Blue-and-gold: The most popular pet among the macaws, the blue-and-gold shares with his relatives the desire to physically and socially express his opinion about a lot of things, sometimes to the dismay of those he lives with. Blue-and-golds are fine for educated beginners, as long as the owner understands the occasional social-climbing drives these birds attempt and knows how to deal properly with the situation. In the right hands, blue-and-golds make beautiful and enjoyable companions. The price range for blue-and-golds runs from $800 to $2,500.

       Scarlet: Popular in show-biz as well as pet homes for their stunning looks, scarlet macaws sport a long tail and red, yellow, and blue feathers (primarily red — hence, the name). Like the blue-and-gold, the scarlet can be opinionated. In reality, these labels of being “opinionated” likely are merely some normal manners of expression that can also be seen in their wild counterparts. Although the scarlet macaw may have a reputation for becoming “bitey,” this behavior has a purpose and can be properly directed with appropriate intervention. Scarlet macaws are probably not the best birds for beginners, but they’re fine companions for experienced bird lovers. Prices range from $2,500 to $3,500.

       Military: Overshadowed by the blue-and-gold and scarlet macaws, military macaws are, in our opinion, underrated and underappreciated as companions. Slightly smaller than their blue-and-gold counterparts, these birds seem to be much more active, busier little guys, and they can make wonderful pet birds. Good training and guidance can help avoid some of the common problem behaviors they may demonstrate. Prices typically range from $1,200 to $1,800.

       Green-wing: These birds are the second largest of the Ara genus macaws. (All the common large macaws, except the hyacinth, belong to the genus Ara.) The green-wing macaw is an impressive individual, indeed. Although these birds are large and very strong, they can learn to be quite fearful, especially in the face of forceful or frightening experiences. The best advice for anyone with a green-wing macaw: Take your time and don’t force your attention. If the bird says “no,” stop and reassess your behavior. (This is good advice for any companion bird or animal with whom we share our lives.) For the experienced bird lover, though, green-wing macaws, like most other macaw species, can be wonderfully rewarding friends. Prices range from $1,200 to $1,800.

       Hyacinth (see Figure 2-7): So special, this guy’s in a class of his own — in scientific classification (Anodorhynchus), as well as price. The domestically raised hyacinth macaw is often known as the “gentle blue giant” and is the largest of all commonly available parrots. In spite of their immense size, these birds are dramatically gentle and easily handled by most people. The birds can be quite noisy, however, and their huge beaks give them major destructive potential. As with the green-wing macaw, you need to be willing to negotiate behavior and even change your own behavior instead of defaulting to force. The price? Are you sitting down? $10,000 and up.

       Small macaws: The “mini macaws” include the yellow-collared, Hahn’s, noble, red-bellied, severe, and Illiger’s. Small macaws are taxonomically quite different from their larger counterparts, but they’re similar in that they can be enjoyable companions. Prices range from about $700 to about $2,000, depending on the species.