Macaws need special care, food and housing needs during breeding.
The macaw is a smart, inquisitive and an impressive-looking bird native to South America. These birds have exotic and vibrant colored feathers, a large head, strong beak and a long tail. The macaw, the largest birds in the parrot family, loves to socialize and can be an excellent choice as a companion bird. Until the early 20th century not many were bred successfully in captivity, possibly because it was difficult to determine their sex and also since most of them were imported and reared individually as pets, states the Animal-World website. Additionally, macaws are sexually monomorphic; their sex cannot be effectively determined by physical characteristics. However, the increasing demand for macaws, as well as a greater understanding of their breeding requirements has encouraged successful captive breeding of these birds.
Instructions
Pairing Suitable Mates
1. Confirm the sex of your macaws prior to breeding. Consult a veterinarian to test the macaw's sex through either an endoscopy, a DNA testing or a chromosomal analysis.
2. Carefully observe your macaw pair for indications of harmonious behavior, since compatibility is important to successful mating. Macaws that trust and care for each other will generally perch side by side while resting and amiably share food from the same bowl.
3. Purchase or construct a wooden nest box for the female macaw to lay eggs.
Construct a Nest Box
4. The nest box should be around three times the size of the macaw's body length in height and equal to its body length in width and depth.
5. Create an entrance hole or opening for the nest box which is large enough for the macaw to enter. Place a few blocks inside the box for the bird to climb on. Spread approximately four to eight inches of pine wood shavings at the base of the nest box to serve as bedding for the bird.
6. Position the nest box high up in a corner facing outward and in an area that provides seclusion and safety.
Diet and Breeding
7. Feed your macaw a well-balanced diet prior to breeding in order to maximize its chances of fertility. Foods high in fat like nuts walnuts, pecans and macadamia are especially beneficial. Calcium is an important mineral in a breeding macaw's diet, and it can be found in almonds.
8. Macaws breed quite readily and will lay eggs in clutches of two to three during the spring and summer months. The incubation period for the egg ranges from 26 to 28 days.
9. You have the option to hand-feed macaw chicks or allow the parent to rear them.
10. As soon as the hatchlings arrive, macaws will need to be fed a steady supply of food like fresh fruits, corn, milk-soaked bread and cuttlebones.
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