Green Wing Macaw Advice

Greenwing macaws can make truly wonderful pets with enough commitment, attention and care. Intelligent, social and sweet-natured, these birds are quite gentle compared with other macaws, relating well with multiple people and pets if properly socialized. However, if you do choose to own one, understand they require a substantial social, financial and spatial commitment, much more than with a dog or cat. The experts at Avianweb.com advise anyone considering owning a greenwing to fully educate themselves on what to expect before making the commitment.

  1. Social Interaction

    • Greenwings are extremely social birds who, in the wild, live and socialize in pairs or flocks. In captivity, however, they depend upon you as their flock, so it̵7;s important you interact with them regularly throughout the day. Regular interaction promotes mental stimulation, bonding and a sense of security, and can help curb such problem behavior as screeching and feather plucking as well. Eye contact, vocal interaction, petting and cuddling are all important to your bird̵7;s social stimulation.

      Greenwings, like other macaws, often bond with a particular person or gender. To encourage yours to socialize with multiple people, Animal-world.com recommends gently introducing them to as many people and environments as possible when they are young. Of course, it̵7;s important to supervise any initial interactions with strangers unused to handling large macaws. Even young greenwings can have extremely strong beaks, and their bites, even well-intentioned ones, can be painful and startling to strangers. Greenwings, like other macaws, respond to the moods of those around them. If the person handling them acts afraid, excited or agitated, the bird will respond in kind.

      Despite their friendly, interactive nature, greenwing macaws can be a handful without proper boundaries. They are extremely vocal, with calls that can easily turn into screeching when bored, excited or agitated. To control your greenwing̵7;s screeching, 4animalcare.org recommends remaining as calm as possible when this occurs. A reaction from you, even an angry one, is often the reward your bird is seeking. Instead, respond with no reaction, no eye contact and no attention until the screeching ceases. When it does, quickly praise and a reward your bird for stopping.

    Cage

    • Greenwing macaws are extremely large birds, sometimes growing up to 36 inches in length. They require large, strong cages that allow them to move around freely and stretch their enormous wings. According to Allmacaws.com, their wingspan can be as long as 49 inches. If your bird is not able to move freely from perch to perch, as well as stretch and flap his wings, he will not only be a very unhappy bird, but his muscles will become weak and atrophy.

      Greenwings have extremely strong beaks and love to chew. It is not uncommon for them to chew through a weaker cage and wreak havoc on your home, therefore a durable, stainless steel cage stocked with plenty of durable chew toys is highly recommended.

      Your cage should also offer your greenwing at least three perches of various types. 4aminalcare.org recommends a hard wood, a soft wood and a rope perch to keep your bird healthy and happy. Also, it's essential to allow your bird to have plenty of out-of-cage time for its health and happiness. At least two hours per day is essential, though more is recommended if possible.