Hyacinth macaw: Difference between revisions

| image = Hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) -Disney -Florida-8head.jpgJPG

| image_caption = ineating [[Disney’sa Animalnut Kingdom]],in the [[FloridaPantanal]] in Brazil

| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International. (|year=2016) |title=''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus''. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. {{|doi|=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22685516A93077457.en |page=e.T22685516A93077457}}</ref>

| status2 = CITES_A1

| status2_system = CITES

| status2_ref = <ref name ="CITES">{{Cite web|title=Appendices {{!}} CITES|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|access-date=2022-01-14|website=cites.org}}</ref>

| range_map = Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus map.svg

English physician, ornithologist, and artist [[John Latham (ornithologist)|John Latham]] first [[Species description|described]] the hyacinth macaw in 1790 under the [[binomial name]] ''Psittacus hyacinthinus''.<ref name=Latham1790>{{cite book |last=Latham |first=John |author-link=John Latham (ornithologist) |date=1790 |title=Index Ornithologicus, Sive Systema Ornithologiae: Complectens Avium Divisionem in Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, Ipsarumque Varietates |volume=1 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/53510455 |language=la |location=London |publisher=Sumptibus authoris (prostant venales apud Leigh & Sotheby) |page=84 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.131313}}</ref> Tony Pittman in 2000 hypothesized that although the illustration in this work appears to be of an actual hyacinthine macaw, Latham's description of the length of the bird might mean he had measured a specimen of [[Lear's macaw]] instead.<ref name="theparrotsocietyuk.org">{{cite web|url=https://theparrotsocietyuk.org/site/index.php/conservation/projects/the-lears-macaw/ |title=The Lear's Macaw |last=Pittman |first=Tony |date=2000 |website=Parrots - Parrot Conservation - Breeding |publisher=The Parrot Society UK |accessdateaccess-date=8 October 2021}}</ref> However, Latham's description was based on a [[taxidermic]] specimen, which was the only one Latham knew to exist up until 1822. It was prepared from a living animal originally belonging to [[Lord Orford]], and given to the [[agent (law)|land agent]] [[James Parkinson (museum proprietor)|Parkinson]] for display in the [[Leverian collection|Leverian Museum]] after it died.<ref name=Latham1802>{{cite book |last=Latham |first=John |author-link=John Latham (ornithologist) |date=1802 |title=Supplement II to the General synopsis of birds |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33261014 |location=London |publisher=Leigh, Sotheby, & Son |page=80 & 81 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.49008}}</ref><ref name=Latham1822>{{cite book |last=Latham |first=John |author-link=John Latham (ornithologist) |date=1822 |title=A general history of birds |volume=II |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40997982 |location=Winchester |publisher=Printed by Jacob and Johnson, for the author |page=109 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.62572}}</ref>

Nonetheless, Latham mentions another bird, which he calls the 'blue maccaw', supposedly the same size.<ref name=Latham1802/><ref name=Latham1822/> This blue macaw was already described in Latham's 1781 volume of his ''A general synopsis of birds'' as merely a variety of the [[blue and yellow macaw]],<ref name=Latham1781>{{cite book |last=Latham |first=John |author-link=John Latham (ornithologist) |date=1781 |title=A general synopsis of birds |volume=I–1 |location=London |publisher=Benj. White |pages=198, 204 & 205 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.49894 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33727719}}</ref> and was previously figured in the work of [[Mathurin Jacques Brisson]] (1760),<ref name=Brisson1760>{{cite book |last=Brisson |first=Mathurin Jacques |author-link=Mathurin Jacques Brisson |date=1760 |title=Ornithologia, sive Synopsis methodica sistens avium divisionem in ordines, sectiones, genera, species, ipsarumque varietates |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36195311 |volume=IV |language=fr, la |location=Paris |publisher=Ad Ripam Augustinorum, apud Cl. Joannem-Baptistam Bauche, bibliopolam, ad Insigne S. Genovesae, & S. Joannis in Deserto |page=192 & 193 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.51902}}</ref> [[Patrick Browne (physician)|Patrick Browne]] (1756)<ref name=Browne1756>{{cite book |last=Browne |first=Patrick |author-link=Patrick Browne (physician) |date=1756 |title=The civil and natural history of Jamaica : in three parts |location=London |publisher=Printed for the author, and sold by T. Osborne and J. Shipton |page=472 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11267993 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.10826}}</ref> and [[Eleazar Albin]] (1738)<ref name=Albin1738>{{cite book |last=Albin |first=Eleazar |author-link=Eleazar Albin |editor-last1=Derham |editor-first1=William |editor-link=William Derham |date=1738 |title=A natural history of birds : illustrated with a hundred and one copper plates, engraven from the life |volume=III |page=10 |location=London |publisher=Printed for the author and sold by William Innys |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41130894 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.62897}}</ref> as a macaw found in Jamaica.<ref name=Latham1781/> Albin, Browne and Brisson all reference even older authors and state the bird also occurs on the mainland,<ref name=Brisson1760/><ref name=Browne1756/><ref name=Albin1738/> and Albin states this bird is the female version of the [[scarlet macaw]].<ref name=Albin1738/> Latham mentions that the provenance of parrots in general was often confused by the fact that the birds were much traded across the world for the purposes of sale.<ref name=Latham1781/>

