Red Fronted Macaw Advice

[mantellas]

We currently have a Senegal Parrot who we love dearly. He's loud at times, but overall his sounds are cute. He does scream sometimes, but it's typically just random noises rather than screaming.

I was interested in a Congo African Grey. I want a larger bird with better speaking ability. I am beginning to think about a Red Fronted Macaw instead of a CAG.

I used to work in pet stores when I was much younger. I have experience hand feeding many species, but have never worked with a Red Fronted. I'm absolutely in love with Blue & Golds, but am concerned about screaming just for the sake of screaming. I don't mind noise, but I do mind screaming, which some B & G's are really bad about. My experience is with young birds, but not older ones. How are the Red Fronted Macaws as far as how much they scream and how loud they scream? Would they scream significantly more or louder than our Senegal? They would be less of a screamer than a B & G, right? I'm just thinking that they would be much more affectionate than a CAG, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[HRH Di]

Okay, we have both a CAG and RFM and I wouldn't trade either of them for anything! But they are totally different.

Jade, our RFM, is very out-going. I think she's a little diva-esque, my husband (who is Jade's favorite) says she says she's fabulous. She so playful and cuddly, and, wow, can she fly. She can be a little nippy if you don't do what she wants you to do. She just oozes personality.

Ruby, our CAG, is my baby. She's only 13 months old and starting to pick up words almost daily. She's much more reserved than Jade and is happy to let Jade be alpha-birdie. She's showing signs of being a one-person bird (me!) and we are working on that. She does love me and will nuzzle her little head just behind my ear and occassionally take a nap while on my shoulder.

Both of our girls are excellent eaters. Jade isn't picky, but sometimes she's not in the mood for certain foods. Ruby, eats almost anything! Sprouts are her very favorite but she loves grapes and peas and leafy veggies and pasta and almonds and...and...and...

Neither of our girls is loud, although Jade is louder than Ruby. Neither do "flock calls" on a daily basis or even occassionally. Jade will have 30 sec to 1 min bouts of screeching, but I'm convinced that it's just to get our Alexandrine, Max, to be quite (he's by far the loudest of our birdies). If he didn't get started, I don't think Jade would screech at all. I've never heard Ruby screech, she has started to meow which she learned from our cat.

Since Ruby is my bird, I'm biased towards her. But Jade is really wonderful, too, and my husband feels the same about her as I do about Ruby. I absolutely love them both and can't imagine our house without them. And I can very highly recommend the breeder we got both girls from. She specializes in RFMs and CAGs and is wonderful.

 

[mtdoramike]

I kn ow what you mean, My Senegal can raise the roof at times even for a bird as small as she is. I too am thinking about a larger bird. Not for the speaking ability, I couldn't care less if it never spoke a word. I have just always wanted an African Grey or a Macaw.

I think Greys are a quieter bird than Macaws and are supposed to be better speakers. If noise is the big issue, I would go with a Grey. But I'll bet either will be louder than your Senegal.

 

[HRH Di]

Again, I can't recommend both species enough. RFMs are less common so get more attention from knowlegable bird people. But there's a reason Greys are so popular. I'm glad we have one of each..

 

[JJones1719]

The best thing I can say for Maaws, you get back what you put into it. let's face it, All Macaws with have bouts of screaming but there should be no reason for continuing screams. My GW who know to be much quieter then most Macaws wil let out a Medium level yell in the morning and night. For the most part,l he really enjoys talking over yelling. I have a SI Male Eclectus as well and they really enjoy eachother's company and talk to one another.
Before purchasing a Parrot of any kind, I would visit with a breeder a few weekends at a time, get to know the Parrot before the purchase, learn from their mature parrots in the home. You will soon understand what it's like to spend time with these amazing parrots, see first hand the noice levels to see if you and your Family can live and deal with the sounds they make naturaly.
Best of luck to you. Joe

 

[mtdoramike]

Also, go onto You Tube and plug in parrot noises or sounds. If your wanting a A Certain Macaw Species, then check for that particular species. You will find videos posted of the birds playing, vocalizing from talking to screaming and even aggressive to tame nature. This will give you some idea of the particular bird that your interested in.

 

[kerry]

Thank you for your information about your RF as a pet. It is good to read what you have said, they are more unusual in the pet trade at this time.
I have made the decision to get one, I have heard very wonderful things about them as pets.

 

[kerry]

I just got my new Red Fronted Macaw last night. He is a young male, 7 months old. He was hand fed. He is used to being in a large outdoor flight with about 4 or 5 of his siblings.
He has been quite loud this morning. I am guessing that he is wondering what happened & where is he & where are all his siblings. He is eating & drinking. Whenever I sit by his cage & talk to him he puffs up all his head feathers. So far he doesn't want me to touch him & he will not voluntarily step up. I picked him up last night & set him on my lap & scratched his head a little, but then he climbed down, we were both on the floor at the time. He does make soft pleasant sounds back to me when I talk to him. I have been covering the cage with a dark colored sheet when he screams because I want to establish right away that that is not acceptable. The breeder told me that he would only scream a little at dawn & dusk. He has been much louder than that already, but he is probably very confused about what has happened to him. He has a very big voice for such a small guy. He also just had his wings clipped 2 days ago & the breeder told me that he was pretty PO'd with her after she clipped his wings.

