Fixing Your Greenwing Macaws Problems

While it is true that the Greenwing Macaw is one of the gentlest companion birds and also among one of the most intelligent, they are not without a few behavior problems.
 

They are intelligent birds and can learn 15-20 words and like to chatter.  All this talking and chattering means, at least in the Macaw family, that they’re loud birds.  In addition to having a tendency to be loud, they can also scream when they’re unhappy.  That being said even the happiest of birds will still be noisy.

While screaming may be an issue for Greenwing owners, the more common behavior problem that Greenwing’s exhibit is biting. They have large powerful beaks and they love to chew.  As a young bird this may start out as exploring or beaking. 

This is a natural behavior as birds explore with their beaks.  Macaws have strong beaks, even as young birds and if you react to their beak on your hand with a shriek, they recognize the attention and will develop a habit of biting to have you repeat the behavior. 

Training is the best solution both to prevent biting and to eliminate it if it has become a habit.  Biting isn’t always the result of a habit or your reaction to a bite.  Sometimes biting is a direct result of something missing in your bird’s environment. 

In addition to training and socialization, making sure your Greenwing Macaw has an optimal environment is key to good behavior.  For our full training report on how to stop biting sign up for our free newsletter.

Common causes of biting, screaming, and even feather plucking include:

Poor nutrition.  All Greenwing Macaws need a pellet based diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Our suggest organic pellet can be found at Feedyourflock.com

Lack of quality sleep.  Macaws, just like you and me, need good sleep in order to feel well and function properly.  Greenwing Macaws need about 10 hours as adults and 11-12 hours as juveniles.

Boredom.  Can you imagine sitting in a cage all day with no one or nothing to play with?  Me neither.  I think I’d start screaming. 

Fear and stress.  Small children banging on cages, dogs barking, construction going on in or near your home.  These types of things cause great stress and fear in even the tamest Macaws.  Determine what is causing the stress and eliminate it.

Greenwings are also incredible chewers and if you leave them alone in your home, you will come home to find things destroyed.  Make sure you don’t leave your Greenwing Macaw alone.  Give them plenty of appropriate things to chew on and redirect them to the ‘appropriate’ chew toys when you find them chewing on furniture. 

Screaming, like biting, is generally a behavior that is induced by something missing in your bird’s environment.  First determine what’s missing.  Second, spend more time with your bird and make sure a portion of every day is spent training.  Training is the number one tool you have to prevent and eliminate behavior problems once they’ve reared their ugly head.

The last problem you might encounter with a Greenwing Macaw is feather plucking.  They’re generally not prone to this behavior because they adapt well and are social animals.  If your beloved macaw begins to pull their feathers out, take them to your avian veterinarian first to make sure they’re healthy. 

Spending time with your Greenwing goes a long way toward a happy and healthy bird.  When you’re hanging out with your Macaw, take a few minutes every day to train them.  The Greenwing Macaw is an intelligent bird and can learn a few words as well as many tricks.  See how we helped Chris's Greenwing Macaw.

In general, the Greenwing Macaw is an extremely social, adaptable, and intelligent bird that is well suited for family life.  When socialized at an early age and not allowed to develop bad habits, they are an excellent companion bird. They’re a true gentle giant.