Yellow Collared Macaw Diet

The yellow-collared macaw is an attractive, brightly-colored South American parrot. It is also called the yellow- or gold-naped macaw, and the Cassin's macaw. This bird belongs to a group called the "mini-macaws," but can still grow to be up to 17 inches in length. These birds require a diet very similar to the diet for full-sized macaws, but with some key differences.

  1. Habitat

    • The wild diet of the yellow-collared macaw varies according to location and climate. The bird is found throughout central South America, in biomes ranging from rainforest and swamp to savannah and the dry Andes foothills. In wetter climates, such as southwest Brazil, this macaw eats a diet high in palm fruit and rainforest nuts. In dryer climates, it may consume more fruits and vegetables, and even insects. Macaws living near cultivated land also eat fruit and vegetables from the fields.

    Basics

    • In captivity, yellow-collared macaws should eat a diet based either on parrot pellets or a seed mixture, supplemented with cooked grains and legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, greens, and whole grain products like bread and pasta. They also enjoy sprouted seeds, dried fruits and vegetables, and edible flowers. They are susceptible to vitamin-A sensitivity, so levels of this vitamin should be monitored.

    Fat

    • The diet of a yellow-collared macaw is very similar to that for an ordinary macaw, but should include more fat. Pellet foods made for macaws, such as Kaytee's Fiesta Max, include around 14 percent fat. Birds should receive about ¼ cup per day. In the wild, yellow collared macaws may eat a diet of as much as 28 percent fat. Additional fat and protein may be added in the form of a tablespoon or two of peanut butter or ground sunflower seeds. These prolific chewers can also benefit from a higher percentage of nuts in the shell than regular macaws. Nuts should still not make up the majority of the diet, though -- even these fat-loving birds can have too much.

    Considerations

    • Macaws require a careful if small balance of phosphorus and calcium. While cooked beans, pasta and grains are appropriate for yellow-collared macaws, they should not make up the majority of the diet due to their high phosphorous content. Foods containing calcium compounds like oxalate, including chard, bok choy and spinach, are also fine in moderation, but may be dangerous to a bird's health in excess. Yellow-collared macaws need approximately 1 percent calcium in their diet, and .5 to 1 percent phosphorus.

    Warning

    • Chocolate and avocado are toxic to macaws, as are the pits of stone fruits, raw beans, nutmeg, rhubarb and tobacco. Peanuts may also be problematic, since they are often contaminated with a fungal toxin called aflatoxin. This carcinogen can be reduced by roasting, but not completely eliminated.