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I have been baby sitting this macaw for years and this time her behavior is different.
She has laid a few eggs and her owner thinks she was about to lay another just before she came over. So she took her to the vet who gave her a shot just before I got her. She used to be out of the cage most of the time and was friendly on previous visits. This time she stays in the cage just about all the time (I can bribe her out with a nut in a toy) and lunges at me when I walk by, in or out of the cage. The first night she was here she was out and flying and being her normal self but not since then.
Might this be the hormones she got? It has been a couple of weeks.

Lee

Lee,

Do you know how old this bird is?

I know many people on here will chime in and tell me I am wrong, it has happened in the past but I'll post again since none of these "so-called" experts has attempted an answer of yet. And I am only answering as a Sociologist (BA University of California- Berkeley) but I have an extensive background in aviculture, which the two will never intersect.

Again birds (hatched) enter this world "WILD" and it doesn't matter how many generations that family has been caged and reproduce since leaving their natural homeland (country) They will NEVER be domesticated like a cat or dog. It is only through hand feeding and other interaction by breeders that this "wild" bird can be handled. This is not the act of "taming" it is only an "understanding" between wild bird and human. Some of us find extraordinary training techniques a form of cruelty and others find it cute (like animals in a circus)

Now with that said I can answer your question about hormones and introduction into avian species. Which again I am against, but that is my opinion. So in order to study hormonal effects on behavior modification you need a baseline of which avian species can not produce because they are not like HUMANS or domesticated (as in cats and dogs) The only major study on animals and hormones were conducted as a bi-product of introducing flea collars to see the effect (adverse or otherwise) of this chemical.

Lab tests were evaluated upon hormonal introduction to chickens in order to produce more eggs, and conversely the opposite of this study has been used (not mainstream) to stop egg production. But all of this was not intended for the caged bird population as a form of birth control, but rather a bi-product of farm chemical management. So you see why I am against this application of avian medicine to a higher species of avian population.

More on this if you want to write to Dr. Scott McDonald at: DrSEMcD@aol.com or visit his web page scottemcdonald.com

In summation if someone tells you they can predict the behavior of a avian species, they are doing one or more of the following 1) asking you for money by trying to sell you a book or program 2) speaking about things that have no science as a base 3) wishful thinking 4) talking to hear themselves speak (or write as in the internet) 5) repeating rumor. Always look at the formal education of this individual to see if in fact the expertise is there before you buy a book or head down this road. You might be encouraging this type of behavior.

The only way to study changes in behavior with a wild bird is to make notes on that bird itself. Apply these tendencies to future actions if they are so warranted. Stick with the mainstream science when you are handling avian species of caged birds because in the long run this has been found to be the best case scenario. Don't go to a poultry veterinarian with your Macaw because you will not like the results. Only seek competent advice from an Experienced Avian Veterinarian hopefully one with accreditation through the AAV- American Avian Veterinarian Association (of which this site is a major sponsor)

Dutch

I forget her exact age but it is between 13 and 15.

Dutch, what you say is right however I was hoping for some anecdotal evidence from someone who had a similar experience. That was about all I could hope for. I assume others have birds that lay eggs and would notice behavior changes. If you get enough experience together you can start to make assumptions. It took Goodall years but between us we have years of experience which though is not the same, is close enough.

Lee