Macaws are among the most cognitively complex birds traded as pets, with welfare needs far beyond what most owners can provide.
Pet macaws suffer from profound loneliness when kept without a species companion, boredom without sufficient cognitive stimulation, and physical frustration in small cages. Their loud vocalizations are natural communication, not a training problem. Feather destructive behavior, self-injury, and screaming are common welfare indicators in inadequately housed macaws.