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Hyacinth Macaw Eating A Palm Nut( Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)

Cuiaba River

The Pantanal

Brazil

South America

 

Another image of my favorite Brazilian bird.

 

Formerly widespread in gallery forest or woodland, now most numerous in the Pantanal. Elsewhere very rare or absent. They are the longest in length of the macaws. Flocks can be as large as 40-50 birds. Many landowners offer protection to these birds helping to stabilize the population.

 

Of the 145 species of parrot in Central and South America, 45 are in danger of extinction. All 18 species of macaws are threatened. The primary causes are habitat loss and heavy exploitation for the pet trade.

 

Hyacinth macaws brought $5,000 to $10,000 each in the pet trade as of 1988. This high price fosters a dangerous level of poaching and smuggling. Data and anecdotal evidence suggests that as many as 10,000 Hyacinth macaws were taken from the wild during the 1980s.

 

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Uploaded on July 23, 2020
Taken on September 18, 2012