The Hyacinth Macaw is listed as an endangered species (IUCN, 2004). The Hyacinth Macaw typically lives in grassland areas of Brazil that are being turned into farmland. They have also suffered due to the exotic pet trade by continued illegal smuggling. Hyacinth Macaws are being bred in captivity, but they are considered very difficult to breed. Most captive breeding pairs raising their offspring will only be able to produce one viable offspring per clutch although they may lay two to three eggs. (The second and tertiary eggs may not be sat after the first hatches or it may not be fed out properly by the parents.) There is some success being made by aviculturists (those who breed birds) in this area, but it is still considered a common problem. In the wild it is not uncommon for the second hatchling to lag dramatically in size and maturity compared to its sibling although the mortality rate of second siblings seems to be lower.
The Hyacinth Macaw has a diet very different from its tropical macaw counterparts. Their main diet in the wild mainly consists of eight different types of palm nuts. Diet is a very critical concern when raising and keeping these lovely birds. Some use coconut as the alternative to the Hyacinth Macaws’ native palm nuts due to the level of fat versus protein.
The price of a Hyacinth Macaw currently ranges from $9,500 - $15,000+. You should never purchase an unweaned Hyacinth Macaw unless you are an experienced aviculturist. As Cherane Pefley of Heavenly Aviary says when someone wants to purchase an unweaned chick, “Oh, why? Do you want to buy a dead bird?” It is even harder to feed and wean these delicate beauties than to breed them. There is a very high risk of death during hand feeding and weaning so any “reduced price” offered for you to finish weaning is not a good deal. Before considering whether or not to purchase a Hyacinth Macaw you should consider carefully whether or not it makes sense - not only from your personal perspective – but also from a conservation perspective. If you do not intend to breed the macaw you are potentially taking away a valuable gene pool resource. If you keep it as a companion for a few years and then breed it there may be difficulties in breeding. Many former pet birds placed in breeding situations attack their mates if any attention is shown to the mate (and vice versa). It is not the best situation either way although at least allowing it to breed is better than fully removing it from the gene pool.
This author’s recommendation is to pass on the young Hyacinth Macaws for now unless you are an experienced aviculturist and willing to take on a mating pair. Consider joining your local aviculturist group and finding someone to ‘take you under their wing’. The more you learn and know the better prepared you will be for someday taking on this lovely gentle giant of the Macaw family. There is no prestige in owning something this wild and beautiful if you do not contribute to keeping the species around for future generations. In the meantime, consider donating to conservation efforts for Hyacinth Macaws and other endangered parrot species.
IUCN 2004. 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Article assistance:
Information assistance for this article provided by Cherane Pefley, owner of Heavenly Aviary. You can view her Hyacinth Macaws (and other birds) at Heavenly Aviary
Conservation links:
Foundation for the Preservation of the Hyacinth Macaw
WWF Hyacinth Macaw Project
World Parrot Trust
Macaw Landing Foundation
Want more information? Consider acquiring a copy of The Large Macaws by Abramson et al. I consider it one of the best resources on large macaws available.
