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| Serrano Hyacinth |
Tequila Buffon's |
Rojã Green-winged |
Diva Blue-throated |
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DIET INFORMATION FOR MY MACAWS: Hello All - Diet for Macaws, very complex subject, while also being an emotional subject for some caretakers. Let me say from the onset, the scientific gurus/experts within the avian community have expended considerable time, efforts and money attempting to know what is best for the Macaw family of birds. Meaning, they have attempted to gain knowledge of what each species of Macaw consumed in its natural/original habitat. Attempting to identify that habitat, in-and-of-itself has been a real challenge, not to mention what the specific core diet consisted of. So, what we have today is a homogeneous conclusion by the gurus/experts, coupled with what is commonly referred to as "old world avian practices", augmented with folklore practices by some caretakers. Simply stated, some caretakers have taken great time and effort to research to learn what they should feed their Macaws, others have relied upon what the Breeder recommends, others have relied upon what their Avian Vet has recommended, while still others have relied upon what other caretakers have advised, then some have taken all of those variable sources of information into consideration and formulated a decision, thus establishing a practice of determining what the diet shall be for their particular Macaw(s). Ultimately you too need to make a decision. I personally would suggest you consider the array of source inputs. The following represents my personal rationale for what I consider to be a comprehensive diet for my flock. Which may or may not coincide with your ultimate decision. A consensus on the part of the scientific avian community has not been reached, so its no small wonder that a consensus has not been reached by breeders or caretakers alike. First, let me furnish a disclaimer, which is: I have no vested interest in any person named or any business entity identified within the following information. I sell nothing, I receive no compensation or consideration from anyone person or persons, or anything from any formal entity or informal entity as a result of my expressed opinions. Further, from time to time I maybe identifying information from publications, other source material, persons and business entities, all of which are included within said disclaimer. In other words, the following simply represents my beliefs and practices, which may or may not be in alignment with others, nor is it necessarily intended to be. The Macaw family is made up of 18 different Macaws, two of which are believed to be extinct; i.e. the Glaucous and Cuban Macaws. Thus 16 remain. Those 16 represent six (6) distinct species, which are: Ara, Anodorhynhus, Cyanopsitta, Diopsittacha, Orthopsittaca, and Propyrrhura which are found in whole or in part within the following publications: Books: “The Large Macaws” - authored by Abramson, Speer & Thomsen as published by Raintree Publications “Birds for Dummies” - authored by Speer and Spadafori as published by IDG Books “Feeding Your Pet Bird” – authored by Petra M. Burgmann, as published by Barron’s “Parrots A guide to Parrots of the World” - authored by Juniper and Parr as published by Yale University Press “The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior” - authored by Sibley, Elphick and Dunning as published by Alfred A. Knopf As acclaimed and endorsed by National Audubon Society “Encyclopedia of Macaws” - authored by Werner Lantermann as published by T. F. H. Publications, Inc. Within The Large Macaws, pages 132 through 139 is a listing of "Pellet Diet Comparisons" which is the most comprehensive listing of information concerning Pellets that I'm aware of, plus a listing reflecting Pellet Manufacturers by name and address, identifying twelve (12) of them. The only one identified as offering 100% Organic ingredients is Harrison's Bird Diets Inc. They are the only mfg. that I know of that offers a meaningful written Warranty and written Guarantee of their products. Their product offerings consist of an array for numerous bird species ranging from African Greys through Toucans, while also offering not only pellets in their conventional configurations, but also "Mash" and "Fine", plus baby formulas for most species, and treats for all species. Consult their web site which is http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com Further, the ingredients within their products are warranted and guaranteed to be consistently the same from one production batch to the next - refer to http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/ingredients.cfm which contains four (4) pages identifying the ingredients of each of the products offered, while also