Macaw: The big parrot that eats clay as an antidote

The macaw is the most dazzling bird of the Central and South American rainforest: vivid feathers set off by a big beak that can crack hard shells make it look both splendid and strong. It also has a surprising habit — flying to a riverbank to eat earth. Let's meet it.

Its body

A macaw can measure 60 to 100 centimetres, making it a large parrot. Its most powerful tool is its strong beak, able to crack hard palm nuts. Its feathers are brilliantly coloured in different combinations of red, blue, yellow and green, each species with its own look. Its flexible feet can grasp food almost like hands.

Why it eats clay

Macaws love palm nuts, but the seeds inside carry toxins. To neutralise them, flocks fly to riverside "clay licks" and peck at the earth — the clay works like a built-in antidote, helping to buffer the poison. It is one of the rainforest's most spectacular sights.

Its life and its family

Macaws usually pair for years, and partners sing matching "duets" — one calling, the other answering. They are very clever, and when grabbing food they favour a particular foot, left or right, much as people are left- or right-handed. They feed mainly on fruit, seeds and nuts, and play an important role in the rainforest by dispersing seeds.

A note for grown-ups

You could look with a child for how many colours a macaw has, then talk about why it eats earth — to neutralise poison. Showing a child that animals find their own ways to solve bodily problems is a fascinating lesson.