Jeeze guys, okay...here goes....

I'm aquiring a Mac this Summer, I just don't know who yet! Here's the deal.

There are 3 B&G at the parrot rescue I volunteer at (P.A.R.R.O.T.S. in Lehigh, FL) that I am interested. I have photos of 2 of them.

Seychelle:



Sebastian (lovely poses, aren't they *rolls eyes*):





and the other one is Bongo. She doesn't care for men, but once she falls for a human woman, she melts in your arms with proper scritches


HOWEVER....I've never had a Macaw in my home before, besides a foster Severe which hated my guts because I'm the one who "took her away" from her original mama and papa. I have heard from many people that I should start off with a baby Mac....

In that case I would get either a Blue & Gold, Greenwing, or Red-fronted.

Do I even need to explain why I want a B&G?
I want a GW because I think they're amazing giants and have a very interesting, however, somewhat laid back personality.
I want a RF because I've always been intrigued by them. I think they're gorgeous.

Okay, now here is my negatives list:

B&G: I know they like to wander around on the floor a lot. Well so does my Ekkie, Jasmine, and that might be a problem.
GW: I heard they're common one-person bonders. I've handled several and the adults are way heavy and I want a Mac that I can take downtown with me to socialize (on an Aviator, of course).
RF: Well...they're pretty small and I don't know much else about them.

Please feel free to spill, hell, pour all the info you can to me. Advice, experience, so fourth....

Thanks guys!!

Josh, don't even bother.....I know you want me to get a B&G hehe JK buddy!

Missi first off, CONGRATS!!!! and thank you so much for taking in a re-homed bird! You're a very special person to give one of them a second chance at the good life.

Is there a possibility that you can spend time with each of them and let the bird choose you?

My only Macaw experience is GW's, so I can't speak about the demeanor of the others.

My two are bonded to me but will go without biting to another person with experience who isn't afraid of them. (As long as they don't attempt to take them from me) I have to place them on a play stand or the back of the sofa, etc.

My GW hen LOVES, LOVES, did I say LOVES her floor time and will do anything she can to get there to play. My Male despises the floor!

Both my GW's are re-homes. They're quiet and if they call out they will only do so at dinnertime. Despite them each having a lot of medical problems that require medications and treatments they remain the sweetest birds.

If you decide on a GW I feel you won't be disappointed.

Please take a moment to take a look at my site, I have a GW and a RF Jared's Macaws

The RF is more trouble to keep, he is more noisy and demanding but I've never loved another critter like I do him. If you aren't high energy he might be a bit much but he is great for me. I've chronicled and video tapped a good bit about them so hopefully this information is useful to you. Red Fronts are VERY much floor dwellers, we have to be ever aware of this.

As far as macaws go I don't buy into the one person bond 'myth', it's all in how they were raised and how you handle them, both people must be equally committed or you'll get a one person bird, it's a reflection on the animals raising. Both my birds love myself and my wife because we both put the effort into making it so. We can take the bird, bodily, from the other person and get a cheery 'hello buddy'.

My GW is a rowdy brat, too strong for my own good, and loving as can be. That said, he hurts me daily, because after 2 years he STILL hasn't figured out how to be gentle enough not to hurt me during his play.

My BG is WONDERFUL, but he only likes a few people. I refer to him as the Spookazoid because everything new spooks him, and he is cautious about new people and situations. I LOVE BGs--playful little brats that they are :-).

I don't have nor have I known anyone who is owned by a RF, so I can't be of help, there. If I had to choose a "first big bird" from amongst your choices, I'd probably go for a BG. If I could choose ANY macaw to start with, I'd go with a Hyacinth. Big, blue puppies with feathers--but spendy to purchase and maintain! That said, my first bird, ever, was an adult male Moluccan Cockatoo....

Blue & Gold
My B&G is a rehome. We got Max when she was 3 years old. She was bonded to me at first but quickly warmed up to my hubby as well. She can be handled by any experienced bird owner and is very affectionate. She can be loud and was more so when we first brought her home. Now she only vocalizes when the others get going, first thing in the AM and at dusk.

Greenwings
We have 2 GWs that we rehomed. Ru came to us at the age of 2 1/2 and Hedwig was 5 yrs when we got him. Ru was a tough nut for me to crack. At first he wasn't too bad but after only a short time home he definitely developed an affinity for Jim. He was downright mean to me and would bite me almost every time I got him out of his cage. I was determined that he was not going to win so I perservered. After many bruises, blood letting and approximately 1 1/2 years he would let me handle him without being nasty. I felt it was important that we both be able to handle him so that is why I kept trying. The ironic thing is that he became sick a few years ago and I was the one who had to medicate him. Even though he hated the meds we developed a sort of bond. Now he doesn't snuggle with me but I can tell that deep down he loves me.

Hedgie on the other hand was my companion. I think he was not too fond of the male in his former home so Jim had to work real hard with him. Jim almost lost a fingertip to him. He bait and bit him almost removing his index finger at the first joint. Now after 3 years he can actually handle him with no problem. He can even scritch his head from time to time. Hedgie still prefers me and will snuggle with me.

