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Need some advice about a Ara Macaw Parrot

A few weeks ago a parrot that, I later learned, is a Ara Macaw came to our house. During the day we have about 10-15 different varieties of birds visit us for some free food. But this bird stunned us because of her large size and beauty. (I can't download a pic becasue it is way too difficutl and time consuming to do.) At first I thought she was just another wild bird that comes and goes, but this bird stayed and was at the birdfeeder the next day. I went over to see if she would let me touch her and was surprised at how domesticated she seemed to be. This is the part where I tell you that I know nothing about birds except to put feed out and leave them alone. After a few days of this I decided to see if I could “capture” the bird and take her to a vet to see if she might be sick or something. The vet told us that she was in very good health, that she is was a Ara Macaw which is on a ‘watch list’ of some kind, but is not endangered or near extinction. And that she is a domesticated bird because the wings, toenails and beak have all been trimmed. He also told us that she can fly short distances, but not much more than that.

So here we are three weeks later and the bird is still with us. We do not cage her and if she wants to fly off somewhere she is free to go although we were told that she is unlikely to be able to survive in the wild. We have tried to find the owner by looking in the newspaper for lost pets, the internet, and put the word out to people around the area where we live that we have the bird but, no one has come forward. We feed the bird and she sleeps inside at night but, during the day she is outside on a perch not caged and not tethered and can fly off anytime she wants. In fact, she has flown off three times but comes back at night because I think she is scared of the night.

Today, representatives from the Corporación Autónoma Regional del Quindío (CRQ) came to our house and said that someone called their office to complain that we had an illegal bird in our house. I became very upset and told the representative to be careful of using threatening language without proof. I told her that the bird is not illegal because we never bought the bird, we do not cage the bird and the bird is free to come and go as she pleases like any other bird that comes to our house. I also told her that as I read the rules I can own such a bird if I get proper documentation, etc. but owning a Ara Macaw is not in itself illegal.

At the end the CRQ people told us that they would let us keep the bird for 30 more days (they would not tell me why) at which time they will have the police come for the bird and put it in a rehabilitation area for 7 months and set it free. I asked the CRQ representative if she had a clue of what she was saying. I told her that the bird is a 15 year old domesticated animal and if she lets it free the bird will die within a few days.

Does anyone in PBH have any ideas of what I can do to keep the bird from getting in the CRQ hands? Is it legal to own such a bird? Remember, I do not own it nor have I ever said I did. We only feed the animal because it is not able to fend for itself? I just do not trust that they know what they are doing. Also, I am concerned that if they take the bird and it dies soon after they will come to me and charge me with some kind of crime. I did tell the CRQ people that they will get no bird from me unless I am released from all liability. What else can I do? Is there any action or anything I can do to stop these people from sending the animal to a sure death? I told the CRQ rep when she left that I will not give her the bird unless I am given a release from any responsiblity becasue they will eventually kill the animal and I don't want them blaming me.

Also, I have heard some really bad stuff about CRQ and how incompetent they are. Here in Quindio they just spent 10 million pesos to rescue 2 monkeys who have since disappeared somewhere. Any truth to this? These people remind me of the US government child welfare people who bring the definition of incompetence to a new level.

By Rikito on Sep 21, 2009, 16:47 in Friendly Talkzone.

kenblanquito says on Sep 21, 2009, 17:37:

A rather more pleasant account to grace PBH than normal and I can understand your anxiety.
Good luck whatever you decide to do but at the moment you are feeding it and providing shelter, which is probably essential for the bird's continued existence outside of its usual environment. Chances are, bearing in mind its restricted ability to fly, it may well have been living very close to where you are!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rikito says on Sep 21, 2009, 17:47:

Thanks, I have to agree with you that as of late the postings in PBH have a very limited range of interest. But, whne you have moderators that either refuse to moderate on a consistent basis or 'make the rules as they go', you really cannot expect to much more.

...and so it goes

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lampltr says on Sep 21, 2009, 17:47:

Good for you Rikito...in the beginning of my reading I thought this may be from Bill due to where his finca is located jeje. I would network for a competent lawyer in your region (cannot be expensive), as I am willing to bet the CRQ morons would back off, but later they may be indicative....who knows. More power to you!!

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barrumundi says on Sep 22, 2009, 00:39:

Are CRQ going to take away all the other native birds you feed?

Maybe in 30 days the Macaws wing feathers will grow enough for it to fly further and it will be hangin out in the jungle with his friends during the day when the CRQ come to secuestro him?

Maybe some rebels (PBH rebels) will take him away to a safe house and the authorities will not know where he be?

http://poorbuthappy.com/yourthing/post/uploading-photos-for-dummies/

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barrumundi says on Sep 22, 2009, 00:52:

Maybe you bird is a hybrid and not actually a true native animal. Your bird has been a pet and may have been bred in captivity. Many people breed Macaws:

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/macaws/Miligold.php

Maybe the CRQ need to prove to you that this bird is actually a native?

http://poorbuthappy.com/yourthing/post/uploading-photos-for-dummies/

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Rikito says on Sep 22, 2009, 05:40:

I like this idea of having CRQ prove that the bird is native to the region. There are very few of these birds in Quindio with most being in the Amazon area. Look, I am not trying to usurpe the CRQ. They have a mission and they have the rule of law on their side. My concern is that they do not know what they are doing and the result of their action will be the birds death.

...and so it goes

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dguittar says on Sep 22, 2009, 07:04:

Is it this bird?

Asociación Armonía (BirdLife in Bolivia), with the support of American Bird Conservancy and World Land Trust-US, has created the world’s first protected area for the Critically Endangered Blue-throated Macaw Ara glaucogularis, a species with an estimated GLOBAL population of 300 individuals. The group purchased a 3,555 hectare ranch in the grasslands of eastern Bolivia, a site with 20 Blue-throated Macaws during the breeding season.

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Rikito says on Sep 22, 2009, 16:18:

No the bird that hangs around our house is a Ara Mcaw or the more frequent named Scarlet Mcaw. What makes the bird so prized in Colombia is that the colors of the bird are the same as the colors of Colombia.

...and so it goes

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TimH says on Sep 22, 2009, 18:43:

There are 2 macaws - different colours one blue one red that live in the ground of the Colegio Carlomagno which is on the main road from Armenia to Pereira just outside Armenia.

You might ask if a) they`re missing one or b) they want another

It´s better to be silent and thought a fool than open your mouth and prove the fact....

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