MAYA is a Blue & Gold Macaw. He came to live with us in 1983.  He was two years old at the time, and not very friendly.  When I saw him in the pet store, I was immediately drawn to him, and with his disposition not being all that kind, I was afraid that he may end up in home where he would be abused.  Needless to say, Maya came home with me, and since we have developed a wonderful relationship.  It was a relationship that was forged through pain, and I mean that literally.

In order to earn Maya's trust,  I had to establish that I was not afraid of him. I began by spending hours upon hours communicating with him vocally.

This went on for several hours, until my hands were full of holes and bleeding. Then finally, he reached out with his leg, climbed onto my arm, and inched his way to my shoulder, his beak moving toward my face.

I knew then that if I expected him to trust me, then I had to trust him in return. He licked my eyelid, my nose and my cheek... The battle was over, and the bond was at last forged.

Maya Half Moon at the age of 23.

Enjoying some quiet time with my buddy, 2004.





Maya, 2004

Macaws bond for life. When they are in captivity, if there are no other birds in the household, they will usually bond with One person only.  Maya has bonded with me, and though he will take an occasional peanut from someone else, he is very protective of me. If I am standing anywhere near the cage, he will usually lunge with his beak, at the other person.

Maya now allows me to scratch his chest, rub the feathers on the top of his head, and grab his beak and wrestle with him. He is now twenty-three years old, and he has been with us longer than any other companion. Macaws live to be into their sixties and seventies. Hopefully we shall have a long healthy relationship together.