Catalina Macaw Full Profile

Catalina Macaw

The Catalina macaw is a rainbow-colored hybrid parrot that’s desired for the traits it shares with its dad and mom—two of the most well-liked macaw species. Its flashy colors make it extremely enticing for potential parrot house owners. However, it’s typically its comical persona, intelligence, and the flexibility to reply to coaching that seals the deal.

Species Overview

COMMON NAMES: Catalina macaw, rainbow macaw
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hybrid Ara ararauna x Ara Macao
ADULT SIZE: 35 inches, weighing 2 to three kilos
LIFE EXPECTANCY: 50 to 60 years

Origin and History

This breed was shaped by crossing a blue and gold macaw with a scarlet macaw. Catalina macaws are discovered primarily in captivity. You seldom discover a naturally bred Catalina macaw within the wild.

In hen breeding and hybridization, the daddy’s genes are most frequently dominant. Catalina macaws most frequently appear like scarlet macaws, for the reason that male is normally a scarlet.

The Catalina is taken into account a first-generation macaw hybrid. It was derived from two naturally occurring or “true” birds. Since that is such a lovely hen, some breeders use it for breeding quite a few second-generation hybrid macaws (these from not less than one hybrid hen). It can also be relatively widespread to search out second-generation Catalinas which can be a cross between two Catalina dad and mom.

The Catalina has contributed its genes to many colourful macaw hybrids:

Catablu macaw: Catalina crossed with a blue and gold macaw
Camelina macaw: Catalina crossed with a Camelot macaw (second-generation hybrid)
Camelot macaw: Catalina crossed with a scarlet macaw
Flame macaw: Catalina crossed with a green-wing macaw
Hyalina macaw: Catalina crossed with a hyacinth macaw
Maui dawn macaw: Catalina crossed with a harlequin macaw (hybrid)
Milicat macaw: Catalina crossed with a miligold macaw (hybrid)
Militalina macaw: Catalina crossed with a army macaw
Rubalina macaw: Catalina crossed with a ruby macaw (hybrid)
Shamalina macaw: Catalina crossed with a shamrock macaw (hybrid)

Temperament

Owners of hybrid macaws get one of the best of each world from their mum or dad species. Scarlet macaws are identified to be curious, feisty, and very lively. In distinction, blue and gold macaws have a fame for being extra laid-back and delicate; they’re additionally nice talkers. Those with Catalina macaws describe their birds as being an ideal combination between the 2.

Every hen—regardless of the species—may have a singular persona that can mirror its upbringing. Catalinas will be cranky with very demanding social wants or extraordinarily affectionate and charming with enjoyable occasions forward for its adopted household. Some Catalina macaws will change into one-person birds. They could even choose males or ladies solely, shunning folks of the alternative intercourse.

The hen is prone to be social and accepting of individuals whether it is launched to a wide range of folks whenever you first deliver it house. This species could make a great household pet so long as the youngsters usually are not too younger. Teach the hen and the youngsters to respect each other from the beginning.

Highly clever, Catalina macaws reply effectively to coaching and will be taught to carry out a number of methods and to speak.

Speech and Vocalizations

Many Catalina macaws can attain a vocabulary of round 15 phrases and phrases over their lifetime. They can get loud and scream when excited, agitated, bored, or simply to let the solar is up. This pet isn’t probably an acceptable candidate you probably have shut neighbors, reminiscent of in a residence constructing.

Catalina Macaw Colors and Markings

In normal, hybrid macaws are bred primarily for his or her color traits. Catalina macaw has a variety of colors and patterns. There are slight variations from one technology to the following as effectively.

Most of those birds are primarily pink or deep orange on their chests and bellies. Some have good red-orange heads whereas others have a beautiful blue-green crown. They are inclined to have inexperienced and blue feathers operating down their backs and lengthy tails. Many of them have gold feathers edging their wings and their tails.

The Catalina appears just like the harlequin macaw. The two hybrids are sometimes mistaken for each other. The most vital distinction is the Catalina normally has the lengthy, tapering tail of the scarlet.