disclosing the nutritional values of those ingredients. Further, within the book "The Large Macaws" starting at page 141 through 145 are nutritional analysis Charts addressing a host of edibles such as Nuts, Seeds, Fruits, Legumes and Vegetables. The import being to compare those Charts to the stated ingredients within the products offered by Harrison's. The specific product recommended for Macaws are "High Potency Coarse" (HPC) for younger Macaws, and "Adult Lifetime Coarse" (ALC) for mature Macaws. The point being, Harrison's has identified the most meaningful and significant nutritional ingredients from those known edibles and has incorporated them into their products, as they pertain to specific species of birds for which they offer a product. They do not offer products for all bird species. Cost Effectiveness/Nutritional values of Harrison Pellets (or any other brand of pellet) versus Mixes: Mixes of the aforementioned edibles has been around even prior to the Pharos themselves. It continues today primarily because it is accomplished with a minimum of manufacturing effort, at a very reasonable price per pound. Contemporary mixes of today have been formulated with a great deal more emphasis upon nutritional facts that simply did not exist back in the days before and after the Pharos. Nonetheless, the over riding facts are really very simple; 1) the manufacturers of mixes will make the proclamations/pronouncements of their mixes as containing nutritional ingredients! And the mixes do contain, for the most part nutritional ingredients. However, read the Warranty and the Guarantee that some are willing to offer, while the vast majority do not, but instead offer what I call Marketeering Hoopla!! Now, having said that, let me also add, the manufacturers of mixes willing to offer a Warranty and a Guarantee do not include a disclosure that those elements will ensure the same ingredients from one manufacturing batch of edibles to the next. Therefore, the range of inert contents is given a wide range (singularly or cumulatively) so as to make-up for what otherwise could be occupied by solid nutritional ingredients. 2) Even if the manufacturers of mixes maintained a vigilant quality control of their products, to ensure consistency of content, you then run into the next ongoing historical problem of the Macaw making up its own mind as to what it will eat from the mix. It makes no difference if it is a mixture of nuts, veggies, fruits, grains or whatever, a specific bird will select from any mix, what it wants to eat at any given time! Therefore, whatever nutritional value existed within a mix, is compromised because the bird simply will not ingest all of it in a uniform manner. So, when it comes to Cost Effectiveness of Pellets Vs Mixes, the caretaker should consider and accumulate what the bird has refused at each meal time, weigh it, multiply the dollars per pound by the weight of edibles not ingested. Do the math. Keep in mind, that's just the dollars and cents of it. Now consider the nutritional values that are also going down the drain. The amount of effort and time associated with switching a Macaw to a pellet diet varies vastly from one Macaw to the next. In the instance of my flock: Serrano (Hy) was on a terrible diet - it took four (4) weeks before she would accept the Harrison's pellet. Tquila and Rojã (Buffon's & GW), I literally furnished the Harrison's baby formula and pellets for the breeder to transition them onto prior to their homecoming, hence no problems. Diva (BTM) literally accepted the Harrison's pellet instantaneously upon her first feeding after being home (and for the Diva she is, that was remarkable). Nuts: Nuts, like people, are created equally, but are not equal when compared to each other. Some nuts have better nutritional values for a specific species than others. Some Macaws have a suicidal preference for a specific nut, at the exclusion of others. While some Macaws can not, or will not shell some nuts, then again if offered the meat of many nuts, they will not, or prefer not to ingest them. And the beat goes on. Thus if offered a mix of only shelled nuts, the results are the same as a mix of the edibles mentioned previously; i.e. the Macaw will select what it wants, thus waste - coupled with unknown and unpredictable nutritional values being ingested. What's a person to do? I can only suggest, based upon my experiences, coupled with published nutritional values previously identified. Only two members of my flock can crack the macadamia shell, while also robustly consuming the meat of that nut. They are Serrano the Hyacinth, and Tequila the Buffon's - they will eat macadamia meat all day long, if allowed, and those two can and have cracked all other nuts, including coconuts! Generally, a GW can also crack the macadamia nut, however it is not