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Some federal rules apply In-depth sheet

Blue-and-yellow macaw

Ara ararauna

Birds › Parrots (Psittaciformes) › Psittacidae (Parrots and parakeets)

Blue-and-gold macaws are large, loud, intelligent parrots that form strong bonds and can live 30–50 years.

Pet trade

Experience: Expert / facility

Blue-and-yellow macaw — Photo: Luc Viatour, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Luc Viatour, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Length32–36 in

Lifespan30–35+ years

Wingspan41–45 in

NoiseVery loud

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.

Minimum cage dimensions	length: 48 in; width: 36 in; height: 66 in Table cage minimum; exercise space additional.	316
Maximum bar spacing	1.5 in	316

Care guide

Diet

Mostly a pelleted parrot diet with fresh produce and nuts as enrichment.

Sources 51 86

Behavior

Pair-bonded flock birds that call loudly when alarmed. Plan for noise and daily out-of-cage time.

Sources 86

Show the group care guide for macaws

Group care guide

Macaws

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Neotropical forests and palm savannas. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Very large cages or aviaries with heavy-duty construction; large macaws destroy wood and weak cages.
Hours of out-of-cage time daily.

Sources 120 121 51 86

Diet

Pellets, vegetables, fruit and nuts; hyacinth macaws need more fat (palm nuts, macadamias).

Sources 120 121 51 86

Social life

Very social; need a lot of attention.

Sources 120 121 51 86

Health watch

Very loud and long-lived (50+ years); powerful beaks.

Sources 120 121 51 86

Understanding the animal

In the wild

Researched for this exact species, not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹²

Where it lives	Tropical South American forests and woodlands, especially swamp and river-edge forest; also occurs in Panama. Nests high in tree cavities.
Ground it lives on	arboreal; high branches and nest cavities; occasionally visits riverbank clay
Active	Diurnal; early-morning foraging and midday shade-seeking.
Social life	Bonded pairs, joining noisy feeding flocks.
Wild diet	Seeds, nuts and fruit; some populations visit riverbank clay licks.
Behavior to plan for	Strong beaks open hard nuts, and alarmed birds take flight while calling loudly. Pairs fly closely together.

What this means for care

Provide substantial flight space and robust elevated perches.
Offer destructible foraging objects that allow shell-opening work.
Provide compatible social contact and shaded retreats.

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 90°F (up to 91°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 66°F (down to 60°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	76–79°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	74–79% on average (driest month about 73%)
Rainfall	about 1717 mm a year

Measured at 30 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

Profile

Researched for this exact species. Sources are listed under In the wild above.

History

Carl Linnaeus formally described the species in 1758 as Psittacus ararauna. It is now one of the extant species in the genus Ara, which was proposed in 1799 by Bernard Germain de Lacépède. No subspecies are recognized.

Keeper tips

Account for the species' large adult size of about 32 to 36 inches in length.
Account for a wingspan of about 41 to 45 inches.
Provide access to elevated locations consistent with their natural tendency to nest high in trees.
Expect the possibility of strong social bonding with humans.

Behaviors reported

Forms monogamous pairs that mate for life.
Nests high in tall trees, usually in existing cavities.
Captive birds can develop close bonds with humans.
The species is known in aviculture for its ability to talk.

Unique adaptations

Large body size, reaching about 32 to 36 inches in length.
A wingspan of about 41 to 45 inches.
Vivid blue upperparts and yellow to orange underparts.
Bare white facial skin marked by black feather lines around the eyes.

Remarkable facts

Adults are about 81 to 91.5 cm, or 32 to 36 inches, long.
Reported adult mass ranges from about 0.9 to 1.8 kg.
The wingspan is about 104 to 114 cm, or 41 to 45 inches.
Males and females are alike in external appearance.
Sexual maturity is reached at about 3 to 4 years of age.
Females lay 2 to 3 eggs, which are incubated for about 24 to 28 days.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna), also known as the blue-and-gold macaw, is a large Neotropical parrot with a mostly blue dorsum, light yellow/orange venter, and gradient hues of green on top of its head. It is a member of the large group of neotropical parrots known as macaws. It inhabits forest (especially varzea, but also in open sections of terra firme or unflooded forest), woodland, and savannah of tropical Central and South America, as well as the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Blue-and-yellow macaws are found mainly in rainforests in swampy and riparian areas. — Animal Diversity Web
Social life and communication	Blue-and-yellow macaws communicate by loud vocalizations or flock calls. — Animal Diversity Web
Wild diet	Blue-and-yellow macaws mainly eat seeds, nuts, and fruits. — Animal Diversity Web
Behavior	Blue-and-yellow macaws are mainly found in pairs but can congregate in groups to form flocks. — Animal Diversity Web
Reproduction	Blue-and-yellow macaws form monogamous pairs that mate for life. — Animal Diversity Web
Lifespan	The life span of blue-and-yellow macaws in the wild can be up to 50 years while their breeding age ranges from 30 to 35 years. — Animal Diversity Web
Appearance and size	Blue-and-yellow macaws are from 81 to 91.5 cm long, weigh from 0.9 to 1.8 kg, and have a wing span of 104 to 114 cm. — Animal Diversity Web
History and naming	The blue-and-yellow macaw was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the other parrots in the genus Psittacus and coined the binomial name Psittacus ararauna. This macaw is now one of the eight extant species within the Ara genus, first proposed in 1799 by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Conservation	Ara ararauna is considered least concern by the IUCN due to their large geographic range. — Animal Diversity Web

