Golden Collared Macaw General Info

The Golden collared macaw belongs to the group of the so-called “mini macaws,” and they are truly one of the funkiest and cutest parrots in this family. These affectionate, goofy and intelligent birds are friendly and close bonding companions, with a lovely and colorful look. It is often said that these birds are like all the large macaws – just in a smaller body! With enough love and care, they will reach a lengthy lifespan of fifty years, during which they will become a cherished friend.

Mini macaws are almost always a ton of fun. These parrots are natural clowns that love to goof off.

Native Region/Natural Habitat

These mini macaws are found in their native home in the center of the South American continent. They live in a relatively small region that stretches over several small parts of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and a larger part of Bolivia. They love to nest in forests and semi-wooded grasslands. For their nests, they prefer premade holes in the trees, and they tend to fly in small flocks.

Overall Description

While the title mini implies a small bird, it’s there just to differentiate them from their very large macaw cousins. These birds are not quite so “mini,” with an average length of about 15 to 16 inches (38 to 40 centimeters). But almost half of this length is taken up by their long and intriguing tail feathers. Like the other macaws in this sub-branch, the Golden collared macaw is stocky and robust, with a slight chubby look that gives them that unmistakable cuteness. But in general, these parrots retain all the familiar little details that you’re used to seeing in any macaw.

Speech and Sounds

Macaws are loud and vocal by nature. And thanks to their good intelligence, they can be quite good at memorizing simple, everyday words. The Golden collared macaw just loves to goof off and show their tricks and newly learned words. However, if they are neglected, bored or alarmed, they will let you know with a harsh, noisy call which might be an issue for anyone who lives in an apartment.

Colors

The vibrant and tropical coloring of the Golden collared macaw’s plumage is its biggest pride. With a vivid and bright combination of colors, this parrot is a pretty and refreshing sight. The body is mainly bright green. The few of the unique details include a set of dark spots on the cheeks and the forehead, the blue tips on the wings, and the bright yellow collar that gives them the name. The lower tail feathers are reddish brown and most visible in flight. All these details give us a truly exotic looking macaw.

The Golden Collared macaw is full of unique and exotic details that are a refreshing and vibrant sight.

Care and Feeding

In the wild, these parrots depend on a variety of carefully selected seeds, nuts, fruits and tree blossoms. A carefully created commercial seed and pellet based mix for macaws is the best staple diet to get for your pet. To supplement it with additional vitamins and proteins, you can add plenty of fresh fruits and green vegetables. Kale, cabbage, apples, oranges, and carrots are always a good choice. For an added dose of calcium, an essential vitamin for parrots, you can buy a standard cuttlebone. Parrots love nibbling on it.

Health and Common Conditions

Like many of the new world parrots and macaws, Golden collared macaw is robust, hardy and adapts quickly. This is mostly reflected in their long lifespan. To maintain their health at the peak condition, you need to take care of some essential issues common for all pet birds. These include a lot of interaction, thorough and regular hygiene and a healthy and fresh diet. If you make the mistake of neglecting your parrot and taking things for granted, you can cause trouble and discomfort for your loving friend and pet.

Golden collared macaw needs your love and attention to remain healthy. Keep all things in check and make it your routine.

Personality & Behavior

These macaws are a lot of fun and a lot of love. As the bond with your pet grows stronger, you will get to know the various aspects of their wonderful personality. You are bound to fall in love with their clownish, silly tricks, the little dances, and goofy mimics. And when a Golden collared macaw shows you their affectionate, cuddly side, you will quickly understand that you have made a beautiful new friendship – a friendship that lasts for life!

Photo credit: Benutzer:Robert01/Wikimedia Commons; Pat McGrath/Wikimedia Commons; Takashi Hososhima/Wikimedia Commons