The hyacinth macaw, Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, is a bird from the psittacidae family which mainly feeds on fruit and seeds and lives in the canopy in South America.
Profile
Vulnerable (VU)
Distinctive features
The hyacinth macaw is a parrot with blue feathers and yellow skin around its eyes and on the lower part of its beak. The beak is very powerful and the macaw uses it to crack open nut kernels. It also uses its beak to grip onto branches, together with its two opposed pairs of toes which form a clamp.
Anecdote
Macaws can mimic human speech, but do not use it to communicate amongst themselves.
The hyacinth macaw is the largest parrot species and also the most sought-after by poachers. Although protected, this beautiful bird is highly threatened by illegal trade. If it were to disappear, its habitat would also suffer, as this vegetarian helps to disperse seeds and therefore maintain the ecosystem.
