The Hahn’s Macaw is one of the smallest and popular macaw species due to their playful and sociable dispositions. They are handy, compact, birds that make excellent pet birds for owners who are willing to spend a lot of time with them. The Hahn’s Macaws are capable of learning various tricks and behaviors, and they can become excellent talkers with consistent practice. The Hahn’s Macaw is the perfect pet bird choice for people who don’t have enough space for bigger parrots. If you think you are one of those that can take care of a Hahn’s Macaw, make sure to read further!
History
The Hahn’s Macaw is one of the few popular mini-macaw species. It shares the same physical attributes with their large macaw relatives. This bird species is commonly found in their natural habitats of semi-open lowland regions of Guyana, eastern Venezuela, and northeastern Brazil. Back in the day, they inhabit savannas and rainforests.
Its common name stems from the German zoologist who first described and cataloged it, Carl-Wilhelm Hahn.
Characteristics of a Hahn’s Macaw
Average size: 12 inches
Average weight: 5 ounces
Average life span: 20 to 30 years
An adult Hahn’s Macaw is primarily green with dark greenish-blue cap of feathers situated on its forehead. A bright red spot can be found on the undersides of its wings, which explains its moniker, “Red-shouldered Macaw.” Its beak is black with hints of white or beige in the upper beak. Eyes are burnt orange, with white eye-rings that strongly contrast the bright colors. Its feet are black, and looks as though it’s too big for the bird’s small size. However, these feet enable them to be agile—it plays a great role in climbing and handling objects and food. Male and female Hahn’s Macaw both possess the same physical characteristics.
This bird’s stature may be small, but it is full of personality. The Hahn’s Macaw is an acrobatic bird, hanging by one toe while fiddling with a toy or with you. It possesses an exuberant disposition, as if smiling all the time. It loves to play and snuggle with toys, and just like most macaw species, this bird appreciates lots of cuddles and scratches from their trusted person.
The Hahn’s Macaw has the capability to vocalize and learn words or phrases if taught to do so. A very inquisitive and intelligent bird like this species gives them the capability to figure things out on their own.
Caring for a Hahn’s Macaw
Like most macaws, the Hahn’s Macaw has the same dietary, exercise, and social needs. Before you adopt or buy a Hahn’s Macaw, make sure you can devote plenty of time to train and bond with your pet, because a neglected Hahn’s Macaw is prone to depression, frustration, and anger. Birds who are left alone for a long time are also prone to self-mutilation.
It may be small, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a spacious cage. A 3-feet tall, wide, and long cage is the minimum size of an ideal cage for a single bird. However, keep in mind that your pet should not be enclosed in a cage all day. It needs to fly around too, particularly at least two hours daily, so your pet bird. Supervise your pet’s out-of-cage playtime daily. You can also train your bird to do a few tricks and learn a few words. Introduce it to new tasks to stimulate its brain.
Oftentimes, your pet may begin to create excessive noise. During this moment, it’s best to ignore your pet bird. Scolding is not recommended, for it only shows your bird that screaming and loud noises are acceptable forms of socialization. If you want to keep your pet still, the recommended approach is positive reinforcement. Do this by rewarding your Hahn’s Macaw good behavior. That way, it knows that the only acceptable form of communication is quiet behavior.
Hahn’s Macaws forage for fruits, flower buds, nuts, seeds, and insects in the wild. In captivity, your pet needs a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. The variety of colors make eating time an enjoyable spectacle to watch. Also provide parrot mix and a shallow dish containing chlorine-free water daily. Replace untouched food items and dirty water as often as needed.