Macaws are a large group of parrot species that are fairly large in size and can be quite challenging to care for properly. One of the most essential items for your macaw is a properly sized and sturdily built cage. Macaws have very powerful beaks and can quickly destroy cages designed for smaller birds and so you’ll need a specially made cage like the ones listed below if you want it to last.
Comparison of Macaw Cages
| Name | Image | Price | Material | Size |  Our Rating | Our Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signature Series - Silverado |  | Check Price | Wrought Iron | Large | 4.5/5 | Best Value |
| Mcage – Dometop Macaw Cage |  | Check Price | Wrought Iron | Large | 4/5 | |
| Heliconia Hideaway – Stainless Steel |  | Check Price | Stainless Steel | Large | 5/5 | Best Overall |
| A&E Cage – Double Flat Top Cage |  | Check Price | Stainless Steel | Extra Large | 4/5 | |
| King’s Cages – 9003628 Dometop |  | Check Price | Wrought Iron | Large | 3.5/5 |
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Macaw Cage Guide
To understand which is the best macaw cage, you need to consider the size of the cage, it’s build quality, what type of cage it is, pricing, and any additional features that are included.
Sizes of Macaws
Without looking at the various macaw species and their sizes it would be impossible to determine the right size cage to house them. Unlike other pet birds such as budgies or cockatiels, macaws do not come in a standard size. According to Animal-World.com, here is an example of some macaw species and their sizes to illustrate this fact.
- Hahn’s Macaw is about the size of a cockatiel, measuring about 12 inches (30 cm).
- Yellow-Collared Macaws grow to be about 15 inches (38 cm).
- Scarlet Macaws are striking in appearance and size, coming in at 33.5 inches (85 cm).
- Hyacinth Macaws are the largest of all parrots and grow to a length of 40 inches (1 m). These birds are usually kept in zoos or outdoor aviaries due to their size.
With such a wide range of sizes, there is not a particular size cage that will suit every macaw. It would certainly not be appropriate to house a Scarlet Macaw in the same enclosure as you would use for a Hahn’s Macaw. The cage must be sized for the specific species of macaw that you will be keeping. As a general rule – the bigger the cage, the better.
Macaw Cage Size
Let’s start at the top with the Hyacinth Macaw. This bird has a wingspan of nearly 4 feet (122 cm). In our detailed article on bird cage sizes here, the absolute minimum for a macaw of this size is a cage that is 4 foot long, 4 foot wide and 5 foot high. If looking for a macaw cage for two birds than you should either go for a specially designed double cage or choose a cage is x2 or x3 that of what a single bird requires. This at least lets the bird stretch out its wings to avoid muscle atrophy. Smaller species can have proportionally smaller cages, but the goal should be to obtain the largest cage you can for your bird. Because these cages tend to be so large, you should also consider the size of the room in your house you are going to house your birds as furniture may need to be rearranged.
Since Macaws also have very powerful beaks, you need to think about the the sizes of the bars on the cage to prevent them from being bent by your bird. A macaw cage should have bars that are at a minimum around 4mm in thickness. As for the spacing of the bars, a macaw cage should have at a maximum gaps of around 1″ to 1-1/4″. Though macaws will spend a good deal of time out of their cage, it still needs room for those times when it’s inside. To see an example of what a blue and gold macaw will look like in comparison to the size of it’s cage, watch the video below:
What to look for in Bird Cages for Macaws?
As stated previously, many macaws are large and powerful birds. They are also very intelligent. This combination of factors can make it extremely challenging to provide a safe and roomy cage. You may well have to devote a substantial portion of a room if not its entirety to housing your macaw.
According to the book ”A Guide to Parrots of the World”, these are some of the characteristics of macaws that you should be aware of when choosing a cage and its placement. They may help determine the right cage or steer you away from inadequate housing for your bird.
- Constructed with the right material – Macaws have the strongest beaks in the parrot world and can easily take apart a cage that would securely hold other large birds. Besides the size of the cage, its strength is the most important factor if you are going to keep a macaw. Stainless steel is the recommended material in a macaw cage and with wrought iron being the next best material. Whatever type of metal is used, the construction must be sturdy enough to withstand your bird’s beak. Bar spacing should be 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) with a 1/4 inch (.63 cm) diameter. This spacing will encourage your bird to climb about its cage as well providing a cage that is hard to chew apart.
- Extra space for toys and accessories – Provide your bird with a variety of chewable wood toys to keep its beak in good shape. The cage you buy should allow you to easily hang toys for your bird. You also want to use strong food and water dishes. Stainless steel is again the material of choice to prevent your birds from destroying their bowls.
- Seed and mess guards – Large birds can make a big mess and you should choose a cage that can be easily cleaned and it’s beneficial if the cage has a seed guard. You also want to keep it where food debris thrown out of the cage will not damage your possessions.
- Wheels for moving – A large macaw demands a large cage and if it is constructed out of quality materials it will be heavy and difficult to move without wheels. Make sure that your cage has quality wheels so you can easily move it about your home when needed.
5 Best Macaw Cage Reviews
Now that we have some general guidelines for purchasing a macaw cage, let’s review some of the 5 best options available.
1. Signature Series – Silverado Macaw Cage Review
Our Rating
4.5 out of 5
- Thick, sturdy and hard for your macaws to bend with their beaks.
- Plenty of space for most sized macaws.
- Comes with a large and thick perch which the ideal size for macaw feet.
- Seed guard offers mess protection for your floor.
- Easy to move around your room with smooth castor wheels.
- Some user have reported delivery issues.