unusual for them not to do so. So, what do I have to share with you about nuts? It's a nutty subject! :) But allow me to share with you what I have done: Serrano and Tequila receive macadamia in the shell - they get to crack them and ingest the meat of the macadamia in quantities commensurate with the recommendations of their ABVP Avian Vet. The other two flock members; Rojã (GW) and Diva (BTM) are content to allow me to crack the macadamia shell, and finger feed them the meat of the macadamia. As a result of my having cracked macadamia for Rojã and Diva, I found 15 to 20 percent of the macadamia to be contaminated with live and dead worms, plus a host of other undesirable contaminates. Fearing that those contaminates could cause illness, I have subsequently started cracking all macadamia nuts for the flock, plus purchasing all other nuts to be organic and human quality out-of-the-shell. More specifically, they are as follows: Almonds, Brazil, Hazel, Pecans, Pine, and Spanish. Plus I do feed the flock human grade, unsalted In-shell peanuts. They all love organic peanuts in the shell, each can crack the shell, while also articulating the removal of the skin, and ingest the peanut meat themselves (thank goodness). Collectively, my flock has not shown an interest in other nuts. In recognition of the nutritional values of almonds, and the year round availability of them, I ensure that the majority of the nuts furnished are Almonds. Before spending money on a collection of nuts, sampling nuts to make a determination of what would be appropriate for its diet would better serve you and your Macaw. Fruits and Veggies: When viewing the aforementioned nutritional Charts (or others that are available via the Internet), you will note the nutritional values vacillate significantly from one to the other. So, a person truly needs to hone-in on the specific nutritional needs of their specific species of Macaw. My flock consists of two species: Anodorhynchus is Serrano the Hyacinth, all other flock members are Ara species. So I personally concern myself with the commonality of their specific critical needs, which is Vitamin A (all others are already in the Harrison's HPC and Power Treat pellets - as is Vitamin A). Vitamin A is analogues to the need for Vitamin C in humans, while both dissipate when being subjected to the digestive processes. Conversely, too much Vitamin C will do harm to a Macaw, as will too much Vitamin A harm us humans. So in the case of my flock, they receive baked sweet potato and Harrison's HPC pellets for breakfast. As a flock, they do consistently prefer the sweet potato to other edibles - so that's what they get. Table Food/Scraps: It is a common practice for people to feed those items to their Macaws. Some of which are very positive, while others can be very negative to the well-being of a Macaw. The basic guide being not to have them seasoned. Poultry bones when properly prepared are known to be beneficial as a calcium source, as are other table foods. The key being for the caretaker to know what is truly beneficial as apposed to something for simply filling their crop. Some caretakers create breads, cookies, etc. and go through great time consuming efforts to offer numerous edibles. The problem with table foods is that few caretakers maintain an awareness of what they are really offering macaws in the way of a regimented diet, and of a consequence the Macaw can be subjected (can be - not is) to malnutrition which can result in the Macaw being under weight or even becoming obese. Water: Yes, simple water is very important! If your water source is derived from a Well or is a City source, it should be tested to determine what the constituent contents are. This is very achievable in the instance of City water; simply contact your Water Co. or health dept., they will tell you. In the case of a Well it becomes much more complex. Then of course a caretaker can always opt for bottled water. The import being, a caretaker should always be cognizant of the water quality that is being furnished to Macaws. In any event, fresh water in fresh bowls should be furnished a minimum of twice per day. Food Temperature: As most caretakers are already aware, the temperature of the food to be ingested is of paramount concern! A minimum temperature of 70 degrees, with the maximum temperature being 100 degrees. The reason being, the Macaw (as well as other bird species) ingests food and the crop acts/serves as a depository prior to being submitted to its digestive system. In the instance of temperature, the bird will exert itself to have the temperature of what is in its crop, match the temperature of its body, which will range from 108 to 110 degrees. So, the colder the food is when ingested into the crop, the harder the bird will exert itself to convert the temperature of the food