Golden-collared Macaw (Primolius auricollis) care and breeding

This breeder’s report was published in the periodic journal of the Siroki Zoltán Foundation.

The second species from the Primolius genus that I was able to acquire was the Primolius auricollis (Golden-collared Macaw). I purchased birds that were parent-raised by young pairs, and over the years they have bonded very well as a stable breeding pair. Their behavior patterns are almost identical to what I have experienced with Primolius maracana (Blue-winged / Illiger’s Macaw). I would not consider them a nervous or highly stressed bird, but they are noticeably more alert and quicker to respond to potential danger than the other macaws housed nearby. Our aviary is exclusively home to macaws, so their behavior, environmental needs and daily routines are very similar. For example, it is completely normal to see all pairs descend to the ground together to forage as part of their natural social behavior.

Inside the aviary, the enclosures are separated by solid walls, so the breeding pairs cannot see each other — only hear. In the outdoor aviary sections, the first meter is fully enclosed, and the remaining part is protected with double wire mesh to ensure the pairs remain separated during the breeding season. Each enclosure includes live trees and bamboo, creating a more natural environment and providing constant enrichment and mental stimulation for the birds. During winter we maintain the indoor temperature at around 5°C (41°F). On milder days the macaws are allowed access to the outdoor area as well. With automated lighting, we extend the daylight period by approximately two extra hours, supporting their natural activity cycles while keeping them in good breeding condition.

The breeding season for our macaws begins in April. At this time, their diet consists of a 50–50% ratio of seed mix and soft food, supporting them with high nutritional value during the breeding period. From their second year onwards, we provide the nest box for our Golden-collared Macaws. It measures 30 × 30 cm at the base and 50 cm in height, with a 5 cm layer of wood shavings placed at the bottom. Since they sleep inside it every night, the nest box stays up all year round. Thanks to the camera installed inside the nest box, we have been able to closely monitor their breeding behavior from egg-laying to chick rearing. As typical for macaws, the pair is always together — their movement and allopreening behavior are almost a perfect mirror of one another, reflecting their strong pair bond.

At the beginning of the breeding period, the male became noticeably more active. Both birds started visiting the nest box more frequently during the day. We observed mating behavior in the late afternoon hours in our Golden-collared Macaw pair. Thanks to the nest-box camera, we could clearly see that in the two weeks leading up to egg-laying, the female spent long periods inside the nest box even during the daytime. The male regularly entered the nest, continuing his courtship behavior: tapping on the nest walls, rearranging the wood shavings, and occasionally feeding the female. In the final days before laying, the female hardly left the nest at all.

Incubation began immediately after the first egg was laid, followed by three additional eggs. The brooding period progressed smoothly, with the male regularly bringing food to the female. She typically left the nest only once a day, for just a few minutes in the late afternoon. Before sunset, the male entered the nest box and waited near the entrance until dusk, after which he stayed beside the female throughout the night, as is typical for macaws with a strong pair bond. During the night, a dim light remains on inside the bird room, providing a calm environment while allowing us to monitor the breeding pair when necessary.

After the first chick hatched, the male became more active in feeding the female, and from this point on she also left the nest more frequently to eat — although still only for a few minutes at a time. After the second chick hatched, I noticed that a piece of eggshell had rotated and stuck onto the end of another egg. I was able to remove the shell fragments from the nest almost immediately, and soon after, the third chick successfully hatched as well. This clearly demonstrates the importance of the nest-box camera system, which allows us to monitor the breeding process without disturbing the pair while still ensuring that any issues can be detected and corrected in time. In the end, three chicks hatched from the four eggs. Sadly, the last one to hatch died two days later — it had an empty crop, likely due to the female’s inexperience during her first breeding attempt. The fourth egg was infertile.

After that, chick rearing progressed without any issues. After two to three weeks, the female spent noticeably more time outside the nest box. For leg banding, I used rings with an inner diameter of 9.5 mm, and at the same time we collected a blood sample for DNA sexing to accurately determine the chicks’ sex.

Our Blue-winged Macaws (Illiger’s Macaws) often carried small pieces of chewed wood into the nest box, but this behavior was much less typical in the Golden-collared Macaw pair. By the end of the breeding period, the wood shavings had been chewed into fine pieces, but cleaning was not necessary, as the nesting material remained dry throughout the process.

The chicks first fledged at around 12 weeks of age. During the first few days, they left the nest only for a few hours, but soon they stayed outside throughout the day and returned only to sleep at night. Both parents continued to feed the chicks attentively, and even after becoming independent, the young macaws still begged for food from the adults. We always provide breeding pairs with the widest possible variety of food, ensuring the fledglings become familiar with many different food types. This prevents selective feeding behavior and helps them grow into healthy and non-picky parrots. In the outdoor aviary, we regularly offer fresh greens and grasses. On one occasion, the young Golden-collared Macaws sat so calmly that they looked as tame as hand-reared birds. This highlights the importance of early exposure to diverse stimuli, which plays a key role in shaping confident and well-socialized parrots. By the end of the breeding period, even the parents had become noticeably calmer.

In conclusion, our experience shows that the Golden-collared Macaw (Primolius auricollis) can be successfully bred even in Central European conditions, provided that proper husbandry practices and environmental requirements are met. With consistent care and attention, stable breeding pairs can be developed, forming a valuable long-term asset to any serious macaw collection or conservation-focused breeding program.

Szőke Attila
www.happybirds.hu

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