Hyacinthine Macaw aka Blue Macaw, Hyacinth Macaw, Hyacinth, Hyacinthine, Hyazinthara
Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus
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Hyacinthine Macaws (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) are truly impressive parrots. They are the largest parrot species of all - averaging up to 1 meter (40 inches) in length and weighing in at 1200 to 1450 g. Although, the flightless Kakapo of New Zealand can weigh up to 3.5kg - making it the heaviest parrot.
They are native to Southern Brazil, Westernmost Bolivia and Santa Cruz. The popularity of the hyacinthines as pets has taken a heavy toll on their population in the wild. They are now endangered in their natural habitat and every effort should be made to place captive breeding-age macaws into a well-managed breeding program, as the success will dictate as to whether or not we will be able to enjoy this parrot in the future.
Description:
The Hyacinth Macaw is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species in the world. Their unique size, color, and markings make the Hyacinth Macaw one of the most recognized species of macaw.
These birds grow to a total length of 100 cm and weigh 1.4-1.7 kg. The wingspan is 130-150 cm. They have a beak pressure that can easily disassemble the bars of a welded wrought iron cage in a short time.
The Hyacinth Macaw has a solid blue body of feathers, similar to the color of indigo. It has a solid black beak with bright yellow along the sides of the lower part of the beak and circling its solid dark eyes. Unlike other species of macaw, it does not have a white patch of featherless skin around the eye. The female and male are nearly indistinguishable, although the female is typically a bit more slender.
Diet:
This powerful beak is ideal for its favorite foods, which include hard nuts and seeds that would otherwise be inaccessible. Their strong beaks are even able to crack coconuts. In addition, they eat fruits and other vegetable matter. There are eight species of palm that are central to their diet. They are generally messy eaters.
Breeding
These birds nest in preexisting holes in trees. The clutch size is one or two eggs, although usually only one fledgling survives as the second egg hatches several days after the first, and the smaller fledgling cannot compete with the first born for food. Juveniles stay with their parents until they are six months old. They are mature and begin breeding at seven years.
Distribution:
The Hyacinth Macaw survives today in three known distinct populations in South America: southern Brazil, eastern Bolivia and northeastern Paraguay. It is possible that smaller, fragmented populations occur in other areas of its range. Its habitat includes riverside tropical rain forests and palm swamps.
Hyacinthe Macaw as Pet
I had the pleasure of spending one week with one of these "gentle giants" while working at a less-than-stellar rescue organization. This is a LOT of bird to handle. It truly is. The weight of this parrot on your arms alone is quite significant. But they are truly awesome. This was an absolutely striking-looking parrot, with a somewhat mischievous and curious personality. I found him to be far less destructive and noisy than some of the other macaw species. He actually was pretty well behaved. He didn't chase the other birds (who knew he was the boss anyhow and I could leave him roaming around without him getting into too much trouble. This being said, their beaks are STRONG and should be respected. He can bite through electric wiring in a second and cause serious damage to your hand. The area really needs to be bird proofed before introducing him into it. Training a hyacinthe macaw is even more crucial than for the smaller birds. Believe me, you don't want to have a hyacinthe macaw with a bad attitude.
I remember being careful the first couple of days as I was respectful of his enormous beak, but as he was rather gentle and playful my worries for the most part dissipated - although I don't remember a moment when I let my guard completely down. His beak was very strong and it didn't take a lot of effort on his part to crack the hardest of shells. Although, I wasn't too concerned about viciousness as much as accidentally getting my finger in the wrong place at the wrong time :-) ...
This truly is an awe-inspiring, impressive bird that deserves respect and commitment to provide this special being with the most interesting, high-quality life possible approximating that it would have enjoyed in its natural habitat. Special accommodations (a fun, well-equipped bird room with an outside enclosure) is really recommended for this large parrot. The fact that there are only very few left of these parrots in the wild is a devastating fact and my hope is that captive breeding programs in zoos and private aviaries will maintain this species for our descendants to enjoy.
Below is some more information to consider:
Bird experts often advise those interested in obtaining a macaw as a pet to educate themselves extensively about these birds prior to obtaining one, as these animals require more attention than a dog or cat and they are not considered domesticated animals by the official definition. Also, one should consider the bird's endangered status before choosing to own one, as international trade in these birds is illegal; in the U.S. trade of domestic Hyacinth Macaws is generally legal with restrictions varying by locality.
The Hyacinth Macaw is considered an endangered species due to overcollection for the cage bird trade and by the use of their feathers by the Kayapo Indians of Gorotire in southern Brazil. These Indians use the feathers to make headdresses and other baubles for the tourist trade. Also, alike many other animals, their habitat is being reduced by development. Annual grass fires set by gauchos can destroy nest trees. (Adapted from Source: Wikipedia.org)
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
Macaw ownership generally presents multiple challenges, such as excessive chewing - especially at certain stages in their life. They do discover their beaks as method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage" and they can generally be somewhat naughty, and it really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. Undisciplined macaws will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires.
They regard anything in your home as a "toy" that can be explored and chewed on; destroying items that you may hold dear or are simply valuable. Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation. Not everybody can tolerate the natural loud call of a macaw and even though it can't (or should not) be entirely eliminated, there are ways to discourage screaming / screeching in your pet macaw.
Overall, it is important to guide parrot behavior, but even more so if your feathered family member is a magnificent and powerful macaw.
- AvianWeb Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training. If you found a way to resolve a "parrot behavioral issue" please share it with others.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
If you are considering one of these magnificent parrots as pets, please visit the following websites for information:
- Macaw General Information
- Procuring your Parrot
- BREEDERS:
- NY City: Birds New York - a private aviary located in New York City.
- Recommended Breeders
- Do you breed this species and would like to be listed? Click here to see your options.
- BREEDERS:
- The 3 Key Elements to Keep Your Pet Bird Happy & Healthy
- Housing Your Bird
- Bird Nutrition
- Parrot Products
Taxonomy:
Genus: Scientific: Anodorhynchus ... English: Blue Macaws ... Dutch: Blauwe Aras ... German: Blauaras ... French: Aras bleu
Species: Scientific: Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus ... English: Hyacinth Macaw, Blue Macaw ... Dutch: Hyacinthara ... German: Hyazinthara ... French: Ara hyacinthine
CITES I - Protected Species
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with the AvianWeb visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the AvianWeb Webmaster.
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