The largest parrot by length in the world, the hyacinth macaw is {{convert|1|m|ftin|abbr=on}} long from the tip of its tail to the top of its head and weighs {{convert|1.2|–|1.7|kg|lboz|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Forshaw (2006). plate 70.">Forshaw (2006). plate 70.</ref><ref name="animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu">Hagan, E. (2004). [http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Anodorhynchus_hyacinthinus.html ''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'']. Animal Diversity Web.</ref> Each wing is {{convert|38.8|-|42.5|cm|in|frac=8|abbr=on}} long.<ref name="Forshaw (2006). plate 70." /> The tail is long and pointed.<ref name="Forshaw (2006). plate 70." /> Its feathers are entirely blue, lighter above. However, the neck feathers can sometimes be slightly grey. The ring around the parrotsparrot's eyes and the area just underneath the beak are a strong, vibrant yellow.

The Hyacinth macaw mostly nests in Manduvi trees, which rely on the Toco[[toco Toucantoucan]] for 83.3% of the tree's distribution of seeds. The Tocotoco Toucantoucan also feeds on 53% of the hyacinth macaw's offspring as eggs.<ref name="Pizo 792–796">{{Cite journal |lastlast1=Pizo |firstfirst1=Marco Aurélio |last2=Donatti |first2=Camila I. |last3=Guedes |first3=Neiva Maria R. |author-link3=Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes |last4=Galetti |first4=Mauro |date=March 2008 |title=Conservation puzzle: Endangered hyacinth macaw depends on its nest predator for reproduction |journal=Biological Conservation |language=en |volume=141 |issue=3 |pages=792–796 |bibcode=2008BCons.141..792P |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2007.12.023}}</ref> Eggs are also regularly preyed on by [[corvid]]s such as jays and crows,<ref name="mongabay2008">[http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0313-hance_macaws.html Predator of the world's largest macaw key to its survival] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604144418/http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0313-hance_macaws.html|date=4 June 2009}}. news.mongabay.com (2008-03-13).</ref><ref name="Collar1992">{{cite book |last1=Collar |first1=N.J. |last2=Gonzaga |first2=L.P. |last3=Krabbe |first3=N. |last4=Madroño Nieto |first4=A. |last5=Naranjo |first5=L.G. |last6=Parker |first6=T.A., III |last7=Wege |first7=D.C. |date=1992 |title=Threatened Birds of the Americas |url= |chapter=Hyacinth Macaw ''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'' |chapter-url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/AmRDBPDFs/Anodorhynchus_hyacinthinus_eng.pdf |location=Washington DC |publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press |pages=1–9 |isbn=}}</ref> [[opossum]]s,<ref name="mongabay2008" /> [[skunk]]s<ref name="Collar1992" /> and [[coati]]s.<ref name="mongabay2008" /><ref name="Collar1992" /> The young are parasitized by larvae of flies of the genus ''[[Philornis]]''.<ref name="Allgayer2009">{{cite journal |author=Allgayer, M. C. |author2=Guedes, N. M. R. |author3=Chiminazzo, C. |author4=Cziulik, M. |author5=Weimer, T. A. |year=2009 |title=Clinical Pathology and Parasitologic Evaluation of Free Living Nestlings of the Hyacinth Macaw (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'') |journal=Journal of Wildlife Diseases |volume=45 |issue=4 |pages=972–81 |pmid=19901373 |doi=10.7589/0090-3558-45.4.972 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

