Scarlet Macaws
In the rain forests of South America, you might hear a loud squawking sound. Chances are you heard the squawk of a macaw. The scarlet macaw is a very colorful bird. They are red with yellow and blue feathers. The scarlet macaw is a kind of parrot and is often the one seen in pirate paintings.
These birds are very social and live in flocks. Every morning the flock flies to their feeding grounds where there are plenty of seeds, nuts, and fruits. A macaw has a very strong beak that can crush nuts.
Sometimes fruits can contain toxins, so they will fly to clay licks to eat the clay. Eating the clay helps neutralize toxins and aid in digestion.
These beautiful birds mate for life. Mating pairs will fly close to each other as a way to engage in loving bonds. Females lay up to 3 eggs which will hatch in 25 days. The babies are fed regurgitated food from males. The chicks will stay with their parents for 2 years. Scarlet macaws have one of the longest life spans of any bird, they can live for up to 75 years.
Unfortunately, many of these birds are captured to be sold as pets. Macaws as well as other parrots make bad pets because they make a very loud squawking sound that could disturb neighbors. They were born to live free.
The Swerve 