Chester Zoo 

Hyacinth Macaw

Immediately recognisable due to their large size and brilliant cobalt blue feathers, Hyacinth Macaws have a contrasting bright yellow circle around the eye and half-moon shaped yellow patch of skin near the black bill, which is deeply curved and pointed. They have black underwings and long tails.

What they eat

Mainly palm nuts, particularly from acuri and bocaiuva palms.
They love to feast on Acuri palm nuts, but the shells of these nuts are so tough that birds can only eat them after the nuts have first been consumed, digested and then evacuated by cattle.

How long they live

Commonly 50 to 60 years.

Biology

The birds nest mainly in Manduvi trees, expanding existing holes in the trees, which they then fill with sawdust. They nest from July to December and females commonly lay two eggs, although in the wild it is rare that both chicks will survive into maturity. The female incubates the eggs for about a month, the male searching for food while she is at the nest. Fledging occurs when the chicks are aged three months, but they don’t become fully independent until about six months, reaching maturity at about five years.

Did you know?

The scientific name of Hyacinth Macaws reflects the fact that they lack the tooth like ridges on their bills which are common to other macaws – the literal meaning of Anodorhynchus is ‘no tooth nose’.