Hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)

Very sensitive to changes in habitat

Brazil is considered to be the country with the largest variety of psittacidae in the world, housing one fifth of all species of parrots, parakeets, macaws and jendayas, among others. The hyacinth macaw stands out due to its natural beauty and size, measuring up to one meter and weighing around 1.5 kilogram.

This kind of macaw is frequently found hanging from the fruit clusters of bocaiuva trees, on the dried-out branches of trees in the Pantanal, or on the ground, eating acuri nuts.

Biology
Always in flocks, families or couples, it is rare to see birds of this species alone in the wild. Couples are extremely faithful to each other and share responsibilities of caring for the chicks. At seven years of age the hyacinth macaw is ready to start a family of its own. On average, the female has two chicks, one of which is likely to die before reaching adulthood.

Threats
But the species is in danger of extinction. It is very sensitive to changes in its habitat, for example - 95% of nests, in the Pantanal region, are located in a single type of tree, the manduvi - something that makes them particularly vulnerable to human activities.

Habitat destruction and capture for pet trade are two factors that, combined, have led to this risk of extinction. Today, only 5,000 of these birds are still found in the wild, living in the Pantanal Wetlands region of Brazil.

The macaws move around rather frequently, travelling more than 25 km on some days, which makes it impossible to calculate the size of the original populations, but there is no doubt that the abundance observed in the nineteenth century no longer exists.

Hope floats
In Brazil, due to the work performed by biologist Neiva Guedes, who has been coordinating a hyacinth macaw project in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul for 10 years, the species has started reappearing in large groups in some areas around the state, as is the case with the district of Miranda.

With a more strict environmental legislation in place, and a stronger environmental education work that includes making the local population more aware about the issue, illegal trade of macaws has stopped being considered the biggest threat to the species.

Source:
- WWF Brazil