to its own body temperature prior to digestion. In short, don't take things from the refrigerator, which is nominally at 37 degrees, or thereabouts, and offer it to a bird. Instead, simply place it on a counter top for a few hours to attain room temperature. This is particularly so when offering fruits and veggies, which are generally maintained in a refrigerator. Slice them dice them, whatever, but get them at a temperature range that is going to result in a offering temperature that is compatible with the bird wanting to take it from the crop to the digestive system with a minimum amount of stress. Frequency of Feeding: As you have probably already noted, a Macaw is not a dog or a cat. Nonetheless, you would be surprised at the number of people that make numerous attempts to feed Macaws two, three or perhaps even four times per day, which is not desirable nor necessary. Simply stated, a single feeding per day is all that is required – unless you are going to feed something that is perishable, such as fruits or vegetables. Macaws are much the same as cows, horses etc., in that they graze – meaning that they feed throughout the day. That same practice applies to Macaws – in fact their food bowls should never be empty. For an example, I feed my flock first thing in the morning, generally when I hear the first one bellow, which is usually Serrano, and she does so around 7:AM, at which time I literally start preparing their daily meal. I start off by getting their stainless steel (SS) bowls from the cupboard, plus the previously backed sweet potato from the refrigerator (the temperature of which is set at 38 degrees), and then slice four bite sized pieces of the sweet potato into each bowl. While this is taking place, I have hot water running into the kitchen sink, when enough of the hot water has accumulated, I literally float the SS bowls in the hot water. The hot water transfers its heat into the SS bowls thus raising the temperature of the sweet potatoes to something less than 100 degrees, but above 72 degrees. In the mean time, while that is taking place, I remove the three SS food bowls from each of the cages, while also replacing the water bowl with a fresh bowl and fresh water. At this point the temperature exchange has been accomplished, so I add the Harrison’s pellets to each SS bowl, while also preparing another SS bowls to contain the aforementioned assorted nuts. BTW, I generally limit the number of macadamia nuts for each flock member to 10 each, except little Diva, she receives only 5 each. Conclusion: Make a determination as to what you want the diet to be, based upon your conscientious decision, not based upon a Hodge pot of thoughts derived from numerous inputs. Consult your ABVP Avian Vet when in doubt. Establish a consistent meal as a baseline, and then augment after they have ingested those meals, as they are the base line, everything else is important, but if the Macaw does not have a consistency of base meals, it could lead to digestive problems sooner or later. Knowledge of the nutritional values of the foods offered is important. For an example, I have had a few people say their Macaws love pizza! Well, I do too. But, I defy anyone to know conclusively what's in them. (except perhaps the cook). The old axiom of the food being fit for human consumption, is a guide, not an absolute. Avocados, chocolates etc, etc are fit for human consumption, but don't give them to a bird, because they will kill them. And always try to make it certified Organic. Recently a sampling of alleged Organic fruits and vegetables across the Nation was conducted at various Supermarkets. The tested results of samples taken from those Supermarkets making such representations disclosed that a third were in fact, not Organic. So, in any event, clean, clean, clean those fruits, veggies and whatever. POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION IDENTIFIERS: Species, Gender, Leg Band and Microchip are the accepted norm for identifying exotic birds. The later two identifiers being the most controversial; i.e. to Band or not to Band and/or to subsequently remove it, or to implant a Microchip. It should be noted that tattooing is generally reserved for identifying the sex of a bird when having been surgically sexed by a well-qualified avian vet. The initial decision to band or not to band is generally the prerogative of the Breeder, although within some States it has been legislated that all exotic birds shall be banded (either a closed or an open band). It should be noted that some States do not allow an exotic bird to enter the State without being banded, just as some States will not allow an exotic bird to enter the State without a Health Certificate signed and dated by a Veterinarian. Some Health Certificate forms as issued by some States, require the Leg Band