BUFFON’S MACAW
HABITAT/LOCATION: This species of macaw inhabits lowland forests of eastern Honduras,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and western Ecuador.
UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS:
 The Buffon’s Macaw is a large parrot with a mostly yellowish-green body, scarlet forehead and
deep blue shoulders.
 When excited their bare facial skins turn bright red.
 Macaws mate for life; a pair can live together and produce offspring for 40 to 50 years!
 All birds have four toes. Parrots have two toes turned forward and two turned backward, much like
pincers. These toes aid in holding objects, hanging upside down and climbing.
 Often referred to as their third foot, parrots use their characteristic hooked beak to open the nuts and
seeds they eat, as well as climb around in the trees they live in.
 Their beaks can exert 700 lb. per square inch of pressure, enough to crack open large nuts.
 They use their strong, muscular tongues like a finger to probe objects.
 As with most birds, Buffon’s grow very quickly and are practically full grown by 4 to 5 months of
age.
 Buffon’s macaw is often mistaken for a military macaw, which is smaller and similar in colour.
WHAT THEY EAT: They eat various fruits, flowers, seeds, and nuts in the wild.
At African Lion Safari they are also fed a complete pellet diet specially designed for Macaws.
SIZE AND WEIGHT: They measure 85 centimetres from head to tail on average. Both sexes look
identical although females can be slightly smaller. They can weigh approximately 1300 grams.
EGGS & BABIES: Macaws choose to nest in deep holes already found high off the ground in large trees.
They do not build a nest with twigs or dirt. They lay two to three eggs in a clutch each year and it takes 26
days of incubation for the eggs to hatch. The eggs resemble a white, small size chicken egg; however they
will have a glossy shell. The female does most of the incubating while the male stands guard or searches
for food. The chicks are completely helpless when they first hatch out. They are basically naked with a
fine white down. Their eyes remain closed for several days, so they rely on their parents to take care of
them. The babies are feed by the parents who will regurgitate food into their mouth several times a day.
REASONS FOR ENDANGERED STATUS: Buffon’s are considered an endangered species with
approximately 1,000 to 2,500 birds remaining in the world. The main threat to this species is the
destruction of their habitat.
WHERE TO SEE THEM WHILE “ON SAFARI”: The Buffon’s macaw can be seen in the Parrot
aviaries located in the Pets’ Corner area.
AFRICAN LION SAFARI ACHIEVEMENTS: In 1998 we successfully produced the first Buffon’s
macaw in Canada in conjunction with a private breeder. Over the past 30 years African Lion Safari has
successfully reproduced several different species of macaws, including the rare Buffon’s.