Federal restrictions apply

Hyacinth macaw

Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus

Birds › Parrots (Psittaciformes) › Psittacidae (Parrots and parakeets)

The hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), or hyacinthine macaw, is a large parrot native to central and eastern South America.

Pet trade

Experience: Advanced

FamilyParrots and parakeets

Record lifespan38.8 years

Adult weight47.5 oz

Kept byPet trade

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.

Minimum cage dimensions	length: 48 in; width: 36 in; height: 66 in Table cage minimum; exercise space additional.	316
Maximum bar spacing	1.5 in	316
Diet	Higher-fat species-specific balanced ration, reflecting its palm-nut feeding ecology; avoid indiscriminately transferring this to other macaws.	121

Warnings

Federal legal status: Federal restrictions apply. See the federal legal snapshot and check your state rules before getting one.

Care guide

Group care guide

Macaws

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Neotropical forests and palm savannas. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Very large cages or aviaries with heavy-duty construction; large macaws destroy wood and weak cages.
Hours of out-of-cage time daily.

Sources 120 121 51 86

Diet

Pellets, vegetables, fruit and nuts; hyacinth macaws need more fat (palm nuts, macadamias).

Sources 120 121 51 86

Social life

Very social; need a lot of attention.

Sources 120 121 51 86

Health watch

Very loud and long-lived (50+ years); powerful beaks.

Sources 120 121 51 86

Understanding the animal

About this animal

With a length (from the top of its head to the tip of its long pointed tail) of about one meter it is longer than any other species of parrot. It is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Hyacinth macaw” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

Researched for this exact species, not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹²

Where it lives	It uses semi-open woodland, cerrado and palm savanna in Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, with the Pantanal especially important. Palm stands provide food, while large trees supply roosts and nesting cavities.
Ground it lives on	Palm-grove or savanna ground for fallen nuts; branches for climbing and roosting.
Climate	Tropical habitats include seasonally dry woodland and palm savanna; numerical wild temperature and humidity ranges were not found.
Active	Diurnal, with peak foraging in the morning and late afternoon.
Social life	Bonded pairs and small social groups travelling to feeding sites.
Wild diet	Mainly hard palm nuts, including Acrocomia and Scheelea in the Pantanal and Attalea and Syagrus in northeastern Brazil; also other fruits and Pomacea snails.
Behavior to plan for	Its massive bill progressively weakens and splits hard nut shells. It feeds both on fallen nuts and by climbing to palm fruit clusters.

What this means for care

Use a specialist diet reflecting its reliance on palm nuts.
Provide substantial hard-food manipulation and robust chew enrichment.
Build large flight and climbing spaces with structures able to withstand its bill.
Accommodate a compatible bonded partner.

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 92°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 60°F (down to 57°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	76–78°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	73–73% on average (driest month about 62%)
Rainfall	about 1262 mm a year

Measured at 17 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), or hyacinthine macaw, is a large parrot native to central and eastern South America. With a length (from the top of its head to the tip of its long pointed tail) of about one meter it is longer than any other species of parrot. It is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species. While generally easily recognized, it could be confused with the smaller Lear's macaw. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus prefers semi-open habitats. — Animal Diversity Web
Social life and communication	Blue macaws have harsh, gutteral calls which they often emit when alarmed. — Animal Diversity Web
Wild diet	Blue macaws are equipped with large beaks which they use to crack open the shells of nuts. — Animal Diversity Web
Behavior	Blue macaws are very social birds. — Animal Diversity Web
Reproduction	Although blue macaws breed year round, they have a low reproductive rate; from 100 pairs, about 7 to 25 offspring are produced per year. — Animal Diversity Web
Lifespan	The lifespan of Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus is unknown, partly because it lives so long. — Animal Diversity Web
Appearance and size	As the largest of all parrots, blue macaws are 95 to 100 cm long (37.5 to 39.5 inches), although half that length is tail. — Animal Diversity Web
History and naming	It is one of two extant and one probably extinct species of the South American macaw genus Anodorhynchus. English physician, ornithologist, and artist John Latham first described the hyacinth macaw in 1790 under the binomial name Psittacus hyacinthinus. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Conservation	Blue macaws live in areas, such as swamps, that are not coveted for agricultural use. — Animal Diversity Web

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Maximum recorded lifespan

Highest reported38.8years

AnAge 16238.8

Myhrvold et al. 16338.8

Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter. The AnAge record comes from an animal in human care.

