Macaw Parrots: Types of Macaw, Colours and Which One Fits Your Home
Blue-and-yellow, scarlet, hyacinth and 'rainbow' macaws explained. Are macaws parrots? How big, how loud and how long-lived they are, and which can be kept in Nigeria.
Macaws are the largest parrots in the world: long-tailed, brightly coloured birds from Central and South America. Yes, macaws are parrots. They belong to the same family as African greys and conures. Here are the macaws people ask about most.
Blue-and-yellow macaw (blue and gold macaw)
The most popular pet macaw: blue back and wings, golden-yellow chest, a white face with fine black lines. About 80 to 90 cm long, intelligent and social, and often a good talker. This is the macaw most commonly available in Nigeria.
Scarlet macaw
Bright red with yellow and blue wings. Stunning and active. Scarlet macaws are strictly protected internationally (CITES Appendix I), so trading them needs special permits. Be careful with any seller offering one.
Hyacinth macaw
The largest flying parrot in the world, up to about 1 metre long, deep cobalt blue with a yellow ring around the eye. Hyacinths are rare, very expensive and also strictly protected (CITES Appendix I).
"Blue macaw"
People usually mean the hyacinth or the blue-and-yellow macaw. The famous small "blue macaw", Spix's macaw, became extinct in the wild and is being slowly reintroduced in Brazil. It is not available as a pet.
"Rainbow macaw"
A rainbow macaw is usually a hybrid, most often a cross between a scarlet and a blue-and-yellow macaw (sometimes called a Catalina macaw). Hybrids are bred in captivity for their colours and are not a natural species.
What living with a macaw is really like
- **Noise:** macaw calls carry down the street. Not for a small flat or close neighbours.
- **Beak:** strong enough to crack nuts, and your furniture. Supervise all time out of the cage.
- **Space:** a cage at least 120 cm wide, plus a play stand and daily time out.
- **Lifespan:** 50 years or more. Many macaws outlive their first owners.
- **Attention:** bored macaws scream and pluck their feathers. They need you every day.
Macaws in Nigeria
Heat, power cuts and noise all matter more with a macaw. Read our macaw care guide for Nigeria, then see whether we have a blue-and-gold macaw on our available birds page. Every Clawfrican bird is tame and friendly, and we talk every macaw buyer through the commitment first.
Cover photo: ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.