 

[kerry]

African Grays have much more ability to speak than a Red Fronted macaw. African Grays are probably the best at repeating sounds of any parrot. Next in talking ability would come the Yellow Nape & the Double Yellow Headed Amazon. My African Gray was very timid & whenever a man (my ex-husband or my father) would go up to his cage he would freak out & start thrashing around. He was great at reproducing sounds, but he didn't have much personality. I prefer the personality of Amazons or macaws or even cockatoos to the African gray, they just don't really pique my interest. I had a hand fed Gray which I finished hand feeding when he was on 2 feedings a day for over 10 years.

 

[Hochimama]

I just got my new Red Fronted Macaw last night. He is a young male, 7 months old. He was hand fed. He is used to being in a large outdoor flight with about 4 or 5 of his siblings.
He has been quite loud this morning. I am guessing that he is wondering what happened & where is he & where are all his siblings. He is eating & drinking. Whenever I sit by his cage & talk to him he puffs up all his head feathers. So far he doesn't want me to touch him & he will not voluntarily step up. I picked him up last night & set him on my lap & scratched his head a little, but then he climbed down, we were both on the floor at the time. He does make soft pleasant sounds back to me when I talk to him. I have been covering the cage with a dark colored sheet when he screams because I want to establish right away that that is not acceptable. The breeder told me that he would only scream a little at dawn & dusk. He has been much louder than that already, but he is probably very confused about what has happened to him. He has a very big voice for such a small guy. He also just had his wings clipped 2 days ago & the breeder told me that he was pretty PO'd with her after she clipped his wings.

Great news ~~ hope to see some pictures ^^

 

[Hochimama]

African Grays have much more ability to speak than a Red Fronted macaw. African Grays are probably the best at repeating sounds of any parrot. Next in talking ability would come the Yellow Nape & the Double Yellow Headed Amazon. My African Gray was very timid & whenever a man (my ex-husband or my father) would go up to his cage he would freak out & start thrashing around. He was great at reproducing sounds, but he didn't have much personality. I prefer the personality of Amazons or macaws or even cockatoos to the African gray, they just don't really pique my interest. I had a hand fed Gray which I finished hand feeding when he was on 2 feedings a day for over 10 years.

yes ~~ heard that double yellow are great talker inside the amazon familia. They made good pets too ^^

 

[kerry]

Thanks a lot, I am going to try to take it really slow. He seems very afraid of me, he would step up today, so that is better than yesterday. He voluntarily came out onto the top of his cage today. I had him sitting on my hand for a few minutes & I was stroking his head & scratching his ears with the other hand. But most of the time when I try to handle him he just flies off of me back to his cage or to whatever is very near at the time. But I know that he is going through a huge adjustment period of having come here & now is away from everything familiar to him & in a strange place & with someone strange to him... in a small cage in comparison to the large flight that he was in. It is hard not to be discouraged, which I am actually.

 

[mtdoramike]

You shouldn't be. It will take time and it sounds like you are making progress. It might not be in leaps and bounds YET, but I'm sure it will be soon. Once he gets used to his new surroundings and you, he will be like a new bird.

 

[kerry]

I have backed off & just sit by his cage with the door open & give him treats when he is not being loud & talk to him softly. He can come out if he wants to & we will go from there. I have not tried to touch him today. The other hand fed baby birds that I had in the past, over 15 years ago (Yellow Nape, Citron, African Gray & B & G) accepted me right away & let me touch them & handle them very liberally. So I was thinking that it would be like those times when I got him. But that did not happen in this case.

 

[kerry]

Here is a link to a little movie of my new 7 month old Red Front male.
I need some help thinking of a name for him.
I thought of "Peanut" as in an affectionate name, not the actual nut.
My Montage 6/29/11 at One True Media - share slideshows, slide shows, Facebook slideshows, free video sharing, video montages.

Thank you all in advance for your help with his name.
He went to the vet today for his "well bird" check up.

 

[Hochimama]

Kerry ~~ that is one great video you share with us ~~ he is such a cutie. Would be love at first sight for many of us who view the video ~~ love the way the other jealous about him .. haha ^^

 

[Hochimama]

He is ady so clever at only seven months imagine the next few years ~~ ^^

 

[kerry]

Yes, I liked it when he made the kind of soft "baby noises" in the movie. Believe me, he is making a lot more noise than that now!! I have now been told that RFs are noisy when young but get quieter as they mature. I hope I can be patient & tolerate his very loud vocals that long!!

 

[Hochimama]

Name that I would name this bird :

Troy
Lucky
Rocky
Chico
Sparky

Just my humble opinion ~~ hope it helps

 

[Hochimama]

Yes, I liked it when he made the kind of soft "baby noises" in the movie. Believe me, he is making a lot more noise than that now!! I have now been told that RFs are noisy when young but get quieter as they mature. I hope I can be patient & tolerate his very loud vocals that long!!

Most amazons and big birds are quite noisy and attention seekers ~~ some of them tends to be quieter than others, but normally just add in more toys and let them watch movies or listen to songs should help a little ..