Hyacinth Macaw

Hyacinth Macaw

The hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), or hyacinthine macaw, is a parrot native to central and eastern South America. With a length (from the top of its head to the tip of its long pointed tail) of about 100 cm (3.3 ft) it is longer than any other species of parrot. It is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species, though the flightless kakapo of New Zealand can outweigh it at up to 3.5 kg. While generally easily recognized, it can be confused with the far rarer and smaller Lear's macaw. Habitat loss and the trapping of wild birds for the pet trade have taken a heavy toll on their population in the wild, so the species is classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, and it is protected by its listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The largest parrot by length in the world, the hyacinth macaw is 100 cm (3.3 ft) long from the tip of its tail to the top of its head and weighs 1.2–1.7 kg (2.6–3.7 lb). Each wing is 388–425 mm (15.3–16.7 in) long. The tail is long and pointed. Its feathers are entirely blue, lighter above. However, the neck feathers can sometimes be slightly grey.

Native Region / Natural Habitat

The hyacinth macaw lives primarily in the scrublands at the outskirts of the rainforest, though its large range also includes grasslands and lightly forested regions. It is an endangered species – there are an estimated 2500-5000 Hyacinth macaws left in the wild today. Destruction of their environment, hunting for feathers and food, and illegal poaching for the pet trade have contributed to the Hyacinth’s declining numbers. Eggs and nestlings have some natural predators as well.

The hyacinth macaw is part of many conservation programs: the Species Survival Plan, which helps to ensure the survival of select species, and the World Wildlife Fund-Brazil, which has had their Hyacinth Macaw Project going for 10 years, monitoring hyacinth macaws, setting up artificial nests, and working with local land owners to protect the species, are among them.

Another reason why these birds are so rare, both in the wild and in the pet trade, is because they develop much more slowly than companion birds. Babies fledge (leave the nest) at about 13 weeks, but they don’t become fully functioning adults for another six months. Breeding age begins at about 7 years of age. These birds can live to be more than 60 years old if cared for properly.

Personality & Behavior

Often called a “gentle giant” the hyacinth macaw is indeed affectionate, but gentle it is not. Hyacinths subdue very easily, but they tend to want to play rough with other hyacinth macaws, and with their “person.” Its beak carries over 200 pounds of pressure per square inch – that means that it could snap a broomstick in half with one crunch. Even a very tame hyacinth macaw can still be nippy (if you could call that big beak nippy), but that is usually playful behavior. Because its beak is so intimidating, this bird is best kept by a person who is not daunted by the thought of being bitten — there’s no guarantee, even with the tamest bird, that the occasional bite will not happen.

Speech & Sounds

If you have close neighbors, you may want to reconsider getting a hyacinth macaw. This bird is extremely loud and prone to screeching. One hyacinth might not be so annoying to neighbors, but a pair will pump up the volume. Also, a loud hyacinth macaw can call the attention of bird-nappers looking to sell such an expensive bird, so make sure to keep your birds safe from potential theft.

Hyacinth macaws are not the best talkers among the macaws, but they will learn a few favorite words and phrases and repeat them over and over. These birds are highly intelligent, and may learn to contextualize certain words as well.

Care & Feeding

The right owner for a hyacinth macaw is someone who has either kept many birds successfully before, or someone who has done a lot of research, has consulted the experts, and knows exactly what they’re getting into. Still, the Hyacinth is not a great first bird simply because it can be a handful.

Hyacinth macaws need a very specific diet. In the wild this bird’s diet consists almost wholly of palm nuts from two specific types of palm tress. Hyacinths harvest the nuts from the trees in the wild, though the bird also has a very characteristic way of finding the nuts already stripped of their tough, fibrous outer coating: Hyacinths forage in cattle lands looking for dung containing the nuts, which are indigestible to the cattle, but easier for the hyacinth to open — the cow has done most of the work. The hyacinth macaw’s diet is very high in fat, and though you may not be able to find palm nuts (especially those predigested by cattle!), you can substitute Brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds, macadamias, coconut, pistachios and cashews.

You will probably never see an obese hyacinth macaw — they seem to metabolize fat very easily and, in fact, need to be encouraged to eat anything else, such as fruits and vegetables, which should be fed daily. Of course, a good seed and pellets based diet can be offered as well.

This large bird needs an exceptionally large housing area. Be willing to devote a large part of their home to this bird. A “regular” cage isn’t appropriate in this case. Not only are most commercial cages too small, the hyacinth macaw can easily break out of them. A custom cage or one of the very largest commercial cages would do, though a full room, patio or other safely enclosed, bird-proofed area is better. All birds benefit from flying, and this bird will need a lot of room if it’s going to enjoy this important exercise. Even a hyacinth macaw with trimmed wing feathers needs plenty of room to flap and clamber around.

Hyacinths can be very destructive and need lots of wooden toys and branches to chew. A sturdy play gym is a must, though even the sturdiest commercially built play gyms will have a hard time withstanding the hyacinth’s strong beak. Large, safe, replaceable play trees are a good bet, too.

This bird, like all parrots, needs a lot of free time daily to play with its humans or just hang out. It is a social bird, usually seen in pairs or in small groups in the wild. They are not “loners,” and will languish without company. Also, confined hyacinth will become cranky and neurotic, and can begin to self-mutilate and scream excessively. They will get along with other birds, particularly New World parrots, but individuals should be introduced early.

Health & Common Conditions

Hyacinth macaws are especially prone to overgrown beaks and need a steady supply of safe items to chew. As with other macaw species, hyacinth macaws are susceptible to proventricular dilatation disease (“Macaw Wasting Disease”), psittacosis and papillomas.  A diet catering to a hyacinth macaw’s special needs as well as regular health exams is key to maintaining good health.