Initially, you won’t notice much difference between male and female macaws. Until a macaw reaches sexual maturity, which takes up to 4 years, the behavior of both genders is similar.
When macaws begin puberty, their hormones are elevated. This is when you’ll notice significantly more variance in male vs. female macaw behavior.
Every macaw is an individual. The parrot’s unique persona, upbringing in the early years, and life experience contribute toward how it acts.
Tame female macaws are more friendly and obedient, welcoming petting and interaction. Males are likelier to be more vocal, dominant, playful, and entertaining.
Male vs. Female Macaws Parrots
Here are the differences between male and female macaws:
Temperament
All macaws can be loving and affectionate if treated well or distant and nippy if their needs go unmet. That said, male macaws are usually more aggressive than females.
Males are likelier to lunge and bite than females when excited or frustrated. However, males are also more playful, talkative, and energetic companions.
While all macaws experience hormonal flux, this is more pronounced in males.
Females are more laid-back. If you have a reliable schedule, you can form a bond with a female sooner. They’re also likelier to respond to obedience training, handling, and petting sooner.
Females can be less lively and mischievous than males. This doesn’t mean life with a female macaw will be dull or uneventful, but it’s less likely to become a court jester.
Noise
A macaw will never be a quiet pet. All macaws, including the Hahn’s macaw, can generate ear-piercing screams and won’t be shy about vocalizing.
Male macaws are noisier than females. Males are likelier to become bored and frustrated without regular interaction. They’ll also have a shorter temper and react noisily to a perceived threat.
According to Proceedings of the Royal Society, male parrots have signature vocalizations, including singing to tempt a potential mate into courtship.
Female macaws aren’t quiet birds. They can become vocal when hormonal and regularly scream for attention or when hungry upon waking up.
Talking Ability
The speaking ability of macaws is species-specific. Most macaws won’t learn more than 10-20 words.
Some macaws, most notably the Hahn’s, blue-and-gold, and severe macaws, are gifted talkers. Scarlet, green-wing, and hyacinth macaws are likelier to use wild bird sounds.
Assuming you adopt a macaw with a good vocabulary and clear voice, do male or female macaws talk more? Male macaws are chattier than females.
Male parrots attract females through imitation, making them more inclined to listen to and impersonate human owners and their speech patterns.
Females can be taught to speak once they’ve bonded with their owners. They’re happy to learn new words from owners and will please you by talking, especially if rewarded.
Male macaws are likelier to repeat words they enjoy saying. Be careful what you say in front of a male macaw because they’ll repeat profanity if it generates a reaction or gets more attention.
How To Tell If A Macaw Is Male or Female
Macaws are sexually monomorphic, so it’s difficult to determine their gender visually. As males lack a penis, and their testicles are within the body, these indicators are unavailable.
Unless you buy a macaw from a breeder who has performed sexing or you’ve witnessed them laying eggs, DNA testing is the most reliable gender determinant.
DNA testing is non-intrusive and affordable, available online or through some veterinary surgeries.
You’ll be asked to provide a blood sample (usually by clipping the parrot’s nails), a piece of the egg the bird hatched from, or feathers from the breast area.
Most DNA tests to determine a parrot’s sex cost $30 and have a 99.99% accuracy level.
Chromosomal testing, which requires a blood feather from the plumage, is an alternative.
There’s also surgical sexing, where a vet will anesthetize the macaw and examine its reproductive organs using an endoscope. The negative is that it’s a dangerous and invasive procedure.
Size of Male And Female Macaws
Some male macaws are larger than females, but the difference is minor. If you place a male and female macaw side-by-side, the male may have a slightly wider, flatter head and a narrower beak.
If the female is older than the male, or the two macaws are siblings, but the female is developing faster, she may appear larger. Parrots also fluff their feathers, making sight tests deceptive.
Although the physical differences between male and female macaws are minimal, there are variances in the personality and behavior of each gender.
