The Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) also known as the blue-and-gold macaw, is a large South American parrot with mostly blue top parts and light orange underparts, with gradient hues of green on top of its head. It is a member of the large group of neotropical parrots known as macaws. It inhabits forest (especially varzea, but also in open sections of terra firme or unflooded forest), woodland and savannah of tropical South America. They are popular in aviculture because of their striking color, ability to talk, ready availability in the marketplace, and close bonding to humans.
They are a very popular pet and many people love their exotic, flashy colors. They spend most of the time in the canopy eating fruits, leaves, and nuts. Their large beaks are designed to strip berries off of branches, crack huge nuts, and even grip the tree bark. They have zygodactyl feet, meaning they have 2 toes facing forward, and 2 toes facing backwards to they can walk around through the canopy without slipping. Their diet, like most macaws, contains high levels of poisons if eaten enough, so to aid digestion they'll often flock to clay walls. Clay walls are usually largely exposed riverbank walls with lots of clay. The clay contains high levels of salt that act as a natural antibiotic, helping to neutralize the poisons.