At What Age Do Macaws Stop Growing And Start Breeding?

Last Updated on November 30, 2022

Like all birds, before macaws start breeding, they go through several stages of development. Their lifestages are fascinating observe the way they grow and start breeding.

Macaws grow during the first 2-3 years of their life and start breeding by the age of 3-4 years. They breed for several years if raised in good care. By the start of the last quarter of their life, they stop breeding and take more rest.

Let’s discuss all the lifestages of macaws in detail.

Life Stages of Macaws (From Birth to Sexual Maturity)

Most macaws incubate their eggs for 24-28 days, but the macaw egg incubation period varies from species to species. After the chicks hatch, their journey begins toward maturity begins.

Hatchling

The newborn macaw chicks are entirely bald, and their eyes are closed. At this stage, chicks are completely dependent on their parents or caretakers. The parent birds regurgitate food and feed the babies; if a person raises them, they are handfed. They must be handfed until they are almost 60-90 days old.

Nestling

After 1-2 weeks of birth, the chicks’ eyes open, but they still depend on their parents for food. As soon as their feather development starts, chicks start sensing sound, touch, and vision, so their interaction with their parents begins. At this stage, chicks start developing associations with their owner/caretaker in captive conditions.

Fledgling

By the age of almost 60 days, the baby macaws start trying to fly. They get training from their parents and still depend on them for food. However, at this point, the parent birds reduce their feed so that the chicks stay hungry and strive to find food themselves.

In captivity, baby macaws seek more attention and receive proper care. Macaws aged 1-2 months can not eat independently and still need adequate feed and care for smooth and better growth.

Weanling

By the age of 2-3 months, they start flying and searching for food on their own. They start eating 1-2 times a day on their own and get fed by their parents 1-2 times a day. They are not completely independent and also need survival training, which is why they stay with their parents for a little longer.

Juvenile

After three months, baby macaws completely wean. They become fully independent and forage on their own. However, most baby macaws stay with the parent birds and forage with them.

Maturity & Breeding

Over the next 2-3 years, they forage with the flock, and grow. By the age of 3-4 years, most macaws are ready to breed and this is when they look for a suitable mate and form a pair. By the start of the first breeding season, they start nesting and mating and then breed. They keep breeding for the next several years (until they can).

Old age

Most macaws stop breeding in the last 1/4th period of their life. They start losing the beauty in their feathers and oftentimes, their feathers start falling off and they cannot fly much. This is the time they need a lot of care.

What Factors Affect The Growth of Macaws in Captivity?

Several factors, including housing, nutrition, health care, and environment, influence the growth of macaws. Raising macaws demands time and care. Let’s discuss all the factors that affect the growth of macaws.

1. Housing/Cage

If the housing is comfortable and facilitates all essential requirements of a healthy life, macaws grow well and live a healthy life. When choosing a cage for macaws, keep the following points in mind.

• Cage size should be appropriate according to the size of a macaw.
• Stainless steel cage of significant size is recommended.
• The cage should be airy
• Plenty of space for foraging
• Colorful toys should be hung inside the cage for playing and chewing
• At least 2-3 perches should be installed for sitting and hanging
• The cage should have a washable tray.

2. Nutrition

In the wild, macaws are independent and find food that is safe for them. But in captivity, the owner needs to take care of their diet. Feeding them a nutritious diet at every stage of their growth is essential. If macaws receive a balanced diet, they grow well and start breeding at 2-4 years old.

Macaws eat almost all kinds of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and grains. But not all foods are good for their health. Before feeding them anything, make sure it is good for their health. Moreover, young macaws always add soft food to their diet.

3. HealthCare

Macaws need proper health care as stress and certain health conditions severely affect their growth. Taking your macaw to a vet for a regular checkup every few weeks is recommended. Also, provide them with proper care and attention; macaws become stressed, leading to anxiety if they are not provided proper care. Also, look for sickness symptoms; if your macaw shows any signs of illness, immediately consult a vet.

4. Environment

Their physical health is dependent on the environment they are being raised in. An overcrowded cage, indoor environment, and absence of greenery can affect their growth.

In the wild, macaws live on large trees and have plenty of space to fly around. But in captivity, they are bound to live in provided space and hang on to little perches provided. In the absence of their natural habitat, their health deteriorates. It is recommended to provide them with enough space to fly and have trees and plants accessible to them.

Final Thoughts

The lifecycle of macaws is beautiful. They grow so fast in the first 1-2 years and then stay with us for decades. If raised in good care, and provided good diet, they can live longer than most birds of the same species.

Bilal is an aviculturist who loves to write in free time. His personal experience with bird care and breeding enables him to share valuable tips. So far, he has contributed more than 100 blogs to this site.

His goal is to promote bird-keeping and save endangered species.