mating macaws

Question
I have a 15 year old female Blue and Gold macaw and two male 18 month old Harliquin macaws.  They are in separate cages but right next to eachother.  My female Blue and Gold seems to really enjoy the other two boys and she watches them all of the time.  If she starts to lay eggs I know that I will have to find her a mate but does it have to be another Blue and Gold or can I mate her with one of the Harliquins?  

Answer
Hi, Rachael.  Thanks for posting!

Why do you say if she starts to lay eggs, you'll have to find her a mate?  If you plan on breeding this macaw, you should find her a mate BEFORE she lays eggs, not when she lays infertile eggs.  At this time of year particularly, hormones start running rampant and many single female parrots lay infertile eggs.  

I don't like to cross-breed parrot species.  I believe the gene pool of a species should remain intact.  However, since harlequins are a hybrid between a B&G and a green-wing, this mating wouldn't be as bad as a B&G and something else.  The macaws are just becoming so scarce, keeping the gene pool intact is important.  The 18-month olds are really too young to breed.  They are still babies considering these gentle giants can live to be 60 and 70 years old if well cared for during their lifetimes.  They won't be sexually mature for several years yet.

Birds prefer other birds to humans, so I'm not surprised that she's interested in the boys, especially this time of year!  It is probably that your female will lay eggs, but I'd wait a a few more years before pairing her up with either of the harlequins...they need time to mature first.

Chrys