| Hahn's
mini macaws, Ara nobilis nobilis, also known as
Red Shouldered macaws, are the smallest of the
miniature macaws. They are predominately deep forest
green with dark teal on the top of their heads above
their beaks, and crimson red at the bends of their
wings on mature birds. They have white patches of skin
around their eyes with small black feathers that trace
patterns on their white facial skin. Hahn's macaws are
fairly common in their native habitat of semi-open
lowland areas in eastern Venezuela, Guyana and
northeastern Brazil.
Hahn's
mini macaws are about 12 inches in length, half of
that being their long tail, and weigh around 165
grams.
Hahn's
miniature macaws may be small in size but they are
large in personality. Hahn's macaws are endearing and
acrobatic. Their favourite position is hanging by one
toe while playing with a toy, or from your fingers.
Extremely playful and exuberant, Hahn's mini macaws
seem to smile all the time. They adore toys and
readily accept new ones. They also seem to love things
to snuggle with or to hide in while sleeping. Like
other macaws, Hahn's macaws love to be cuddled and
"scratched" when they trust the person they
are with.
Hahn's
macaws can often be quite good talkers, picking up
many words and phrases as well as caricature laughter.
Their voices tend to be higher pitched and are
sometimes a little bit difficult to understand if you
don't know what to listen for. Hahn's can also have a
harsh, loud call, but they only use it when they
really are distressed or trying to make contact with
their flock (family). Their contact calls can be a bit
piercing. Fortunately, they tend not to be screamers
unless they are isolated from their flock. They will
contact call often when their flock is out of sight,
so it is important to keep Hahn's macaws in the
mainstream of the household so they feel safe and
secure while their flock (family) is doing things.
These
little green guys are not as socially demanding as the
bigger macaws, and overall seem to be more
independent. However, it is very important to spend
regular good-quality time with your Hahn's mini macaw
or it can become very wild. They are still macaws, and
require as much interaction as a large macaw to keep
them tame. Hahn's miniature macaws are dominant,
demanding, pushy little birds, and if not kept well
socialized can become a bit nippy; regular handling is
essential. With their sharp, exceptionally pointy
little macaw beaks, their nips, while not very
damaging can be quite sharp. Because of this sharp
nip, Hahn's macaws aren't the best choice for families
with small children.
Always
ask your Hahn's macaw to step up on your finger to
come out of its cage - don't let it come out on its
own. It is important for Hahn's macaws to know that
they are not in charge, so keeping boundaries set with
nurturing guidance is essential. It is important not
be afraid of your Hahn's (who thinks he/she is the
largest bird in the universe). You can offer your
Hahn's macaw a small hand-held toy to redirect its
pinching to something appropriate.
Shy at
first, Hahn's need formal introductions to new people;
they are not birds that kiss on the first date. They
are not birds that you can just pass around to your
friends without being introduced. Once a Hahn's knows
you it becomes bold and endearing.
Little
Hahn's macaws do not realize how small they are and
will fearlessly approach other birds or animals that
are much larger than they. With larger birds or other
animals they need to be closely watched to keep them
safe. Hahn's are not a good bird to have with very
small children due to their potential nippiness, They
should not be kept in a household with unsupervised
and untrained dogs or cats as they are smaller and
more fluttery than their larger cousins. Hahn's should
never be in a house with ferrets, as ferrets prey on
birds.
Hahn's
macaws have dominant streaks that can extend to
defending their new cages and not wanting to come out,
known as cage dominance. If this occurs, have your
Hahn's macaw step up on a stick (and bite the stick
instead of you!). Once on the stick, get it away from
its cage to its play area and it will settle right
down. Usually cage dominance only lasts a month or so,
and then your hand-raised baby will realize that his
new room is his, and he doesn't have to share and it
isn't going away. Thus, he needn't be there to defend
it from all comers. This is an excellent example of
why it is important to keep Hahn's macaws in dome top
cages with separate play stands so they aren't as
prone to "territorializing" their entire
cage, both inside and out.
Hahn's
miniature macaws are wonderful little companions that
bring all of the joy of the large macaws in smaller
packages. They do well for someone who wants a macaw,
but does not have the space for a large one. They are
little acrobats who love to play, but at the same time
are very affectionate and love to cuddle. Hahn's
macaws bring a delightful lively, fun-loving,
happy-go-lucky spirit with them.
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