Natural Diets for Military Macaws

Your military macaw's diet not only affects how energetic and friendly he is, but also his appearance. Macaws generally have a lifespan of about 35 to 55 years. Buying a macaw is therefore a very big commitment, and if raised properly they can become lifelong partners. Military macaws, like many other macaw species, have a wide variety of options for diet. A balanced diet with the proper nutrients is the easiest way to ensure your macaw stays in good health.

  1. Pellets

    • Nuts and seeds are an important part of a military macaw's diet, but should not be the primary source of food. Formulated pellets should comprise of about 60 to 70 percent of your macaw's diet. This is where the bird will be getting most of his nutrition from. If your macaw was raised on a diet consisting mostly of seeds, many avian veterinarians will steer you toward a pelleted diet that slowly replaces seeds.

    Mix Nuts

    • Whole nuts can make up a small portion of your military macaw's diet. Macaw's need fat and oil in their diet and nuts, such as Brazil nuts, almonds, pecans, and macadamias. You will want to limit the amount of nuts they get but in general they make excellent treats.

    Fruits and Vegetables

    • Another major part of your macaw's diet should be from fruits and vegetables. Military macaws, like any other macaw, can eat just about any fruit or vegetable you will give them. Apples, bananas, oranges, cherries, coconut, peaches, pears, raspberries and strawberries are all acceptable fruits for your bird. If you allow your macaw to eat apples or cherries, make sure you remove the seeds (or buy cherries without pits) since they can be harmful to the macaw's health. Suitable vegetables for any macaw includes peas, carrots, corn, tomato, potato, asparagus and broccoli. Remember to wash off any fruits or vegetables before giving them to your macaw.

    Other Foods

    • Another important part of your macaw's diet is protein and breads. You can allow your macaw to eat boneless chicken or other meats. Whole grain breads, pasta, or brown rice also make excellent additions to the diet.

    Foods to Avoid

    • Macaws will want to eat anything that you are eating. In most cases, anything you can eat, your macaw can eat, too. However, you should not allow your bird to consume fruit seeds, avocado, chocolate, alcohol or caffeine. These items can cause serious health issues for macaws.