Large Macaw Species Overview: Blue-and-Gold, Scarlet, Greenwing, Military

The Large Macaws: Spectacular, Loud, and Long-Lived

The large macaw species group comprises the genus Ara and the related genus Anodorhynchus. Five birds dominate the conversation in the US pet trade: blue-and-gold (Ara ararauna), scarlet (A. macao), greenwing (A. chloropterus), military (A. militaris), and the hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), the world’s largest flying parrot. All are 30 to 40+ inches from beak to tail tip, weigh between 900 and 1,700 grams, and live 50 to 80 years in good husbandry. Hyacinth macaws can reach 100 years in well-kept lineages.

A large macaw is one of the most committed pet decisions a household can make. The bird will likely outlive its first adopter, demand more space than most living rooms can supply, and produce volume that disqualifies essentially every shared-wall home. None of these facts disqualify macaws from pet status — many keepers love them with extraordinary devotion — but they need to be on the table before adoption rather than after.

All five species are CITES Appendix I or II, with hyacinths and military macaws particularly tightly regulated. US captive-bred lineage is the only legal route, and any breeder unable to produce CITES paperwork should be passed over.

Blue-and-Gold Macaw: The Common Entry Macaw

Blue-and-gold macaws are the most commonly kept large macaw in the United States and Europe. Plumage is brilliant cobalt blue on the back and wings with a vivid golden-yellow chest and belly, a green forehead, and bare white facial skin marked by distinctive feather “fingerprint” stripes. Adults are 32 to 36 inches long including tail and weigh roughly 900 to 1,300 grams.

Temperament is generally described as the most even-tempered of the large macaws — playful, sociable across multiple family members, and slightly less prone to single-person bonding than greenwings or scarlets. “Even-tempered” is relative; this is still a 36-inch parrot with the bite force to crack a Brazil nut. But a blue-and-gold in a calm, experienced household is among the more manageable large macaws.

Lifespan is 50 to 60 years with documented outliers past 70. They are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with stable captive and wild populations relative to the more threatened species in the genus.

Scarlet Macaw: Stunning, Intense, Demanding

Scarlet macaws are the iconic red-and-yellow rainforest parrots. Plumage is brilliant scarlet across the head, back, and most of the body, with bands of yellow and blue across the wings and a long red tail. Adults are 32 to 36 inches and 900 to 1,200 grams.

Temperament is more intense and single-person bonded than blue-and-gold. Scarlets are reported by long-time macaw keepers as more unpredictable, more prone to hormonal aggression, and more demanding of social attention. They are not generally recommended as a first macaw; the species is better suited to keepers who have already raised a blue-and-gold or have direct experience under a macaw mentor.

They are listed as Least Concern but with multiple subspecies in serious decline. Hybrid macaws involving scarlets (catalina, ruby, camelot) are common in the US trade and inherit unpredictable temperament from both parents — hybrids are not generally considered ethical breeding practice and should be sourced only through rescue.

Greenwing Macaw: The Gentle Giant

Greenwing macaws are slightly larger and stockier than blue-and-golds, with rich red plumage across the head and body, broad green bands on the wings (the source of the name), and a striking facial fingerprint pattern. Adults are 35 to 40 inches and 1,100 to 1,700 grams — the second-largest macaw after the hyacinth.

Greenwings have a reputation among large-macaw rescuers as the “gentle giant” of the genus. Adult behavior in well-socialized birds is calm, observational, deeply affectionate with chosen people, and less reactive than scarlets. The reputation is partly real and partly a survivorship effect — greenwings that make it into long-term homes tend to be the calmer ones. The same species in an inadequate environment will still scream, bite, and pluck.

Lifespan is 50 to 70 years. They are listed as Least Concern, but local populations are in decline due to habitat loss.

Military Macaw: Smaller, Sociable, Endangered

Military macaws are the smallest of the “large” macaws — 28 to 33 inches, 900 to 1,100 grams — with predominantly olive-green plumage, a red forehead, and blue flight feathers. They are visually distinctive and noticeably less intimidating in scale than blue-and-golds or greenwings.

Temperament is sociable and generally even-tempered, often compared to blue-and-gold but in a smaller package. Volume is still substantial; this is not an apartment bird. Military macaws are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with US captive-bred lineage available but limited. Documentation matters at acquisition.

Hyacinth Macaw: The World’s Largest Parrot

Hyacinth macaws are an entirely different proposition. Adults reach 40 inches in length, 1,400 to 1,700 grams, and display brilliant cobalt-blue plumage with vivid yellow bare skin around the eyes and lower mandible. They are the largest flying parrot in the world, with a beak engineered to crack open palm nuts no other species can manage.

