Blue and Gold Macaw Complete Guide: Care, Cost, Personality (2026)
The Blue and Gold Macaw is the classic large pet macaw. Vibrant blue back, golden yellow chest, expressive white facial patch, and a personality that combines intelligence, playfulness, and deep loyalty. If you are considering a large parrot for the first time and can commit to the space, noise, and lifespan of a true macaw, the Blue and Gold is the most widely recommended entry species. This guide walks through everything you should know before buying, including realistic price, care, and honest lifespan planning.
What is a Blue and Gold Macaw?
The Blue and Gold Macaw (Ara ararauna), also called the Blue and Yellow Macaw, is a large true macaw native to a wide range across South America including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay. They live in tropical rainforest, savannah, and swamp habitats, typically in bonded pairs within small flocks. In captivity they have become the most widely kept large pet macaw due to their striking appearance, robust health, and famously affectionate personality with primary owners.
What does a Blue and Gold Macaw look like?
- Length: 30 to 34 inches including the long tail
- Weight: 900 to 1,300 grams (2 to 3 pounds)
- Wingspan: 40 to 45 inches (over 3 feet)
- Upper body: Bright turquoise blue
- Underparts: Golden yellow chest and belly
- Facial patch: Large featherless white patch with distinctive black lines
- Throat: Black bib under the beak
- Beak: Massive, black, curved
- Tail: Long tapered blue with yellow underside
Personality and temperament
Blue and Gold Macaws are famously affectionate with their primary humans. They bond deeply, seek regular physical interaction (unlike some large parrots), and tolerate handling by trusted family members better than most macaws. They are also playful, mischievous, and endlessly curious. A well raised Blue and Gold will hang upside down from a swing, wrestle with toys, and follow you around the house like an oversized toddler.
The trade off for this affection is that Blue and Golds are dedicated attention seekers. Without at least 3 to 4 hours of daily interaction and enrichment, they develop screaming, plucking, and stereotypic behaviours within months. This is why we consistently recommend against Blue and Gold Macaws for anyone who works full time outside the home or travels frequently.
Are Blue and Gold Macaws good talkers?
Moderate. Blue and Gold Macaws typically develop a vocabulary of 30 to 60 words and phrases, sometimes more. Their voice is loud, clear, and distinctly macaw in character. They are not African Grey level talkers, but they excel at learning short common phrases (their name, hello, hi, family member names) and using them in appropriate context. See our full best talking parrots guide and Military Macaw vs African Grey comparison for how macaws generally compare on talking ability.
Are Blue and Gold Macaws loud?
Yes. Blue and Gold Macaws are among the loudest pet parrots you can own. Their contact calls exceed 105 decibels at close range (louder than a lawn mower). They call regularly during morning and evening flock time, and any exciting event triggers additional volume. Blue and Gold Macaws are absolutely not appropriate for apartments, condos, or homes with shared walls. Detached housing with understanding neighbours is the minimum.
How much does a Blue and Gold Macaw cost?
Hand raised Blue and Gold Macaws start at $2,749 at Mo’s Birds and typically run $2,750 to $4,500 in the US in 2026 depending on breeder, age, and documentation. Rescue and rehome fees run $500 to $1,500. Older birds and rehomes typically cost $1,500 to $3,000 but often come with existing behaviour patterns. See the macaws category page for current pricing and availability.
Real first year cost of owning a Blue and Gold Macaw
The bird itself is just the starting number. First year ownership adds another $3,000 to $6,000 on top of the purchase price.
- Cage: $1,200 to $3,000 for a proper large macaw cage (minimum 48 by 36 by 60 inches, larger preferred)
- Perches, bowls, and initial toys: $400 to $800
- Food (first year): $900 to $1,400 for pellets, fresh vegetables, and nuts
- Avian vet first year: $400 to $900 including well bird check and comprehensive blood panel
- Emergency fund (recommended): $2,000 minimum
- Shipping (if buying out of state): $400 to $700 via Delta Cargo. See our shipping page for exactly how live macaw shipping works.
Blue and Gold Macaw care requirements
Cage size. Minimum 48 by 36 by 60 inches. Larger is strongly preferred. Bar spacing no wider than 1 inch. Only stainless steel or heavy powder coated cages hold up to a mature Blue and Gold beak.
Diet. 60 to 70 percent quality pellet, 20 to 30 percent fresh vegetables and small amounts of fruit, 5 to 10 percent nuts and seeds. Macaws tolerate and benefit from higher fat content than smaller parrots. Palm nuts, macadamias, and Brazil nuts are especially good.
Out of cage time. Minimum 3 to 4 hours per day of interaction and free flight in a large bird proofed space. This is not optional.
Enrichment. Rotate three destructive chew toys weekly. Blue and Gold Macaws will destroy $30 toys in an afternoon. Budget accordingly.
Sleep. 10 to 12 hours of dark quiet sleep per night in a separate room from household activity.
How long does a Blue and Gold Macaw live?
Blue and Gold Macaws routinely live 40 to 60 years in captivity with proper care, and documented individuals have reached 70 to 80. This is a lifetime commitment on the scale of a very large dog multiplied by six. If you are 30 years old when you buy a Blue and Gold Macaw, plan for the bird to outlive your working career and possibly outlive you. Estate planning for the bird is standard practice in the macaw community. For the full lifespan picture across parrot species, see our how long parrots live guide.
Is a Blue and Gold Macaw the right bird for you?
Choose a Blue and Gold Macaw if: you have detached housing with understanding neighbours; you can commit to 3 to 4 hours of daily interaction; you can afford $3,000 to $6,000 in first year expenses on top of the bird price; you have a plan for the bird surviving beyond your working years; and you have experience with medium sized parrots.
Choose a different macaw or species if: you live in shared wall housing (choose a Green Cheek Conure or Poicephalus instead); you work long hours outside the home (choose a species from our easiest for working professionals list); or you want a smaller macaw with similar personality at a more manageable size (choose a Hahn’s Macaw or Severe Macaw).
Where to buy a Blue and Gold Macaw
At Mo’s Birds we hand raise Blue and Gold Macaws in Southern California, DNA sex every bird, provide full health documentation, and support you long after the sale. Every bird ships nationwide via Delta Cargo. To see current listings, visit our macaws category page, browse the currently available babies page, or contact Mo directly for photos and video of any specific bird you are considering.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Blue and Gold Macaw cost?
Hand raised Blue and Gold Macaws start at $2,749 and typically run $2,750 to $4,500 in the US in 2026 depending on breeder and documentation.
Are Blue and Gold Macaws good for beginners?
Suitable for experienced medium parrot owners moving up to a macaw. Not recommended as a first bird due to size, volume, lifespan, and care demands. Cockatiels or Green Cheek Conures are better absolute first birds.
How long do Blue and Gold Macaws live?
40 to 60 years in captivity with proper care. Documented individuals have reached 70 to 80 years.
Are Blue and Gold Macaws louder than other macaws?
Roughly average for large macaws. Louder than Severe or Hahn’s Macaws; similar to Military and Scarlet Macaws. Contact calls exceed 105 decibels at close range.
How much space does a Blue and Gold Macaw need?
Minimum 48 by 36 by 60 inch cage plus a dedicated out of cage play area. A bird room or large corner of a living room is ideal. Studio apartments and small bedrooms are inadequate.
What is the monthly cost of owning a Blue and Gold Macaw?
$180 to $350 per month for food, toy replacement, and vet fund contribution. Emergency vet visits sit on top of this and can reach $2,000 to $5,000 per incident.