The Silverado cage is from Prevue Hendryx’s special “Signature Series” range, which consists of premium cages aimed at larger sized birds. Because of this, the cage has 9 gauge wrought iron bars which are thick enough to prevent your macaws from bending them. The dome top design at the top of the cage also provides extra room for your birds to fly and for toys/accessories to be hung from.
Stainless steel feeding/watering cups are provided with the cage, and stainless steel is needed since it is a bird safe metal which your macaws cannot chew. These cups also have easy to access miniature doors which makes topping them up easy. There’s a seed guard which will catch any waste that your birds might throw (which is common with macaws). The cage comes with flathead hex bolts which are harder from your birds to unscrew than normal bolts and nuts.
In terms of size, there is plenty and this will be able to host almost all sized macaws. Only the largest species of macaws might require you to purchase a bigger sized cage.
Our Rating
4.5 out of 5
^ Return to comparisons at the top
2. Mcage – Dome Top Macaw Cage Review
Our Rating
4 out of 5
- Well designed and lockable feeding trays help to prevent mess.
- Large bar spacing stops birds from clamping the bars.
- Very spacious but also easy to set up.
- Looks good and has a nice layer of podwer coated paint.
- Some users have reported minor issues with rust which can be easily remedied with a lick of paint.
The Mcage Dome Top macaw cage provides plenty of space for your macaws to stretch their wings which will help to keep your bird happpy and healthy. The cage comes with a well designed lock that is specially made to prevent the escape of smart parrots – plus it’s very simple for a human to use as well. The feeding trays also come with a bird lock on them which helps to prevent mess because your bird cannot throw their feeding trays around.
The full 1 inch bar spacing makes it more difficult for macaws to bend the bars together because of the spacing length. Aesthetically, the cage is also very pleasing on the eye and so it will look good in your bird room. Overall, this is a straightforward and well designed cage.
Our Rating
4 out of 5
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3. Heliconia Hideaway from BirdCages4Less Review
- Made from stainless steel so it’s well built, strong, lightweight and sturdy.
- Easy to assemble. No tools needed.
- Easy to move around your house smooth sliding wheels.
- Storage area for additional items.
- Feeding trays can be externally installed if you choose.
- As with other cages of this size, bar spacing may be too big for smaller sized parrots.
This is the best macaw cage of the group that we reviewed because of the quality of the craftsmanship and materials used. Made from medical grade steel, the cage contains all of the features you’d need for larger birds. Plus stainless steel is strong, durable, long lasting and rust resistant. Additional feeding and watering cups are also available for this cage as well.
This will be out of the budget for most bird owners, but many professional and long term large parrot owners understand the benefits of investing in a stainless steel cage that will last the lifetime of them and their bird. This cage from BirdCages4Less is a bigger version of a similar cage called the Java Hut (also from the same manufacturer).
If you need something that’s sturdy, lightweight and will last you the life of your macaw then go with this cage.
Our Rating
5 out of 5
^ Return to comparisons at the top
4. A&E Cage – Flat Top Double Macaw Cage Review
Our Rating
4 out of 5
- Very spacious and will happily accommodate even the largest of pet macaws.
- Made from high quality stainless steel – the best material a cage can be made from.
- Removable central divider allows you seperate birds or just create one huge cage.
- Essentially you’re getting 2 bird cages.
- Massive access doors.
- This cage is priced out the range of most people’s budgets.
Now here’s a cage you can buy if your really want to treat your bird to a palatial home. This is a double macaw cage which comes with a central divider to either seperate birds or allow them to mix in one huge cage. It’s ideal for breeding macaws or keeping several of them together. Plus the nest doors at the top of the cage are an ideal egg laying/nesting box location.
Each side of the cage also comes with all of the standard features that you would expect on a single cage. Additionally, this cage is made from medical grade stainless steel so it is very strong and bird safe. The one major downside for this cage is that it is simply too expensive for the budget of most macaw owners – otherwise we’d simply recommend everyone to choose this cage.
Our Rating
4 out of 5
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5. King’s Cages – 9003628 Dometop Macaw Cage Review
Our Rating
3.5 out of 5
- Top-notch, powder-coated paint job on the cage.
- High quality craftsmenship as would be expected from a premium brand such as Kings.
- Available in a range of different cage colors (white, black/silver, coppertone).
- Large seed guard well help to prevent waste.
- The largest, super sized species of macaws may require a slightly bigger cage.
- Some users have complained about the poor locations of the feeding and watering bowls.
Kings Cages are known to produce high quality cages aimed at the top end of the market and this cage certainly suits that criteria. Unlike other cages in this range, this cage is available in a variety of different colors to match the look of your room. It comes with high quality castor wheels which make moving the cage easy as well.
A nice bonus to this cage is that it has a door for a breeder box. There are also plenty of swing out doors that can be quickly topped up. A very high quality powder coated finish is applied to all of these cages and this helps to prevent rust and ensures the cage has a long lasting life.
Our Rating
3.5 out of 5
^ Return to comparisons at the top
Loading ...Your Decision
Because macaws are larger and have more powerful beaks than most birds, you need to buy a specialist cage when owning one. Factors to consider include the strength of the materials used, how thick the bars are, the size of the cage and of course the price point. After looking at these factors we decided that the Heliconia Hideaway from BirdCages4Less was the best macaw cage available.
Here again are the top 5 best macaw cage options:
- Signature Series – Silverado
- Mcage – Dome Top Macaw Cage
- Heliconia Hideaway from BirdCages4Less
- A&E Cage – Flat Top Double Cage
- King’s Cages – 9003628
If you’re on a tighter budget but then our “value for money” recommendation would be the Silverado from Prevue Hendryx.
Further Reading
If you found this useful then you might want to check out our more guide to the best bird cages for all bird species in general and not macaws. Plus also check out our individual macaw species guides using the list below:
