The hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) is the largest species of macaw. It is an endangered species, but is locally common here in the Pantanal in Brazil. At our lodge, we have frequent sightings of all three of the large macaws which inhabit this area (the other 2 species include the red and green macaw and the blue and yellow macaw). The call of the hyacinth macaw is the sharpest and most coarse of these three large macaws, so they can often be recognized before they are seen. Hyacinth macaws love the seeds of the acuri palm tree. Here we see 4 of them ambling beside a salt lake, picking up the nuts of the acuri palm tree from the faeces of animals such as the South American tapir.
Although these birds look a little ungainly walking around, they seem to be quite happy walking around if this means that they will find a tasty morsel of food such as this!