I. D. and/or the Microchip number be depicted upon the form. The Leg Band serves two basic purposes: 1) Unique identification and 2) trace-ability back to its point of origin. Generally, Breeders will not acquire an exotic bird for breeding purposes without it having a band. The rationale being, the Breeder wants to be able to authenticate its husbandry and age. Husbandry so as to preclude inadvertent inbreeding, as inbreeding would cause degradation of the species. By the same token, many Breeders will not acquire an exotic bird for breeding purposes wherein the husbandry and age cannot be duly authenticated via the records of the original breeder of origin. Some Breeders, as well as some caretakers believe the Leg Band per se to be a safety hazard. I too was of that opinion, until I conducted an unbiased research of the subject. Simply stated, I contacted and interviewed a number of qualified avian vets. The results being that 96% believed the Leg Band per se posed no inherent safety hazards, providing: 1) When installing a closed band, the Breeder uses prudence to ensure the appropriate size of band was utilized, and he/she installed the band at the correct time and in conjunction with appropriate methodologies of installation; and 2) Caretakers of the bird utilize vigilance to ensure the birds environment, (toys in particular), are free of protruding materials (e.g. wire, ropes, nails, Quick-Links, etc.) that could possibly become entangled in the band, and/or in combination with the band and leg of the bird;. Leg Bands are available in a variety of materials and configurations; plastic, steel, aluminum (including colors because of anodizing) and stainless steel, to name a few. The most enduring being stainless steel. Nonetheless, over a period of time, even the inscription upon stainless steel will deteriorate to the point of not being legible as a result of wear. That said, readability of the inscription upon stainless steel is estimated to outlast the other materials by at least five years. Implantation of a Microchip when accomplished by a competent Vet does not impose a safety hazard to the bird. The cost of implanting a chip will generally range from $75 to perhaps $125 So, what is the bottom line? Alternatives do exist. In my humble opinion, all of the following alternatives exist – simply select one that best satisfies your concerns and objectives: Breeder alternatives: If for whatever reason, a Breeder elects not to physically band a bird(s), the Breeder, acting as the official Registrar, should physically assign an appropriately inscribed Leg Band to a specific baby, and appropriately record that Leg Band information into the Breeders Studbook. The Breeder should then utilize a plastic temporary Leg Band referencing the aforementioned Leg Band that has been recorded, to ensure track-ability of that baby back to the previously assigned Leg Band. My point being, all birds should be identified with a physical band on it, or the bird should be assigned a Leg Band to ensure trace-ability back to the Breeder and its Studbook. As a Consumer acquiring a bird for purposes of being its caretaker, regardless of you’re intentions to breed the bird or not, you should insist upon the baby being appropriately banded. If it is not physically banded, then the Consumer should literally be allowed to know the inscription upon the aforementioned assigned Leg Band, while also personally viewing the Breeders Studbook to ensure that the aforementioned recordation has been appropriately accomplished. Presuming the Consumer/Caretaker does not desire the bird to continue wearing a Leg Band, have an avian vet remove the Leg Band, and furnish a letter of Certification to that effect. Should the Consumer/Caretaker elect to have the band removed, serious consideration should be given to having a microchip implanted as a permanent means of identification. Personally, I have elected to have the Leg Band remain, while also causing the implant of a microchip on my companion flock members as well as my breeding flocks. My primary rationale being, should I experience a fly-away condition by either of those flocks, my hope is that the finder of the bird will readily see the Leg Band, and thus know it is not an unidentified bird, and perhaps contact the appropriate animal control authorities, who in turn will take the appropriate steps to ensure my notification etc. My other rationale for leaving the Leg Band on is so that a thief will perhaps be content to simply remove the Leg Band, without attempting to ascertain if the bird has a Microchip, thus my relying upon the chip as the last bastion of hope for the bird eventually being returned to me. Thanks for letting me bend your ear, while blurring your vision reading my opinions. Dick Williams,
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