The
hyacinth macaw (
Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) is a
parrot in the family
Psittacidae, native to central and eastern
South America. With a length of around 1 metre (3.3
ft), it is longer than any other species of parrot. It is also the largest
macaw and the largest flying parrot species. The hyacinth macaw mostly nests in
manduvi trees; these trees rely on the
toco toucan for the majority of their distribution of seeds, but that bird also feeds on a sizeable proportion of the hyacinth macaw's eggs. Habitat loss and the trapping of wild birds for the pet trade have taken a heavy toll on their population in the wild, so the species is classified as
vulnerable on the
IUCN Red List. This hyacinth macaw in flight was photographed in the
Pantanal near the town of
Poconé, in the Brazilian state of
Mato Grosso.
Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp