Judy Leach's Parrots
Macaw Pictures and Descriptions
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The Blue and Gold Macaw is one of the most popular pet birds of all macaws. The popularity of the Blue and Gold Macaw is attributed primarily to the striking contrast of its colors and also to the fact that it is the most common of the Macaws. This Macaw is the one most often seen on TV advertisements, and to the novice is the parrot pictured as the Macaw. The Blue and Gold macaw averages about 30-32 inches in length, from the top of the head to the tip of the tail, and the colors will vary depending on parentage, diet, and health. The blue on the back and wings can range from a blue-green to a deep royal blue, and the chest color can be yellow to a deep gold.
In addition to the normal Blue and Gold the is most commonly seen, there is a Bolivian sub-species. The true Bolivian Blue and Gold macaw is much larger than the more common Blue and Gold. It is larger than the average Green Wing macaw and most often as large or larger than many Hyacinth Macaws. The blue of the Bolivian Blue and Gold is more of a true blue than the green-blue of the average Blue and Gold. The temperament of this subspecies is very similar to its smaller cousin.
The Blue and Gold has a very friendly personality and does very well as a family pet. As with all other parrots, it must be socialized as a young bird to ensure a friendly, outgoing personality. This parrot is a very intelligent animal that is capable of developing a large vocabulary. He tends to be a bit more active or high-strung than the Green Wing Macaw, but he is an excellent family pet when raised as such. In comparing the two, I often tell people that the Blue and Gold is a bit more like a small child that has had a little too much chocolate. He loves to cuddle, but may not want to sit still for as long as a Green Wing macaw or a Hyacinth macaw would.
As a juvenile, the Blue and Gold Macaw is a little less rowdy than the Green Wing, but, as with all parrots, he may go through an adolescence period as he matures. It is important to remember, if this happens, that it is just a phase of his growing up, and it will soon pass. If his rules are established and adhered to, you shouldn't have any major problems during this phase.
As a youngster, the Blue and Gold Macaw seems to accept a change of homes a little more readily than some of the other macaws and seems to do well, depending on his education as a baby, even after a year of age. As a rule, he is out-going, gregarious, and very adaptable to change. He may balk initially, but with persistence of his new family, he will very quickly settle in and become wonderful family member.
attributed primarily to the striking contrast of its colors and also to the fact that it is the most common of the Macaws. This Macaw is the one most often seen on TV advertisements, and to the novice is the parrot pictured as the Macaw. The Blue and Gold macaw averages about 30-32 inches in length, from the top of the head to the tip of the tail, and the colors will vary depending on parentage, diet, and health. The blue on the back and wings can range from a blue-green to a deep royal blue, and the chest color can be yellow to a deep gold. 
ment of this subspecies is very similar to its smaller cousin.