Breeding Season?

[hsb_birds]

Hello there!

We have two birds here; a scarlett macaw named Red, and a green-wing named Merlin, we've recently put them out for the season so they're back together in the same cage. (We work at a resort, so we pulled them in for the winter and in separate cages) Recently, they've started regurgitating towards each other, more Merlin regurgitating for Red. We looked into it a little bit, and found that the regurgitation was a sign of affection and courtship. We're planning on doing an internship to help us really understand what all goes into breeding; but what else should we be looking for besides the regurgitation and such?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Are you 100% certain that these birds are sexed (male and female)? Same gender birds will also regurgitate for each other, and they can also form a strong bond.

How old are these birds, and how are they housed together? Surely it must be an enormous kind of enclosure for them to be living together.

 

[hsb_birds]

They haven't been sexed, so for all we know they could be same gender and be affectionate towards each other. We've been told that the birds are at least twenty years old, past records were poorly kept, so unfortunately exact ages are unknown. They're currently housed together, they were housed in another cage in the past but with Red being our only scarlett, we wanted to be able to pull her out and work with her more. Since then they had been separated and in personal cages.

 

[Luna]

In my experiences females will rarely bond. If they are a pair you will see copulation and then the first egg. Those birds will not likely be sexually mature until 6 to 7 years. Sadly my Luna thins I am a mate and she lays each year. There are two obstacles preventing artificial insemination. First my fear if the male resenting the humiliation and my wife's intimatum never to bring home another parrot that large ! Good luck with your hatchlings. D.D.

 

[Luna]

Just an after thought. I never have a Pierrot in my home unless it's been sexed. It helps greatly in understanding behavior . DNA sexing is VERY safe, cheap and quick. The lab I use takes 2 days and retains a DNA record in their files. After many adult parrots we have never witnessed these " hormonal troubles " I often see referred to. I often wonder if it is some one making sexual advances by stroking a mature bird down past the rump and over the tail ?