The majority of the hyacinth macaw diet is composed of the nuts from specific palm species, such as acuri and bocaiuva palms.<ref name="WWF">{{cite web|title=Hyacinth Macaw| url=http://www.wwf.org.br/english/informa/sitearara_arara.htm|publisher=[[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021104224234/http://www.wwf.org.br/english/informa/sitearara_arara.htm |archive-date=2002-11-04 |access-date=19 September 2013}}</ref> They have very strong beaks for eating the kernels of hard [[nut (fruit)|nuts]] and seeds. Their strong beaks are even able to crack [[coconut]]s, the large [[brazilBrazil nut]] pods, and [[macadamia nut]]s. The birds also boast dry, smooth tongues with a bone inside them that makes them an effective tool for tapping into fruits.<ref>{{cite web |title=Macaw ''Psittacidae'' |url=http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/macaw/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128235913/http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/macaw/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 January 2010 |publisher=National Geographic |access-date=24 October 2013 |date=2010-11-11}}</ref> The [[acuri]] nut is so hard, that the parrots cannot feed on it until it has passed through the digestive system of cattle.<ref name="WWF" /> In addition, they eat [[fruit]]s and other vegetable matter. The hyacinth macaw generally eats fruits, nuts, nectar, and various kinds of seeds. Also, they travel for the ripest of foods over a vast area.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Real Macaw Endangered Tropical Jewels |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/the-real-macaw/endangered-tropical-jewels/2734/ |publisher=Public Broadcasting Service |date=26 February 2004 |access-date=23 December 2014}}</ref>

[[Charles Darwin]] remarked on Bates's account of the species, calling it a "splendid bird" with its "enormous beak" able to feed on these palm nuts.<ref name="DarwinApp">{{cite journal |author=Darwin, Charles |year=1863 |title=An Appreciation: The Naturalist on the River Amazons by Henry Walter Bates |journal=Natural History Review |volume=iii |url=http://www.lepidopterology.com/almanac/display.php?q=bates-amazon |access-date=27 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607200303/http://www.lepidopterology.com/almanac/display.php?q=bates-amazon |archive-date=7 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In captivity, the palm nuts native to the hyacinth macaw's natural habitat are often not readily available. In these circumstances the [[macadamia nut]] (which is native to Australia) is a suitable, nutritious and readily-accepted alternative.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bluemacaws.org/en-gb/articles/the-hyacinth-macaw |title=The Hyacinth Macaw}}</ref> Coincidentally, the hyacinth macaw is one of the only birds with the necessary jaw strength to open the nut, which requires 300psi300 psi of pressure to crack the shell.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.imponderables.com/archives/000214.php |title=Imponderables: Macadamia Nuts}}</ref>

Limited tool use has been observed in both wild and captive hyacinth macaws. Reported sightings of tool use in wild parrots go as far back as 1863. Examples of tool use that have been observed usually involve a chewed leaf or pieces of wood. Macaws often incorporate these items when feeding on harder nuts. Their use allows the nuts the macaws eat to remain in position (prevent slipping) while they gnaw into it. It is not known whether this is learned social behavior or an innate trait, but observation on captive macaws shows that hand-raised macaws exhibit this behavior, as well. Comparisons showshowed that older macaws were able to open seeds more efficiently.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1007/s10071-004-0221-3 |pmid=15248094 |title=Preliminary observations of tool use in captive hyacinth macaws (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'') |journal=Animal Cognition |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=48–52 |year=2004 |last1=Borsari |first1=Andressa |last2=Ottoni |first2=Eduardo B. |s2cid=200601}}</ref>

[[File:Desenvolvimento dos filhotes Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus.jpg|thumb|Development phases of the chicks: (A) nestling, 0–25 days, birds onin picture are 17 and 18 days, respectively. Mass gain at this phase is slow, (B) chick, 26–77 days, birds onin picture are 44 and 45 days, respectively, (C) chicks, birds onin picture are 61 and 62 days, respectively. Geometric growth until maximum weight is attained, (D) juvenile, 78–107 days, birds onin pictures are 104 and 105 days, respectively. Weight is maintained up to 90–95 days when weight loss begins with the first attempts of flying.<ref>{{Cite journal |lastlast1=Guedes |firstfirst1=Neiva Maria Robaldo |author-link=Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes |last2=Toledo |first2=Maria Cecília Barbosa |last3=Fontoura |first3=Fernanda Mussi |last4=da Silva |first4=Grace Ferreira |last5=Donatelli |first5=Reginaldo José |date=2022-09-13 |title=Growth model analysis of wild hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) nestlings based on long-term monitoring in the Brazilian Pantanal |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=12 |issue=1 |pagespage=15382 |bibcode=2022NatSR..1215382G |doi=10.1038/s41598-022-19677-5 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=9470691 |pmid=36100629}}{{Creative Commons text attribution notice|cc=by4|from this source=yes}}
</ref>]]

Nesting takes place between July and December, with nests constructed in tree cavities or cliff faces depending on the habitat.<ref name="Birdlife" /> In the Pantanal region, 90% of nests are constructed in the manduvi tree (''[[Sterculia apetala]]''). The hyacinth macaw depends on the [[toucan]] for its livelihood. The toucan contributes largely to seed dispersal of the manduvi tree that the macaw needs for reproduction.<ref name="Pizo08">{{cite journal |last1=Pizo |first1=Marco A. |last2=Donatti |first2=Camila I. |last2last3= DonattiGuedes |first3=Neiva R. |last3author-link3=Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes |last4=Galetti |first4=Mauro |last4year=Galetti2008 |title=Conservation Puzzle: Endangered Hyacinth Macaw Depends on Its Nest Predator for Reproduction |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=141 |issue=3 |year=2008 |pages=792–96 |url=http://web.me.com/galetti/Labic/Publications_files/Pizo_Donatti_Galetti_BiolConserv2008_Conservartion%20puzzle%20endangered%20macaw%20depends%20on%20its%20nest%20predator%20for%20reproduction.pdf |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=141 |issue=3 |pages=792–96 |bibcode=2008BCons.141..792P |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2007.12.023 |access-date=23 October 2013}}</ref> However, the toucan is responsible for dispersing 83% of the seeds of ''Sterculia apetala'', but also consumes 53% of eggs preyed.<ref name="Birdlife" /> Hollows of sufficient size are only found in trees around 60 years of age or older, and competition is fierce.<ref name="Pizo08" /> Existing holes are enlarged and then partially filled with wood chips.<ref name="MB WWF">{{cite web |first=Meindert |last=Brouwer |title=The hyacinth macaw makes a comeback |publisher=WWF |url=http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/how_we_work/conservation/species_programme/species_news/species_news_archive.cfm?12641/The-hyacinth-macaw-makes-a-comeback |access-date=20 July 2011 |date=21 April 2004}}</ref> The clutch size is one or two [[Egg (biology)|eggs]],<ref name="WWF" /> although usually only one fledgling survives<ref name="WWF" /> as the second egg hatches several days after the first, and the smaller fledgling cannot compete with the firstborn for food. A possible explanation for this behaviour is what is called the insurance hypothesis. The macaw lays more eggs than can be normally fledged to compensate for earlier eggs that failed to hatch or firstborn chicks that did not survive.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Kuniy |first=A. |title=Handling technique to increase the hyacinth macaw population (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'') (Lalham, 1720) – Report of an experience in Pantanal, Brazil |pmid=16710531 |doi=10.1590/S1519-69842006000200021 |journal=Brazilian Journal of Biology |volume=66 |issue=1B |year=2006 |pages=381–82 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The incubation period lasts about a month, and the male tends to his mate whilst she incubates the eggs.<ref name="WWF" /> The chicks leave the nest, or fledge, around 110 days of age,<ref name="Allgayer2009" /> and remain dependent on their parents until six months of age.<ref name="WWF" /> They are mature and begin breeding at seven years of age.

Hyacinth macaws are the longest psittacine. They are also very even-tempered and can be calmer than other macaws, being known as "gentle giants".<ref name="Kalhagen">{{cite web |last=Kalhagen |first=Alyson |title=Hyacinth Macaws |url=http://birds.about.com/od/breedsofbirds/p/hyacinths.htm |work=Pet Birds |publisher=About.com |access-date=28 October 2013 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191920/http://birds.about.com/od/breedsofbirds/p/hyacinths.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> An attending veterinarian must be aware of specific nutritional needs and pharmacologic sensitivities when dealing with them. Possibly due to genetic factors or captive rearing limitations, this species can become neurotic/phobic, which is problematic.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lennox |first=Angela |pagespage=35 |chapter-url=http://old.trustedpartner.com/docs/library/000087/02companion.pdf |title=Clinical Avian Medicine, Volume 1 |chapter=The companion bird |access-date=25 October 2013 |archive-date=28 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228111530/http://old.trustedpartner.com/docs/library/000087/02companion.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Over the last few decades the known range in Bolivia has grown. It is well known from the far southeast of the country near the tri-national border point with Brazil and Paraguay, where it is considered an emblematic symbol of the region,<ref name="SERNAP">{{cite web |url=http://sernap.gob.bo/sanmatias/ |title=Área Natural de Manejo Integrado San Matías |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2018 |language=es |publisher=Servicio Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, Government of Bolivia |access-date=31 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="Franco2018">{{cite web |url=https://es.mongabay.com/2018/05/bolivia-paraba-azul-ave/ |title=Paraba azul: ¿podrá salvarse la población de esta ave emblemática de Bolivia? |last=Franco Berton |first=Eduardo |date=16 May 2018 |website=[[Mongabay]] Latam |language=es |publisher=Environmental News |access-date=31 October 2021}}</ref> and locals often feed the macaws maize, like chickens.<ref name="Franco2018" /> In the early 1990s it became apparent the species also occurred in the remote [[Noel Kempff Mercado National Park]] area a few hundred kilometres northward.<ref name="Collar1992" /> Most of the Bolivian population of this macaw is thought to be found in the [[San Matías Integrated Management Natural Area]], an area with extensive ''[[pantanal]]'' (swamp).<ref name="Franco2018" /><ref name="Pinto2011">{{cite journal |last1=Pinto-Ledezma |first1=Jesús N. |last2=Sosa |first2=Ronald |last3=Paredes |first3=Maya |last4=García |first4=Ivan |last5=Villarroel Segarra |first5=Daniel |last6=Muyucundo |first6=Steven |last7=Rivero Mamani |first7=Mary Laura |date=June 2011 |title=La Paraba Jacinta (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus''): Estado Poblacional y su Conservación en el Pantanal Boliviano |trans-title=The Hyacinth Macaw (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus''): Population Status and its Conservation in Bolivian Pantanal |url=http://museonoelkempff.org/sitio/Informacion/KEMPFFIANA/Kempffiana7(1)/19_31_Pinto-Ledezma.pdf |language=es |journal=Kempffiana |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=19–31 |access-date=31 October 2021}}</ref> Censuses conducted within in 2008, 2009, 2011<ref name="Pinto2011" /> and 2014,<ref name="Pinto2014">{{cite journal |last1=Pinto-Ledezma |first1=Jesús N. |last2=Sandoval |first2=X. Vanessa |last3=Pérez |first3=Valkiria N. |last4=Caballero |first4=Thania J. |last5=Mano |first5=Katherine |last6=Pinto Viveros |first6=Marco A. |last7=Sosa |first7=Ronald |date=September 2014 |title=Desarrollo de un modelo espacial explícito de hábitat para la paraba jacinta (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'') en el Pantanal boliviano (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) |trans-title=A spatial explicit habitat model for the Hyacinth Macaw (''Anodorhynchus hyacintinus'') in the Bolivian Pantanal (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) |url=http://www.scielo.org.bo/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1605-25282014000200002 |language=es |journal=Ecología en Bolivia |volume=49 |issue=2 |pages= |access-date=31 October 2021}}</ref> revealed stable population numbers: respectively 231, 107, 134,<ref name="Pinto2011" /> and 166.<ref name="Pinto2014" /> Bird counts in such a swampy and difficult to navigate terrain are inherently inadequate. The censuses were performed by visiting locations with previouspreviously reported sightings,; however, it was not always possible to visit all sites, and coverage varied. Thus, in 2011 the earlier estimated population of about 300 birds in this area was considered to be largely accurate.<ref name="Pinto2011" /> A 2014 study which correlated sightings to habitat and extrapolated this over a larger area found the birds occur in the northern part of the Natural Area, and a similar population likely also occurs in an equally sized area to the north of this, outside of the Natural Area.<ref name="Pinto2014" /> In a 2018 ''Mongabay Latam'' article, park rangers relate that there is anecdotal evidence the population was increasing and spreading, as more sightings were being reported by local inhabitants and the bird was now confirmed for the first time in a number of adjacent municipalities.<ref name="Franco2018" />

The hyacinth macaw has escaped or been deliberately released in tointo [[Florida]], USA, but there is no evidence that the population is breeding and may only persist due to continuing releases or escapes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/birds/hyacinth-macaw/. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601092019/http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/birds/hyacinth-macaw/ |archive-date=1 June 2011 |title=Nonnatives - Hyacinth Macaw}}</ref>

It prefers semi-open, somewhat wooded habitats. It usually avoids dense, humid forest, and in regions dominated by such habitats, it is generally restricted to the edge or relatively open sections (e.g. along major rivers). In different areas of their range, these parrots are found in savannah grasslands, in dry thorn forestforests known as [[caatinga]], and in [[Arecaceae|palm]] stands or [[swamp]]s,<ref name="Birdlife" /> particularly the [[moriche palm]] (''Mauritia flexuosa'').<ref name="Forshaw2006">{{Cite book |first=Joseph M. |last=Forshaw |author-link=Joseph Forshaw |title=Parrots of the World; an Identification Guide |others=Illustrated by [[Frank Knight (artist)|Frank Knight]] |page=95 |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=978-0-691-09251-5 |year=2006 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/parrotsofworldid0000fors}}</ref>

A 2014 Bolivian study in San Matías Integrated Management Natural Area which correlated sightings to habitat found that areas including seasonally inundated savannas, wetlands and anthropogenic areas habitats interspersed with a mosaic of savannas, were the best indicators for the presence of the macaws. The most preferred habitat by far was anthropogenic, which areis primarily cattle ranches practising [[extensive agriculture|extensive grazing]] in this area. The authors, however, were not very impressed by these results, and cautioned that the methodology might be flawed.<ref name="Pinto2014" />

Throughout the macaw's range, [[habitat loss|habitat is being lost or altered]] due to the introduction of cattle ranching and mechanised agriculture, and the development of hydroelectric schemes.<ref name="Birdlife" /> Annual grass fires set by farmers can destroy nest trees, and regions previously inhabited by this macaw are now unsuitable also due to [[agriculture]] and plantations. Locally, it has been hunted for food, and the [[Kayapo]] Indians of Gorotire in south-central Brazil use its [[feather]]s to make headdresses and other ornaments. While overall greatly reduced in numbers, it remains locally common in the Brazilian Pantanal, where many ranch-owners now protect the macaws on their land.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hyacinth macaw (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'') |website=Wildscreen Arkive |url=http://www.arkive.org/hyacinth-macaw/anodorhynchus-hyacinthinus/ |access-date= 11 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905060327/http://www.arkive.org/hyacinth-macaw/anodorhynchus-hyacinthinus/ |archive-date=5 September 2015 |url-status= dead}}</ref>

Parrots, as a whole, being of the family [[Psittacidae]], are some of the most threatened birds in the world. This family has the most endangered species of all bird families, especially in the [[neotropics]], the natural home of the hyacinth macaw, where 46 of 145 species are at a serious risk of global extinction.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Nest Poaching in Neotropical Parrots|journal=Conservation Biology |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=710–720 |date=June 2001 |first1=Timothy F. |last1=Wright |first2=Catherine A. |last2=Toft |first3=Ernesto |last3=Enkerlin-Hoeflich |first4=Jaime |last4=Gonzalez-Elizondo |first5=Mariana |last5=Albornoz |first6=Adriana |last6=Rodríguez-Ferraro |first7=Franklin |last7=Rojas-Suárez |first8=Virginia |last8=Sanz |first9=Ana |last9=Trujillo |first10=Steven R. |last10=Biessinger |first11=Vincente |last11=Berovidas A. |url=https://nature.berkeley.edu/beislab/BeissingerLab/publications/Wright_etal_2001_ConsBio.pdf |doi=10.1046/j.1523-1739.2001.015003710.x|bibcode=2001ConBi..15..710W |s2cid=13256101 }}</ref> This species qualifies as 'Vulnerable' on the [[IUCN Red List]] because the population has suffered rapid reductions with the remaining threats of illegal trapping for the cage bird trade and habitat loss<ref name="Hyacinth Macaw 2013">[http://eol.org/pages/1177958/overview ''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'': Hyacinth Macaw]. 2013. [[Encyclopedia of Life]].</ref> A few serious threats to the survival of the species in the Pantanal include human activities, mainly those resulting in habitat loss, the burning of land for pasture maintenance, and illegal trapping<ref>{{cite journal |author=Pinho, J. B. |author2=Nogueira, Flavia M. B. |name-list-style=amp |year=2003 |title=Hyacinth Macaw (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'') reproduction in the northern Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil |url=https://sora.unm.edu/node/119497 |journal=Ornitologia Neotropical |volume=14 |pages=29–38}}</ref> The exceptionally noisy, fearless, curious, sedentary, and predictable nature of this species, along with its specialization to only one or two species of palm in each part of its range, makes them especially vulnerable to capture, shooting, and [[habitat destruction]].<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite book |author=Collar, N. J. |author2=Juniper, A. T. |title=Dimensions and Causes of the Parrot Conservation Crisis |publisher=International Council for Bird Preservation |name-list-style=amp |url=http://people.ds.cam.ac.uk/cns26/njc/Papers/Parrot%20crisis.PDF |pages=1–6, 9, 12–15, 19}}</ref> Because this species exclusively relies on the fruit produced by two palm species, if these species were to suffer due to disease or habitat destruction, it would put the parrot species at risk. This species specifically requires previously occupied holes within the Manduvi trees in order to nest, so nesting availability can be sparse. Furthermore, old growth of these trees, the youngest being 60 years, is required for the species to produce large enough holes to nest. This limits the future potential offor reproduction if these trees are destroyed or competition with other species for space is increased.<ref name="Pizo 792–796" />

Although the species has a low genetic variability, it does not necessarily pose a threat to their survival. This genetic structure accentuates the need for protection of hyacinth macaws from different regions to maintain their genetic diversity. If populations and genetic diversity continue to decrease, it could become a major conservation issue in the future. A smaller population of hyacinth macaws will increase the influence of genetic drift, and, therefore, increase the risk of extinction. A lower genetic variation cancould send populations into an extinction vortex. Nevertheless, the most important factors negatively affecting the wild populationpopulations prove to be [[habitat destruction]] and nest poaching.<ref>{{cite journal |doilast1=10Faria |first1=Patrícia J.1007/s10531 |last2=Guedes |first2=Neiva M. R. |author-007-9312-1link2=Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes |last3=Yamashita |first3=Carlos |last4=Martuscelli |first4=Paulo |last5=Miyaki |first5=Cristina Y. |year=2008| |title=Genetic variation and population structure of the endangered Hyacinth Macaw (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus''): implications for conservation |journal=Biodiversity and Conservation |volume=17 |issue=4 |pagespage=765 |last1bibcode=Faria |first1=Patrícia J2008BiCon. |last2=Guedes |first2=Neiva M. R17..765F |last3doi=Yamashita |first3=Carlos |last4=Martuscelli |first4=Paulo |last5=Miyaki |first5=Cristina Y10.1007/s10531-007-9312-1 |s2cid=22639692}}</ref>

In the Pantanal, habitat loss is largely contributed to the creations of pastures for cattle, while in many other regions, it is the result of clearing land for colonization.<ref name="Tania F. R 2006">{{cite journal |author=Tania F. R |author2=Glaucia H. F. R. |author3=Nevia M. R. G. |author4=Aramis A. G. |title=''Chlamydophila psittaci'' in free-living Blue-fronted Amazon parrots (''Amazona aestiva'') and Hyacinth macaws (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'') in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil |journal= Veterinary Microbiology |volume=117 |issue=2–4 |pages=235–41 |pmid=16893616 |year=2006 |doi=10.1016/j.vetmic.2006.06.025}}</ref> Similarly, large areas of habitat in Amazonia have been lost for cattle ranching and hydroelectric power schemes on the Tocantins and Xingu Rivers. Many young manduvi trees are then being grazed on by cattle or burnt by fire, and the Gerias is speedily being converted to land for mechanized agriculture, cattle ranching, and exotic tree plantations.<ref name="IUCN" /> Annual grass fires set by farmers destroy a number of nest trees, and the rise of agriculture and plantations has made habitats formerly populated by the macaws unsuitable to maintain their livelihoods.<ref name="Hyacinth Macaw 2013" /> Moreover, an increase in commercial demand for feather art by the Kayapo Indians threatens the species, as up to 10 macaws are needed to make a single headdress.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

In the eventcase of the macaws being taken from their natural environment, a variety of factors alter their health such as inadequate hygiene conditions, feeding, and overpopulation during the illegal practice of pet trade. Once birds are captured and brought into captivity, their mortality rates can become very high.<ref name="Tania F. R 2006" /> Records reveal a Paraguayan dealer receiving 300 unfeathered young in 1972, with all but three not surviving. Due to the poor survival rates of the young, poachers concentrate more heavily on adult birds, which depletes the population at a rapid pace.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

In 1989, the [[European Endangered Species Programme]] for the hyacinth macaw was founded as a result of concerns about the status of the wild population and the lack of successful breeding in captivity.<ref name="Luecker, H. 2000" /> Breeding in captivity still remains difficult, being that hand-reared hyacinth macaw offspring have been demonstrated to have higher mortality rates, especially within the first month of life. Additionally, they have a higher incidence of acute crop stasis than other macaw species due, in part, to their specific dietary requirements.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Casares, M. |author2=F. Enders |year= 1998 |title= Experiences in the hand-rearing of hyacinth macaws (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'') in Loro Parque |journal= Zoologische Garten |volume=68 |pages=65–74}}</ref> The hyacinth macaw is protected by law in Brazil and Bolivia, and international trade is prohibited by its listing on Appendix I of the CITES.<ref name="Hyacinth Macaw 2013" /> Appendix I has banned exporting the bird in all countries of origin, and several studies and conservational initiatives have been taken.<ref name="IUCN" /> The Hyacinth Macaw Project in the Caiman Ecological Refuge, located in the Pantanal, has employed artificial nests and chick management techniques, along with effectively raising awareness among cattle ranchers. Many ranch owners in the Pantanal and Gerais, to protect the birds, no longer allow trappers on their properties.<ref name="IUCN" />

Each of the three main populations should be managed as a separate biological entity so as to avoid numbers dropping below 500. While the birds may be in decline in the wild, notably higher populations of captive macaws are being held in zoos and private collections. If success in managing and replanting the macaw's food trees and erecting nest boxes as an experiment in the Pantanals is seen, the species could survive. Survival rates could also be enhanced if ranch owners would leave all large and potential nest trees standing and eliminate all trapping on their properties. Ultimately, should these factors work in tandem with the erection of nest boxes, the fencing off of certain saplings, and the planting of others, the long-term prospects of the hyacinth macaw species would be greatly improved.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

The hyacinth macaw is sometimes kept as a [[companion parrot]]. Not recommended for novice bird-keepers, this bird requires large amounts of space, regular exercise and a custom-built stainless steel cage, as its powerful beak can easily destroy most commercially available parrot cages. In order to remain healthy, the species requires regular social interaction and play with humans or other birds. This large macaw, like most parrots, has a natural inclination to chew objects and due to its physical size and strength, can cause considerable damage. It is recommended that an entire room of the owner's home isbe set aside for use by the bird, which should be provided with plenty of safe, destroyable wooden and leather objects to keep it amused. It is also a very expensive pet: US$10,000 is not an uncommon price for a young hyacinth macaw.<ref name="lafeber">{{cite web |title=Hyacinth Macaw Personality, Food & Care & Pet Birds by Lafeber Co. |url=https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/species/hyacinth-macaw/ |access-date=23 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="worldparrottrust">{{cite web |title=Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) {{!}} Parrot Encyclopedia |url=https://www.parrots.org/encyclopedia/hyacinth-macaws/ |publisher=World Parrot Trust |access-date=23 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="Kalhagen2">{{cite web |last1=Kalhagen |first1=Alyson |title=How to Care for Hyacinth Macaws (Blue Parrots) |url=https://www.thesprucepets.com/hyacinth-macaws-390508 |website=The Spruce Pets |access-date=23 December 2020}}</ref> The [[World Parrot Trust]] recommends that the hyacinth macaw should not be kept permanently indoors and that it should have access to an enclosure of at least 15&nbsp;m (50&nbsp;ft) for part of the year.<ref name="worldparrottrust" />

This bird is often described as "gentle". It is not generally an aggressive bird and it appears to enjoy interacting playfully with humans. It can cause bite injuries simply fromby playfully "mouthing" its owner, however, and this behavior should be discouraged with training begun when the bird is young.<ref name="lafeber" />