Are Blue Macaws Extinct or Endangered? (Hyacinth Macaw)

Hyacinth Macaw (Hyacinth Tuna) is the largest flying parrot species in the world. It is one of three species in its genus, all of which are greatly threatened by poaching and habitat loss.

In fact, the hyacinth macaw is the most common of the “blue macaws,” although that doesn’t say much given their precarious status. So, is the hyacinth macaw extinct or endangered?

According to the IUCN, the hyacinth macaw is neither extinct nor endangered. However, after wild populations of these impressive blue parrots dropped to just 3,000 in the 1990s, they remain highly threatened. Today, their numbers have increased, but they are still vulnerable.

The hyacinth macaw was officially listed as endangered in the early 2000s, but was relisted as vulnerable in 2014 after available data indicated they were no longer declining at historic rates. Regardless of their official status, their numbers remain low, and habitat loss continues to exacerbate the problem.

The Spix’s Macaw, also a species of blue macaw, is virtually extinct in the wild. You can learn all about them in this guide.

However, capturing and trading wild birds for the exotic pet market is their greatest threat. According to estimates in the 1980s, captive macaws outnumbered wild birds. The population is now limited to three isolated regions, two of which are still declining and one is recovering.

Read this article to learn about the conservation status of the hyacinth macaw, an iconic species that is truly in trouble.

The Hyacinth Macaw is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN

Why Are Hyacinth Macaws Endangered?

The hyacinth macaw population has plummeted mainly because of collection for the pet trade. However, degradation of the environment and the tree species they depend on for survival and nesting are also serious threats.

Hyacinth macaw populations continue to decline in some areas. With populations so small and fragmented, the future of these incredible parrots looks uncertain. Humans pose the greatest threat to the hyacinth macaw, but these birds also suffer from many natural challenges, including disease and predation.

These large parrots find themselves caught in a natural ‘catch-22’. The iconic Toco Toucan (Rampa Storco) are responsible for more than 50% of hyacinth macaw nest predation. Ironically, toucans also disperse more than 80 percent of the tree species on which blue macaws nest. However, toucans are not the only natural threat to the hyacinth macaw. Raccoons, possums and jays also feed on their eggs.

Hyacinth Macaws also have specific nesting requirements. In part of their range they nest almost exclusively (95%) in the natural cavities of a large deciduous tree known as the Manduvi or Panama tree (petalless fat sea). These trees are only large enough to provide nesting grounds when they are at least 60 years old, and studies have shown that bees and several other species of birds compete to use these tree cavities.

They also have a specific diet, feeding on the seeds of a few palm tree species. If nesting and feeding trees disappear, so do the macaws, highlighting the indirect threats of habitat destruction and climate change affecting these magnificent birds.

Pair of Hyacinth Macaws in the wild, Pantanal, Brazil

Are All Hyacinth Macaws Endangered?

At the species level, the Hyacinth Macaw is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They occur in all three populations and do better in some regions than others. In the Pantanal, for example, their numbers are increasing. However, they may be declining elsewhere.

When Are Hyacinth Macaws Endangered?

The hyacinth macaw was officially added to the endangered species list in 2003, though their decline began decades earlier when they became popular in the exotic pet trade. In the 1980s alone, trappers took about 10,000 people.

The exotic pet trade is one of the biggest contributors to the decline of wild hyacinth macaws

What are the threats to Hyacinth Macaws?

The hyacinth macaw is threatened by a variety of natural and human factors. These are their most serious threats:

• hunt
• trap
• habitat loss
• climate change
• low fecundity
• Natural Disease, Competition and Predation

The greatest threat to this species is direct removal from its natural environment. Locals capture Hyacinth Macaws for food and their bright blue plumage, and traders sell the live birds at high prices in South American markets, shipping them to homes and private collections around the world.

Of course, the indirect threat of habitat destruction places a heavy burden on species with special habitat requirements. Habitat loss is accelerating due to frequent fires, modern agricultural practices, overgrazing, exotic tree plantations and illegal logging.

Suffice to say, the hyacinth macaw is inherently susceptible to these dangers. In addition to their impressive stature and natural beauty (which drives demand), these birds have low reproductive rates and are difficult to reproduce in captivity.

They lay two eggs per year, but usually only one chick survives. That chick needs to live at least seven years to reach sexual maturity and have a chance to reproduce.

Hyacinth Macaw walking along the ground

How can we help Hyacinth Macaws?

Helping threatened species from other parts of the world may seem impossible, but there is always something we can do.

The export of hyacinth macaws from Brazil and Bolivia is banned, but they may be smuggled and traded elsewhere. Never buy wild macaws and report any illegal wildlife trade. These birds can breed in captivity, so there is no reason to encourage environmental crime.

Besides poaching, the biggest threats to these birds are habitat loss and climate change.

You can help by supporting conservation programs that protect natural environments and programs that provide and manage artificial nests.

How many Hyacinth Macaws are left in the wild?

The current population of wild hyacinth macaws is unknown. According to BirdLife International, the wild population numbered just 6,500 in 2003, of which about 4,300 were adults.

There are an estimated 5,000 in Brazil’s Pantanal region, the species’ stronghold and the world’s largest region of tropical wetlands and flooded grasslands. They are also present in much smaller numbers in the savannah region of the Cerrado and in remote parts of the eastern Amazon Basin.

Hyacinth Macaws are nesting animals

How rare is it to see a Hyacinth Macaw?

The Hyacinth Macaw is extremely rare in the wild and is limited to isolated populations. However, they are common in zoos and many private collectors keep these birds.

Which country has the most hyacinth macaws?

The hyacinth macaw is native to Brazil, with small numbers also found in neighboring Bolivia and Paraguay. Most of the world’s hyacinth macaws live in the Pantanal, a vast wetland area in southeastern Brazil.

A pair of wild hyacinth macaws in flight in their natural habitat

Is it illegal to kill a hyacinth macaw?

Wild hyacinth macaws are legally protected in Bolivia and Brazil. As of 2018, they are also protected under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Are Hyacinth Macaws Extinct?

Hyacinth macaws are extinct throughout most of their historic range, but they still survive in the wild in three distinct populations, many kept as pets and exhibit animals around the world.