Typical adult weight

Average of sources47.5oz

AnAge 16246.9

Myhrvold et al. 16348

Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).

Clutch size

Reported2.2eggs

Myhrvold et al. 1632.2

Average per litter or clutch.

Veterinary & husbandry research

Yeasts and filamentous fungi in psittacidae and birds of prey droppings in midwest region of Brazil: a potential hazard to human health Simi WB et al., Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia 2019
Gastrointestinal parasites in captive and free-living wild birds in Goiania Zoo Melo YJO et al., Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia 2021
Gastrointestinal parasites in captive wild birds in Mineiros, Goiás, Brazil Moraes IS et al., Helminthologia 2024
Bacillus cereus infection outbreak in captive psittacines Godoy SN et al., Veterinary microbiology 2012

Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. See all 11 on PubMed → 170

Federal legal snapshot

Federal restrictions apply

Endangered Species Act: threatened. Selling or shipping across state lines in the course of commercial activity, importing and exporting all need USFWS permits, even for captive-bred animals. Breeders of non-native captive-bred species can register under the Captive-Bred Wildlife program. Moving and selling within one state is left mostly to that state. 179
CITES Appendix I (some populations only). Only certain subspecies or populations are listed; the rest of the species is not covered by CITES. Appendix I: commercial international trade in wild-caught animals is banned; international movement needs both import and export permits. Buying captive-bred animals within the U.S. isn't restricted by CITES (other federal or state laws may apply). 173 186
USDA Animal Welfare Act (birds). Since USDA's 2023 bird standards, most commercial bird dealers and exhibitors (and many breeders who sell wholesale) need an Animal Welfare Act license, with some exemptions for small-scale breeders and retail sellers. Keeping your own pet bird doesn't. 184

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Animal Welfare Act standards

Birds (Subpart G). Applies to USDA-licensed or registered dealers, exhibitors (including encounters and paid programs) and research facilities. Private pet owners are not covered. These are legal minimums, not best care; the species care on this page goes further.

Indoor air temperature, humidity and any pool or water-feature temperature must suit the species and prevent discomfort or distress. §3.151
Birds may not be housed outdoors unless acclimated to the local temperature and humidity. §3.152
Enclosures must let birds stay dry and clean, give shade for every bird at once (including low-ranking ones), and have floors and perches that protect feet and legs. §3.153
A species-appropriate environment enhancement plan is required, approved by the attending veterinarian: social grouping plus enrichment such as perches, swings, objects to manipulate, varied food and foraging or task-oriented feeding. §3.154
Socially dependent birds, such as clutch-mates, must be housed together unless the veterinarian exempts them; birds may only share space with compatible animals. §3.160
The diet must suit the species, size, age and condition of the bird, with potable water in sufficient quantity; pools and water features must be kept clean. §3.155

Source: 9 CFR Part 3, current eCFR text (USDA APHIS Animal Care).

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Included in our hand-checked list of animals kept as pets, livestock or in zoos
AnAge has a longevity record from an animal in captivity
768 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
Myhrvold et al. (2015). An amniote life-history database. Ecology 96: 3109 Peer-reviewed researchPeer-reviewed compilation of life-history data for over 21,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
50 CFR 17.11: Endangered and threatened wildlife Zoo, university or veterinaryCurrent federal Endangered Species Act list.
Species+ (UNEP-WCMC and the CITES Secretariat) Zoo, university or veterinaryThe official database of species listed under CITES.
USFWS International Affairs: CITES Zoo, university or veterinaryFederal agency that issues CITES permits.
9 CFR 2.1: Animal Welfare Act licensing (USDA) Zoo, university or veterinaryWho needs a USDA license to breed, sell or exhibit animals.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of pet birds Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of pet birds Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Royal Veterinary College Exotics Service: Parrot care Zoo, university or veterinaryVet-school exotics hospital factsheet, reviewed 2021–2024.
Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan): Ara ararauna (blue-and-gold macaw; also cited for large macaws as a group) Zoo, university or veterinaryUniversity-hosted species account, mostly wild biology.
GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.

Hyacinth macaw

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Warnings

Care guide

Macaws

Housing & setup

Diet

Social life

Health watch

Understanding the animal

About this animal

In the wild

What this means for care

Native climate (measured)

From the sources

Data and studies

The numbers

Maximum recorded lifespan

Typical adult weight

Clutch size

Veterinary & husbandry research

Sources for this sheet

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