Hyacinths are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Captive-bred US lineage exists but is extraordinarily expensive — typical pet prices run 15,000 to 25,000 dollars or more — and ethical sourcing is critical given the species’ wild-trapping history. Temperament is famously gentle, with hyacinth keepers describing the species as the “teddy bear” of the macaw world. The beak force, however, is the highest of any parrot, and a hyacinth bite is a hospital event.

Hyacinths in rescue are rare, but they exist — often from estates following the death of a long-term keeper. Sanctuary-based placement is the standard route. See parrot rescue and sanctuary network overview.

Volume, Cage Size, and Apartment Reality

All large macaws are loud — measurably so. A scream from an adult macaw clears 105 decibels at one meter and can hit 130 decibels at the source, comparable to a jet engine on the runway. This is hardwired contact-call behavior, especially at sunrise and sunset, and cannot be trained away. Apartment living and shared-wall housing are off the table for any large macaw.

Minimum cage dimensions are 48 by 36 by 60 inches with one-inch bar spacing, but the working recommendation is significantly larger — a flight cage of 60 by 48 by 72 inches gives the bird room to spread the wings without striking bars. Many serious macaw keepers build dedicated bird rooms or covered outdoor aviaries. Per-species sizing details are in parrot cage setup by species, and out-of-cage flight considerations sit in parrot out-of-cage time and flight considerations.

Out-of-cage time should run 4 to 6 hours daily minimum on a sturdy play stand or in a fully bird-proofed dedicated room. A macaw confined to a standard cage for 16 hours a day will scream, pluck, and self-mutilate, often within months.

Diet, Bite Force, and Health

Macaws need a higher-fat diet than most parrots — palm nuts, Brazil nuts, and other tropical seeds form a meaningful part of the wild diet. Modern recommendations are roughly 50 percent quality pellet, 30 percent fresh vegetables and small fruit, and 15 to 20 percent quality nuts (almond, walnut, Brazil nut, palm nut), with limited supplemental seed. Hyacinths in particular benefit from a higher palm-nut proportion. Conversion guidance from a seed-heavy diet is in parrot pellet conversion protocol.

Bite force in adult macaws is genuinely dangerous — reported figures around 500 to 700 PSI for greenwings and hyacinths. Most bites are warned in advance with body language; the small number that arrive without warning often involve overstimulation, hormonal aggression, or surprise. Cooperative care training from the first weeks of acquisition is essential. See parrot biting management protocol.

Common health issues include proventricular dilatation disease (PDD/avian bornavirus), feather damaging behavior, hepatic disease from poor diet, and reproductive issues in hens. PTFE and air-quality risks apply to macaws as much as any parrot.

Adoption, Rescue, and Honest Framing

Large macaws are commonly surrendered to parrot rescue networks, often by second or third owners. The reasons follow the familiar pattern: volume, biting, lifespan outpacing owner plans, and life events (death, divorce, illness, financial change). A rescue macaw is frequently a reasonable adoption option for an experienced keeper — many arrive with known behavioral history and basic training. Network details are in parrot rescue and sanctuary network overview, and the candid framing of large-parrot rehoming is in why large parrots end up in rescue.

Estate planning is not optional. A 30-year-old who adopts a young macaw is committing the bird’s next 50 to 70 years; the bird will likely outlive the adopter. Establish a successor caregiver, a pet trust, and funding before bringing the bird home. See parrot lifespan estate planning and pet trust formation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which macaw is best for a first-time large-parrot owner?

Most experienced macaw keepers steer first-time large-parrot owners away from macaws entirely in favor of a smaller species. If you are committed and have kept smaller parrots successfully, a well-socialized blue-and-gold from a parrot rescue is the most beginner-tolerable option.

How loud is a macaw?

Loud enough that apartment living and shared-wall housing are not workable. Sunrise and sunset contact calls are hardwired and reach 105 decibels at conversational distance, briefly higher at the source.

Can I keep a macaw in an apartment?

Realistically, no. Even the quietest macaw will produce neighbor complaints in most apartment buildings, and the cage footprint alone is impractical for most apartments. Detached single-family housing or rural property is the working baseline.

How much does a macaw cost over its lifetime?

Initial setup (cage, perches, toys, vet exam, bird) typically lands between 4,000 and 10,000 dollars; hyacinths considerably more. Ongoing annual costs run 1,500 to 4,000 dollars or more, before major medical events. Over a 60-year lifespan, lifetime costs in the six figures are realistic.

Will my macaw bond to one person?

Possibly, particularly with scarlets and greenwings. Spreading care across two adults from the first weeks reduces — but does not eliminate — single-bonding. A bonded macaw will defend its chosen person from family members during hormonal season.