, macaws live in groups called “flocks” that can include up to 30 birds!

Macaws mate for life and can recognize their partner’s voice even in a noisy flock of hundreds of birds!

Baby macaws learn to talk by listening to their parents, just like human babies learn language from their families!

Macaws use tools in the wild, such as leaves to scratch hard-to-reach places and small sticks to investigate new objects!

Macaws have been observed teaching their babies which fruits are safe to eat and which ones to avoid!

When macaws get excited, they blush — the bare patches of skin on their faces can change color based on their emotions!

Wild macaws gather at special clay banks called “clay licks” to eat mineral-rich (full of healthy minerals) soil that helps neutralize (cancel out) toxins (poisons) in their diet!

Macaws can learn to mimic human speech — most pick up 10 to 30 words with training, and some really smart ones can even learn up to 50–60 words!

Habitat & Survival

Macaws live in the rainforest canopy, usually staying 100–200 feet (30–60 meters) above the ground — that’s as high as a 20-story building!

Macaws can fly at speeds up to 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour) — faster than a bicycle!

Macaws help plant new trees in the rainforest by dropping seeds from fruits they’ve eaten while flying!

A wild macaw can fly up to about 15 miles (24 km) in one day looking for food — that’s like flying over 60 football fields!

Macaws are super loud and use their shrieks to talk across the rainforest — their calls are designed to travel many kilometers so they can find their friends and family!

Macaws are extremely loud. Their calls are built to travel for several kilometers — typically about 1–2 km (0.6–1.2 miles) — so they can find each other across the rainforest.

Some macaws, like blue‑and‑yellow and red‑bellied macaws, nest inside old palm trunks whose leafy crowns form a natural roof over their nests. It’s like a built-in umbrella that helps keep rain out!

Macaws have excellent color vision that helps them spot ripe fruits in the dense rainforest canopy!

During rainstorms, macaws spread their wings and shake to enjoy a rain shower. Some even hang upside down to let water reach under their wings!

Life Cycle

Baby macaws are born blind and open their eyes between about 14 and 28 days after hatching!

A baby macaw stays in its nest for about 90 days before learning to fly — that’s three times longer than most songbirds!

Macaw parents work as a team — one guards the nest while the other gathers food, and they both help raise their chicks with care and protection!

A macaw egg is about the size of a chicken egg but takes about a week long to hatch — about 26–28 days!

Baby macaws are born without feathers and look like little dinosaurs until their first feathers grow in at about 10 days old!

Young macaws start with softer, duller feathers. Their bright, adult colors take time to appear and usually shine through by the time they’re about 3 to 5 years old!

A female macaw usually lays 2 or 3 eggs, but mostly the oldest chick gets all the care — so only one usually grows up strong!

Baby macaws learn to fly by practicing wing flapping for several weeks before their first flight!

Young macaws stay with their parents for up to a year, learning important survival skills!

Diet & Feeding

Wild macaws eat many types of seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, leaves, and flowers — sometimes dozens of kinds across the year.

A macaw’s powerful beak can crack open a Brazil nut, which is as hard as a golf ball!