Both GWs are hysterical. They are pretty good talkers and absolutely love to sing. One will start downstairs and the other will join right in. Sounds like stereo around here at times. They can be loud at times. Ru gets jealous when we handle the others and will scream. He will also tattle on the others if they get down off of their stands. Oh and you absolutely must pay tribute to the king if you are eating something or he will let you know about it.

I really can't tell you about redfronts. My only experience has been with a baby that my daughter had who was extremely loud and an older one who was up for adoption. She was really sweet and cuddly. We didn't have any room or she may have joined our little zoo. I have heard that hey are similar to the BTM and I can tell you about them. Oscar is the sweetest but most demanding macaw we have. He is more like a blue cockatoo. He wants my attention at all times and will let out this irritating screetch until he gets it. I have tried for years to discourage him from doing this but to no avail so I just give in and grin and bear it. He gives me such affection....so what's a little noise?

Congrats on adopting a rescue.

Having Hyacinths, BG, GW, BTM, Harliquins , Scarlets and a Miligold all I can say is they each have a different personality.

The three GW are all very different. Valentine loves the floor and has claimed two toy boxes hers. She'll sit for hours going through everything. Ruben, x-breeder and abused, hates the floor and cares for little human interaction. He prefers a few kisses here and there and a scritch on the head and to hang out on a hanging playgym. Lulu likes to sit with Ciccio and preen or play on a hanging perch.

The two B&G love to play with toys but only one likes to get on the floor.

My BTM hates the floor but will sit on me for hours and cuddle. She also loves the hanging gyms.

Both Scarlets love the floor. MiaTai can't get enough of playing under, around her cage or going up and down stairs. Budgie destroys everything in his path. Both like the hanging gyms.

The two harliquins are both different. Moki will walk, climb, play and go where ever she chooses. Harley , rescue that's handicapped, likes to stay on him play STAND or sit with me on the couch.

Homer our Miligold hates the floor. She prefers the couch or hanging playgym.

My two Hyacinths are both different. Piaui loves the floor, play stands and play gyms. He can't get enough of everything...he's a big, clumsy baby. Maverick feels safer on a play stand or when he's in the mood to play he'll join me on the couch or on the floor but he's got to be sitting on me.

I would say the playing on the floor depends on how confident the bird feels. Some rescues are loaded with confidence and some aren't. From the pictures you took I'd say they're all confident and you'd have a blast with them.

I especially like the second picture, the one of Sebastian.

Jared Workman owns a red front. He's on the site here.

honestly, i think you should just go with the one you really bond with. there will always be generalizations of each species, but who's to say what each individual will be like!

I agree with this wholeheartedly, let the bird pick you.

I was in much the same position as you are now just 12 months, debating which of these three types of macaws would be best for my next bird (I also have a 20 year old Blue Front Amazon, and a 17 year old Congo Grey). From previous consideration I knew which breeder I wanted my next bird to come from, namely Wendy Craig of Wendysparrots in Weatherford, TX, she raises wonderful babies including all three types of macaws in question, as well as an assortment of amazons and greys. After much reading of the various sources online, including Jared's page about Merlin, and talking to Wendy (RFM's are her personal favorite as she will gladly tell anyone), I opted to get onto a waiting list for a baby RFM last January. 2007 turned out to be a good year for RFM babies with 8 being hatched within about 2 weeks in July, we were offered one, and while passing through the Dallas area on vacation at the end of last August we went by Wendy's and were picked by a baby RFM, we have since named Ruby. She is the middle of 3 sisters and hatched on July 25th, (Wendy usualy leaves the babies with the parents for about 4 weeks before pulling them for hand feeding, however Ruby's and her sisters were being plucked by their parents, perhaps due to the heat, causing them to be pulled for hand feeding at 3 weeks). She was in a basket with 7 or 8 other baby macaws, 6 of which were RFM's and while some were a week or two older, she was the most active of the group, starting to push up and stand on her own, and always inching her way into the middle of the action. After months of waiting we brought her home 4 weeks ago (it feels like far longer ago than that, as she has lost none of that active nature she had when only 4 weeks old), and life has been very interesting. While our other two birds are also fully flighted, their flights are usualy limited to flying too and from their play gym or their cages, having a fully flighted Red Fronted Macaw is an entire new world to us. I do not think their are words to describe the flying ability of a Red Fronted Macaw in a confined area like a house, in the wild unlike all other macaws they are cliff dwellers, and as such can hover in mid air and even fly backwards. Others have used the term natures helicopters to describe their flying ability, or when a RFM lands on you, it is as if an angel has landed, which is true as they hover for a moment before gently lowering their feet. This flying extends to every part of their lives, where other well flighted birds will climb, an RFM may fly, such as from one branch of the play gym to the next only 8 inches away or from a persons hand to their shoulder. In additon to their flying ability, at least as babies (time will tell) they are incredibly affectionate birds, that enjoy human interaction and cudling as much as you might expect from a cockatoo, and while she is capable of making noise, her screams are not much louder than our Amazon's although perhaps slightly higher pitched and most of her calls are much quieter, are either calling us to come let her out of her cage, or come play with her on the bed in the guest room (her favorite place in the house). I am not sure what else I can say now, other than I am in no way disappointed by my choice to get an RFM and am amazed by Ruby every day.

Ike