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Lifespan in care

Reported30–35years

Animal Diversity Web 8630–35

Maximum recorded lifespan

Highest reported43years

AnAge 16243

Myhrvold et al. 16343

Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter. The AnAge record comes from an animal in human care.

Typical adult weight

Average of sources38oz

AnAge 16236.3

Myhrvold et al. 16339.7

Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).

Clutch size

Reported2eggs

Myhrvold et al. 1632

Average per litter or clutch.

Incubation

Reported25days

Myhrvold et al. 16325

Veterinary & husbandry research

Impact of Dietary Fructose on the Lipid Profile in Six Macaws Béland K et al., Journal of avian medicine and surgery 2021
Bacillus cereus infection outbreak in captive psittacines Godoy SN et al., Veterinary microbiology 2012
Yeasts and filamentous fungi in psittacidae and birds of prey droppings in midwest region of Brazil: a potential hazard to human health Simi WB et al., Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia 2019
Captive Blue-and-yellow macaws (Ara ararauna) show facial indicators of positive affect when reunited with their caregiver Bertin A et al., Behavioural processes 2023

Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. See all 26 on PubMed → 170

Federal legal snapshot

Some federal rules apply

CITES Appendix II. Appendix II: international trade needs CITES export permits. CITES doesn't restrict buying a captive-bred animal within the U.S.; keep your purchase records. 173 186
USDA Animal Welfare Act (birds). Since USDA's 2023 bird standards, most commercial bird dealers and exhibitors (and many breeders who sell wholesale) need an Animal Welfare Act license, with some exemptions for small-scale breeders and retail sellers. Keeping your own pet bird doesn't. 184

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Animal Welfare Act standards

Birds (Subpart G). Applies to USDA-licensed or registered dealers, exhibitors (including encounters and paid programs) and research facilities. Private pet owners are not covered. These are legal minimums, not best care; the species care on this page goes further.

Indoor air temperature, humidity and any pool or water-feature temperature must suit the species and prevent discomfort or distress. §3.151
Birds may not be housed outdoors unless acclimated to the local temperature and humidity. §3.152
Enclosures must let birds stay dry and clean, give shade for every bird at once (including low-ranking ones), and have floors and perches that protect feet and legs. §3.153
A species-appropriate environment enhancement plan is required, approved by the attending veterinarian: social grouping plus enrichment such as perches, swings, objects to manipulate, varied food and foraging or task-oriented feeding. §3.154
Socially dependent birds, such as clutch-mates, must be housed together unless the veterinarian exempts them; birds may only share space with compatible animals. §3.160
The diet must suit the species, size, age and condition of the bird, with potable water in sufficient quantity; pools and water features must be kept clean. §3.155

Source: 9 CFR Part 3, current eCFR text (USDA APHIS Animal Care).

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Included in our hand-checked list of animals kept as pets, livestock or in zoos
AnAge has a longevity record from an animal in captivity
Covered by one of our in-depth care sheets
5161 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

Royal Veterinary College Exotics Service: Parrot care Zoo, university or veterinaryVet-school exotics hospital factsheet, reviewed 2021–2024.
Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan): Ara ararauna (blue-and-gold macaw; also cited for large macaws as a group) Zoo, university or veterinaryUniversity-hosted species account, mostly wild biology.
AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
Myhrvold et al. (2015). An amniote life-history database. Ecology 96: 3109 Peer-reviewed researchPeer-reviewed compilation of life-history data for over 21,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
Species+ (UNEP-WCMC and the CITES Secretariat) Zoo, university or veterinaryThe official database of species listed under CITES.
USFWS International Affairs: CITES Zoo, university or veterinaryFederal agency that issues CITES permits.
9 CFR 2.1: Animal Welfare Act licensing (USDA) Zoo, university or veterinaryWho needs a USDA license to breed, sell or exhibit animals.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of pet birds Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of pet birds Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.

Blue-and-yellow macaw

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Care guide

Diet

Behavior

Macaws

Housing & setup

Diet

Social life

Health watch

Understanding the animal

In the wild

What this means for care

Native climate (measured)

Profile

History

Keeper tips

Behaviors reported

Unique adaptations

Remarkable facts

From the sources

Data and studies

The numbers

Lifespan in care

Maximum recorded lifespan

Typical adult weight

Clutch size

Incubation

Veterinary & husbandry research

Sources for this sheet

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