My cousin mentioned a pair of birds up for sale in the
Parrot Society magazine a few days ago to see if they took my fancy. A pair of Hyacinth Macaws, she told me. Now not only do I know I have nowhere near
enough room for these sizeable birds, I certainly don’t have the £30,000 funds
for the price tag. Nonetheless, in the
spirit of ‘what if’ I decided to do a little research on these massive macaws
and here is what I found.
Meet the Hyacinth
Macaw
The Hyacinth Macaw (Latin: Andorhynchus hyacinthinus) hails
from central and eastern South America.
It is the largest of the macaws at around 100cm from head to tip of
tail, around 3.3ft which also makes it the largest flying species of
parrot. It is currently listed as an
Endangered Species on the IUCN’s Red List and is also an Appendix I species on
CITES.
As well as being the largest of the parrots, the Hyacinth is
one of the weightiest at around 1.2-1.7kg with only the ground-dwelling Kea
from New Zealand being heavier. The bird’s
feathers are blue with lighter feathres above the wings and darker below. It has a typical curved beak which is black
and a lappet of yellow skin on either side of its face by the beak, as well as
around the eye. Birds cannot be sexed
visually.
There are three main places that have populations of
Hyacinths; Pantanal region of Brazil and the adjacent areas of Bolivia and
north-east Paraguay; the Cerrado region of Brazil and areas nearby associated
with the Tocatins River and the Marajo island in the Amazon Basin area. They tend to live in palm swamps, woodland
and other semi-open wooded areas, avoiding the denser forests.
The two main threats to the wild populations of Hyacinths
are capture for the illegal bird trade and habitat loss. Much of the favoured habitat of the bird has
been radically altered by the introduction of cattle ranching, mechanised
agriculture methods and even hydroelectric schemes. Also the practise of annual fires used by farmers
means much of their old habitats are no longer suitable for them. As a result the bird is now protected by law
in Brazil and Bolivia and the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul has a
Hyacinth Macaw Project researching and ringing the birds as well as providing artificial
nesting sites to help replace those lost.
Food in the wild
Using that very strong beak, their diet is based on nuts
from palm trees like the acuri and bocaiuva palms. They can even crack coconuts, brazil nuts and
macadamia nuts while their scaly tongue is ideal for making the most of
fruit. They will also consume nectar,
seeds and vegetable matter and are not afraid to travel to get the best food.
Hyacinths have also been seen using tools including a piece
of wood to open up harder nuts. They use
them to hold the nut in place so they can chew through and the same behaviour
has been seen in captive-bred birds.
Breeding in the wild
Nests are made in the cavities of trees or cliff faces
depending on where in their range the birds live. Nesting happens from July to December and one
or two eggs are laid. Usually only one
of the chicks survives to fledge due to the size difference between the
siblings as eggs hatch a few days apart.
The eggs are incubated for around 30 days by the female and the male
will bring her food during this time. Fledging
occurs at around 110 days but they are dependent on their parents for around
the first six months of life. The young
are fully matured and ready to breed themselves at around seven years old.
Keeping Hyacinth
Macaws
Like all large parrots, hyacinths should not be taken on
casually (even aside from that price tag).
These are large birds and can be destructive in the way of their cousins
with a big beak designed to crack large nuts.
They are very intelligent birds and can be trained though are not the
best at learning to mimic.
Those who keep the birds say that they are gentle giants,
loving and affectionate and easy to introduce strangers to. They enjoy playing, though toys must be
strong enough to withstand their attention!
Wooden blocks and branches from non-toxic trees are always favourites.
In the wild, their favourite food of palm nuts are rich in
calories and oils but are not easily acquired for captive birds. Therefore raw macadamia nuts still in their
shells are a good substitute as well as special seed and nut mixes for
macaws. They also enjoy fresh fruits and
vegetables. Easy access to fresh water
is always a must.
Bathing is essential for feather and skin condition and
there are a variety of different methods that may suit your bird. In a large enough cage, placed outside in the
sunshine, a fine mist from a hose pipe can offer good bathing options or misted
from a spray bottle inside. Another option
a shower perch which allows them to get a good bathing in the most water
resistant part of your house, the bathroom.
If you have a pair of these birds and have any experience,
stories or tips you would like share, please add to the comments. The more that is known about a species, the
less chance that the birds will be purchased in error and a happy match can be
made.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinth_macaw
