Macaws are powerful, active parrots that need generous width, height and depth. Choose the largest safe enclosure your room allows, with space to climb, turn, stretch both wings and move between perches without the tail touching bars.
How large should a macaw cage be?
Prioritise width and usable interior space over height alone. A cage around 120 cm wide is a sensible starting point for many large macaws, but bigger is better and daily supervised out-of-cage time remains important. Measure doors, stairs and delivery access before ordering.
Bar spacing and wire strength
Spacing must prevent the head passing through. Large macaws generally need strong bars around 2.5–3 cm apart, checked against the individual bird and manufacturer guidance. Look for substantial wire, secure welds, robust locks, an easy-clean tray and, where useful, a removable divider.
Castello II or Liberta Endeavor?
The Rainforest Castello II is a spacious, dividable option for macaws, with strong bars, seed catchers and castors. The Liberta Endeavor offers a wide area, removable divider, 5 mm wire, 2 cm spacing, seed catcher, castors and stainless bowls. Compare dimensions, door size and bar specification with your bird before buying.
Furnishing checklist
- Use natural perches of varied diameters and leave clear climbing space.
- Do not overcrowd the cage; use bird-safe toys and stainless bowls.
- Position it away from draughts and inspect bars, welds, castors and locks regularly.
UK size and bar-spacing checklist
Use this checklist before you buy a macaw cage in the UK. Treat the numbers as a practical floor — go larger when your room and budget allow.
- Width first: start around 120 cm wide for many large macaws; prioritise footprint over a tall, narrow tower.
- Bar spacing: about 2.5–3 cm for large macaws (model-specific — always match the bird and manufacturer guidance).
- Wire strength: heavy gauge (often around 4–5 mm on serious large cages) resists strong beaks better than light pet-shop cages.
- Doors and cleaning: large front access, pull-out tray/grille, seed catcher, robust locks and stable castors.
- Layout: room for mixed-diameter natural perches, macaw-rated toys and separate food/water stations without crowding.
- Room fit: measure doorways, stair turns and final floor footprint (including seed-catcher overhang). Large cages often ship on pallet.
Species bands for other birds are on our bird cage size guide. For Grey-sized birds see the African Grey cage size guide UK.
Compare: Castello II, Endeavor and Rainforest
This page is about size and spacing. Two of the strongest large options we sell for macaw-sized birds:
- Rainforest Castello II — large dividable cage, approx. 162 × 81 × 185 cm, 2.5 cm bar spacing, seed catchers and castors
- Liberta Endeavor — large dividable cage (local delivery), approx. 178 × 81 × 180 cm, 2 cm bar spacing, 5 mm wire
For a space-saving corner footprint when volume and ~2 cm bars still suit a large parrot, compare the Rainforest Toronto II and the corner parrot cages buying guide. Brand-level Rainforest notes are in the Rainforest parrot cages UK guide, then browse the full parrot cages range.
FAQs
What size cage does a macaw need in the UK?
Prioritise width and usable interior space. Around 120 cm wide is a sensible starting point for many large macaws, but bigger is better when the room allows. The bird should climb, turn and stretch without the tail rubbing the bars.
What bar spacing is safe for a macaw?
Large macaws generally need strong bars around 2.5–3 cm apart. Always check the listing and your individual bird — spacing that is too wide risks head entrapment.
Castello II or Liberta Endeavor for a macaw?
Both are large dividable cages. Compare footprint, bar spacing (Castello ~2.5 cm; Endeavor ~2 cm), wire strength and whether local pallet delivery suits your postcode. Email species and room measurements if you want a fit check.
Can out-of-cage time replace a bigger cage?
No. Daily supervised out-of-cage time matters for macaw welfare, but the cage remains the safe base and still needs proper interior space and enrichment.
Is a corner cage OK for a macaw?
Yes, if overall size, bar spacing and wire strength are suitable. Measure the corner including door swing and seed-catcher overhang. The Toronto II is a common space-saver to compare against full double-width cages.
For UK cage advice, contact oliver@htmlstudio.co.uk.
