By Kien Luong
When I was a child, I would ride my bike down to the local pet shop in Massachusetts, USA to play with the dogs every now and again. What make dogs so intriguing to me is their intelligence and their loyalty towards man. Upon entering the pet store I would have to pass the section where birds were for sale. Birds were not my favorite animal. I found them to be loud, annoying, and boring; however there was a large scarlet macaw that caught my attention. It was the only bird that wasn’t in a cage. It roamed around the pet store and greeted every customer with a “hello”. Much like a dog this macaw was loyal to the storeowner and very affectionate.
The Scarlet Macaw (Ara Macao) is recognized worldwide. Their native lands stretch from Mexico to as far south as Argentina. Their bright colors make them easily visible to predators so in order to adapt, they make their nests inside hollowed trees high up in thick foliage. Scarlet macaws are red with bands of yellow and blue on their wings. The areas around their little yellow eyes are white and are fronted by a large white upper beak and a black bottom beak. From beak to tail, their average length is about 90cm. These brightly colored birds typically feed on seeds, fruit, nuts, nectar, and flowers.
Although their average life span is anywhere from 40-50 years, large macaws may live up to 75 years. When finding a mate, macaws are unique. They maintain a monogamous partnership and are rarely found alone except when feeding or incubating eggs. Some claim that these birds will commit suicide by darting themselves to the ground in the case of separation or bereavement of their partner.
Scarlet macaws continue to face adversities such as deforestation, poaching, and trading. Deforestation shrinks their habitat and makes it increasingly difficult to forage for food and live in a suitable safe haven. Poachers will seek these birds out for food and for their feathers. These beautiful birds are also subject to trapping and illegal bird trading. One of these birds can sell for $1,000usd. However, the scarlet macaw is more useful to man when they are left within their biological niche.
They play a significant role in the allure of ecotourism. Birdwatchers will come from all over the world to observe scarlet macaws in their natural habitat. This in turn brings in revenue at a local and national level. Feeding on the fruits of trees gives them, and other similar birds, a very important role to play in the forest ecosystem. By consuming seeds they help regulate the germination of future trees and keep the ecosystem in balance. Macaws help with the dispersal of seeds for the regeneration of the forest which would also help in the fight against climate change. The role of the scarlet macaw is very important to the forest, people, and the world.
Here in the Rupununi, it is common for people to keep these noble birds as pets. Down in the village of Masakeneri the Wai Wai people are no stranger to scarlet macaws. In Dadanawa ranch you would be able to find a pair flying freely and mango trees and on, or near houses. The scarlet Macaw requires a lot of attention and stimulation as a pet. But most importantly the bird should have free range of flight in order to avoid atrophy in the wings.
The scarlet macaw is one of the most intelligent and most beautiful birds in the world. I didn’t pay much attention to the macaw in that pet store, but it is absolutely breath taking to see a pair of scarlet macaws, or any bird for that matter, fly over the canopy of Guyana’s pristine jungles.
