Hyacinth macaw The “Blue Macaw, Hyacinth macaw” is an original parrot (Central and Eastern South America). With a height of 100 cm, it is considered the longest than any other species of parrot.
The hyacinth macaw, or hyacinthine macaw, more commonly called the “Blue macaw” is a parrot native to central and eastern South America. With a length of about 100 cm, it is longer than any other species of parrot.
Cobalt blue throughout, more violet on wings; undersides of flight-feathers and tail grey; bare orbital ring and strip at the base of lower mandible yellow. Immature has a shorter tail and paler bare skin.
Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus
| Reign | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Branch | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Psittacidae |
| Kind | Anodorhynchus |
Species
( Latham, 1790 )
IUCN conservation status
VU: Vulnerable
The Hyacinth Macaw ( Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus ) is a species of bird belonging to the family of Psittacidae.
Systematics History
Populations in S of the range have been separated as race maximiliani, but differences from others minute and clinal. Monotypic.
Hyacinth macaw Description
The Hyacinth Macaw’s plumage is cobalt-blue, with a bare yellow area around the eye and lower jaw of the beak; the blue is slightly darker on the wings; the underside of the tail and the wings are blackish.
Its iris is dark brown, and its legs dark gray. Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus has a very powerful voice. It is a hardy species once well acclimatized.
It is the largest of all psittacines, its size reaches 1 meter in adulthood.
Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) Physical description
It is a large splendid parrot and dazzlingly imposing, its plumage is cobalt blue; the areas around the eye as well as the lower beak are yellow, the blue becomes darker on the wings which gives it a superb color gradient,
by observing this bird you can see the blackish color of the underside of the wings; the black bill is incredibly powerful. The iris is dark brown and the legs are dark.
Hyacinth macaw size
Hyacinth Macaw Habitat
The hyacinth macaw lives mainly in Brazil: Cerrado, Pantanal, and neighboring regions of Bolivia and Paraguay.
The large parrots can still be found in three areas of Brazil. One population lives in eastern Amazonia, along the Rio Xingu, Rio Tapajós, and Tocantins rivers, and another is native to the Cerrado region.
However, the world’s largest population is found in the Pantanal wetlands, in the Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul area.
Hyacinth macaws prefer landscapes similar to lowland forest, called várzeas, as well as savannas and rainforest fringes
Distribution
Apparently isolated populations from NC to SC Brazil, ranging into extreme E Bolivia and NW Paraguay; formerly present in Amapá (N Brazil), and possibly still so.
Movement
Seasonal displacements over large distances are strongly indicated by fragmentary evidence from Lower Amazon, apparently geared to plant phenology.
Hyacinth Macaw Food
Hyacinth Macaw feeds on Brazil nuts, palm nuts, and other various nuts, unshelled peanuts, fresh fruits, and greens.
As food specialists, Hyacinth Macaws feed almost exclusively on the hard seeds of some endemic palm trees, such as Attalea and the Macauba palm.
These are easily cracked with the help of a strong beak. The hyacinth macaw feeds mainly in trees, but it also picks up fallen fruit and nuts from the ground. It searches for food in the morning and evening hours.
Reproduction
They are sociable birds and live in small family groups consisting of several pairs and they’re young.
Hyacinth macaws are monogamous and stay together for life. Between July and December, the breeding pairs nest in large tree cavities, particularly of Mandovi trees or stink trees.
The clutch usually consists of two eggs, but usually, only one chick fledges. During the incubation period, which lasts 28 to 30 days, nearly one in four eggs (24 percent) fall victim to nest predators.
After hatching, the nestlings, which are born naked and blind, remain in the nest for about 107 days. The complete separation from the parents occurs only after 12 to 18 months.
During the entire breeding season, the female is solely responsible for the clutch, while the male looks after the foraging. The juveniles reach sexual maturity at the age of three.
Jul–Dec. Nest in a hole in a tree in lower Amazon and Pantanal, usually one of only three species in latter (and chiefly Sterculia apetala), since only these reach sufficient size; otherwise dead palm trees and stubs commonly provide sites;
in NE Brazil nests in the cliff. Eggs 2, sometimes 3; incubation 27–30 days; chicks have initial down whitish, secondary down greyish brown; nestling period generally 105–110 days. Usually only one young fledges, although success appears to vary between years.
Hyacinth Macaw Baby
Hyacinth macaw Breeding
This parrot is relatively rare inbreeding and is also becoming so in its natural state: in a few decades, it has fallen from 100,000 to less than 2,000 and is the subject of a captive multiplication program.
He lives in the rainforest and often stays far from cities. Also called the Great Blue Macaw, it is subject to trade, hunting, and poaching, which has reduced its population.
Several programs are underway to try to preserve the species and the population of Hyacinth Macaws. It is hunted for its feathers which are used in particular to make hats.
Hyacinth macaw for adoption
SOURCE:MARLENE MC’COHEN
Hyacinth macaw lifespan
Life expectancy for hyacinth macaw is up to 90 years in captivity and around 25 years in the wild.
Hyacinth macaw Pet
Europe authorizes the sale of young people born in captivity and from the second generation. It is a good thing to stem the importation of wild birds, but these will be excluded from any breeding.
The dietary requirements of the hyacinth are very specific: it feeds mainly on the fruits of a variety of oil palm. This diet is supplemented with berries and fruits. Because of this specificity, the survival of the hyacinth depends on the integrity of its habitat.
The last macaw of Spix (“cousin” of the hyacinth) died in the year 2000. All the specialists of the Psittacidae agree that the hyacinth will be one of the next macaws on the list of extinct species.
We took these photos at the Biodôme in Montreal. All the animals presented in this place were born in captivity.
The hyacinth macaw lives on an immense territory in sparse groups. The Pantanal region appears to be that which still shelters a significant population of “hyacinth”.
This flooded region is protected from cultivation, but its subsoil is very rich in minerals … and water from the Pantanal is pumped to water other regions during the dry season.
According to an article published in “PsittaScene” (n ° 52, August 2002), the wild population is estimated at 5000 individuals, and the protection actions carried out since 1987 have paid off. However, its natural habitat is still very threatened.
Hyacinth macaw Care
Care should be taken because before looking for a breeder, check with animal rescue organizations and adoption agencies to see whether a bird has been abandoned by someone unable to care for it. Beyond that, macaws are not commonly sold in pet stores, so look for a breeder who specializes in this specimen.