Parrot experts please shed some opinions to me !!

[BlueGold]

Hello everyone !

First post here I am the extremely happy owner of a Blue and Gold macaw.

I received the DNA sexing paper and the bird is ringed. But there is no date of birth on the form but the breeder told me she was born at the end of November 2014.

She is weaned and also eats on her own which leads me to ask a few questions..

1.) The bird has extremely small nostrils and around the nostril area there is small prickly black hair

2.) When she opens her wings, there is some patchy spots under where her wing rests

3.) On the inside of her feathers they are still grey in colour

4.) Her eyes are kind of dark and big pupils :S ?

I will post some photos but also purely based on the information provided is it safe to assume that the macaw is really a baby/young one OR could she be even older/younger?

Thanks everyone

 

[Birdman666]

Based on the photos this bird looks like it is young and in good feather. If there's a year on the closed band, that will confirm it. A closed band goes on when the bird is developing, and doesn't come off like an open band.

You can't switch them out.

How young this bird is, I can't tell just by looking at it.

Gray down feathers are normal.

The nares (bird's nostrils) sound normal.

November of last year would make the bird almost a year old. So, a lot of the "baby" behaviors would be gone by now. (That usually only lasts about the first 6 months, and we are past that now.)

 

[henpecked]

I can't view the pics but agree with the Birdman.

 

[BlueGold]

Based on the photos this bird looks like it is young and in good feather. If there's a year on the closed band, that will confirm it. A closed band goes on when the bird is developing, and doesn't come off like an open band.

You can't switch them out.

How young this bird is, I can't tell just by looking at it.

Gray down feathers are normal.

The nares (bird's nostrils) sound normal.

November of last year would make the bird almost a year old. So, a lot of the "baby" behaviors would be gone by now. (That usually only lasts about the first 6 months, and we are past that now.)

Thank you for your reply.

She has a closed ring and it has 3 random numbers (No date or anything).
First time owning a macaw so learning as we go, but she does seem really happy with us ! But yeah was just curious to know if an age could be approximated.

And a better body type photo

Thank you

 

[Birdman666]

No. You really can't tell, other than young and in good feather.

Looks like she's pretty well behaved based on that photo.

 

[BlueGold]

No. You really can't tell, other than young and in good feather.

Looks like she's pretty well behaved based on that photo.

Its comforting to know, thank you !

And I just made an introduction thread for her:

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/56599-introducing-my-gorgeous-b-g.html#post515692

 

[SailBoat]

Sounds like a Breeder ID band or an Issuer ID Band with a code number that ID's the Breeder or year issued. There is a couple of Manufacturers that can trace the band back to either a Breeder or an Issuer (Bird Club or Bird Society). As a breeder, Henbecked would have greater insight on that.