There is not any noticeable distinction between female and male Catalina macaws. To inform them aside, you will want a DNA check, chromosomal check, or surgical sexing process. The DNA check is probably the most noninvasive choice.

Caring for the Catalina Macaw

Being social birds, they need to spend satisfactory time bonding with their house owners to change into comfortable, well-adjusted pets. If you wish to undertake a Catalina macaw, just be sure you have not less than 2 to four hours to spend together with your hen day-after-day. These parrots thrive on interplay and can change into depressed and harmful if uncared for or ignored.

As with all massive parrots, these birds want a big cage that’s a minimum of four ft vast and lengthy by 5 ft excessive. The extra space you may present, the higher off your hen shall be. Give the hen loads of perches and toys to maintain it engaged.

Potential house owners ought to assume severely about macaw possession. Are you keen to be woke up early each morning by a screaming parrot? Can you accommodate the a number of hours of socialization and train day-after-day? Also, contemplate the prices of proudly owning a pet macaw. Veterinary payments, high-quality feed, toys, and cages all add up. If you may’t present your hen with one of the best of all the things, take into consideration ready to undertake one till you may. The extra that you just spoil a parrot, the higher your pet possession expertise shall be.

Common Health Problems

The well-being care considerations for Catalina macaws are identical as different macaw species. Some of the extra widespread diseases seen in macaws embody:

Proventricular dilation illness (an intestinal downside, additionally referred to as losing illness)
Psittacosis (a bacterial an infection, additionally referred to as chlamydiosis or parrot fever)
Other bacterial, viral, or fungal ailments
Allergies
Beak malformations in chicks
Birds which can be bored, have a poor weight loss program, need a mating accomplice, or want a shower may resort to feather selecting or plucking. Remedy this self-mutilating conduct by addressing their wants instantly.

Diet and Nutrition

In the wild, macaws eat a wide range of seeds, vegetation, fruits, and nuts. Like any massive parrot, feed a Catalina macaw a weight loss program that features a high-quality seed and pellet combine, together with contemporary bird-safe fruit and veggies. Each macaw, relying on its measurement, will eat about 1/2 to three/four cup of parrot combine and about 1/2 to three/four cup of fruit and greens day-after-day. You can feed it as soon as within the morning upon waking and at nightfall earlier than it goes to sleep.

Fruits which can be good to feed to macaws embody apples, pears, plums, cherries, grapes, oranges, bananas, mangos, papayas, and berries. Healthy greens embody carrots, candy potatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and leafy greens. Never feed avocado; it’s poisonous to birds. As a deal with, provide nuts like macadamias, walnuts, pecans, almonds, and filberts.

Exercise

Catalina macaws want loads of exercise to keep up the prime psychological and bodily situation. If you have an interest in proudly owning a Catalina macaw, you will want to oversee your hen for no less than 2 to four hours per day because it performs the exterior of its cage. This out-of-cage time is essential to forestall boredom and permit the hen to stretch its wings and different muscle mass correctly.

Provide toys to complement your hen’s exercise time. Playthings can embody climbing ropes, chains, bells, parrot swings, and picket hen toys that they’ll clutch and chew. Destructible toys are enjoyable for birds since they’re interactive; the hen normally units a purpose to defeat the toy. Non-destructible toys will last more, however macaws can get tired of them.

Pros

• Beautiful and clever
• Can discuss and mimic human sounds
• Long-lived

Cons

• The tendency for loud squawks and screams
• Requires 2 to four hours of the day by day train, psychological stimulation

Where to Adopt or Buy a Catalina Macaw

Contact a parrot adoption and training company and ask in the event you can go to their birds. Seeing one in every one of these parrots in its house atmosphere will provide you with a really feel for what it is preferred to reside with one. Breeders promote Catalina macaws within the vary of $3,000 to $5,000. Rescues, adoption organizations, and breeders the place you’ll find Catalina macaws embody: