Hyacinth Macaw

Description

Characteristics: Hyacinth macaws are social birds that live in families, bands or groups. They are rarely found alone in the wild. They are conspicuous birds and have a certain fidelity to feeding grounds and nesting grounds. Juveniles and non-reproductive couples gather at sites called dormitories, which, in addition to providing protection, seem to function as veritable “information exchange centers.” They are among the most intelligent birds.

Size: Length: up to 1 m (from tip of beak to tip of tail). the world’s largest species of the Psittacidae family. Weight: Adults, up to 1.3 kg; but chicks can reach up to 1.7 kg during the peak weight period.

Coloration: Cobalt-blue plumage, gradient from the head to the tail; the undersides of the wing- and tail-feathers are black. It has intense yellow coloration around the eyes (eyerings), eyelids and bare skin around the base of the jaw. Its beak is large, solid, curved and black, nearly forming a circle along with the head. Its thick black tongue is also noteworthy, due to the yellow band on the sides.