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McMahon Alstrup posted an update 4 weeks ago
Why Are the Hyacinth Macaw and Glaucous Macaw So Similar?
The two bird species despite their differences have a similar evolutionary history. Their dependence on palm swamps for nesting and roosting underscores the interconnectedness between nature and the need to protect endangered habitats.
The hyacinth Macaw can be easily identifiable with its bright blue feathers and yellow accents. Its apparent smiley beak packs a powerful bite that can break coconuts and huge brazil nuts.
The Hyacinth Macaw
The hyacinth macaw is a stunning bird that is also the largest parrot. It’s striking blue with a pop of yellow around the eyes and the lower beak, making them appear to be smiling. It has short sturdy legs that allow it to hang sideways or upside down. It also has a hooked beak with a large hook that is adapted to break open coconuts. They are social and intelligent and are likely to remain with the same partner throughout their lives.
Hyacinth macaws are non-migratory, and their distribution is closely dependent on the availability of specific palm species that provide their primary food source. This is the major difference between macaws, and other parrots that are usually migratory.
The hyacinth Macaw is a prey species that eats lot of nuts from native palm trees. Especially the acuri, and the bocaiuva. Their powerful beaks allow them to break open these seeds. They also consume fruits and other plant material.
They are non-migratory, and their population is tightly linked to the availability of the palms acuri and bocaiuva that provide the majority of their food source. This is a significant distinction between macaws and other parakeets that tend to be migrants.
The hyacinth Macaw can be described as a parrot that is found in areas with less dense forest, such as palm swamps or grasslands that flood. The majority of the macaw’s population can be found in the Pantanal which is the world’s largest tropical wetland region in Brazil.
Hyacinth Macaws, as with other birds, are monogamous. They choose a partner when they are about 3-4 years old and remain with them throughout their entire life. macaw purchase buy-macaw.com are very social and are often able to interact and communicate with humans. However it is crucial to keep in mind that they are wild creatures and should not be taken from their natural surroundings.
If you want to spend time with an intelligent, beautiful and playful animal that can mimic your words, consider adopting a pet parrot from an aviculturist who breeds these magnificent creatures. It’s a huge responsibility to care for these wonderful creatures, and the best way to ensure their future in captivity is by finding an experienced, responsible Aviculturist who is responsible and trustworthy.
The Glaucous Macaw
The Glaucous Macaw (Ara glaucus) is among the most colorful birds in the Amazon basin. The large parrot is blue on the top parts and yellow underparts and can be found in the forests of tropical South America. It is a scarce bird and is classified as Critically Endangered. The main reason for the decline of this bird is likely the trapping and selling of live adults on the market for wild birds as well as the wholesale cutting down of yatay (Butia) palms.
The name of this bird comes from its strikingly blueish hue, which could be described as a pale turquoise to azure. Its underparts have a yellowish hue, and its head is grey. It is smaller than Lear’s macaw and more slender that the Hyacinth Macaw.
In addition to being a very beautiful bird, the glaucous Macaw has also become an emblem of hope for those in the Amazon Basin. It is hoping that the glaucous Macaw will soon be rediscovered in the wild and populations can be restored to ensure the continued existence of this spectacular species.
Although the glaucous Macaw is believed to be extinct, a few alleged reappearances have occurred over the years. In February 1992, a female specimen was found at Customs in Britain. It was a bird which was kept in some of the most famous zoos in the world and, at the time, it was believed to be was a genuine macaw with glaucous.
However, this purportedly authentic glaucous macaw was eventually found to be a hybrid between macaws from Lear’s and Hyacinth. Its azure coloring was more like the hyacinth and it had been bred to breed hybrids.
Even even if the glaucous macaw were to come back to the wild once more however, it is not likely that it will be able to breed and produce healthy offspring. This bird has been critically threatened for too long. It would be a tragedy if this beautiful tropical giant were to disappear for ever.
The Macaw’s ancestors
Macaws can develop a close connection with their human companions and be affectionate. They are vocal birds, with an array of sounds and songs. They also like to mimic sounds, particularly the human voice. Macaws who live with humans can learn to imitate words. Macaws make loud, shrieking noises to communicate with each other or to warn of danger. They will call for 5-10 minutes several times throughout the day.
When a pair of macaws form a bond they will remain together until one of the macaws dies. They will groom each other’s feathers at night and roost together with one another. They also mate at least once a year, laying their eggs in a nest constructed inside a hollow tree or a dirt hole on a cliff face. The female incubates the egg for 12 weeks while the male gathers food and shields chicks from predators.
Macaws were used as companion birds by humans as they began to interact with them. With their powerful beaks and bright blue feathers, they were seen as symbols for love and power. People believed that the macaw could predict the future or answer their prayers. By making their shrieking sound they were used to scare away crocodiles, or snakes.
No one knew how many wild glaucous macaws were in existence for so long. There were reports of a few specimens in captivity, but no one knew where they originated from or what age they were. One of the most famous birds lived in Paris the Jardin d’Acclimatation from 1886 until 1905. Another bird was in a zoo near Buenos Aires during the 1920s until 1936. Despite these early reports the general assumption was that the glaucous macaw had gone extinct in the wild.
However, in 2010, isotopic analysis of eggshells and macaw feces showed that the glaucous Macaw does still exist in the wild in northwestern Mexico. The findings of the study were published by Science. The authors suggest that the glaucous macaws in the wild probably originated from a group located in the Paquime region in northern Chihuahua. The birds’ apparent longevity is a result of the fact that they are extremely adaptable to their environment and be able to survive in different conditions, including desert conditions.
The Future of the Macaws
As the story of the hyacinth macaw and the Glaucous macaw shows, parrots have a remarkable capacity to adapt to their surroundings. In the wild, parrots traverse miles to find mates or nesting spots. They also have the ability to mimic human speech. Their feet are designed to allow them to climb and perch in trees. They can carry food inside their beaks.
Parrots aren’t domesticated like cats and dogs, despite their natural abilities. They are wild animals and they need to remain in the same way that their ancestors lived. Because of their wild nature, if you decide to bring a parrot into your home, ensure you do it with a lot of thought and care. Parrots can be loud and large, and could cause damage to furniture and home. They are also listed on CITES because of the excessive collection to trade in pets and habitat loss.
The Spix’s Macaw is considered to be one of the most successful reintroduction efforts. It was thought to be extinct until Helmut Sick, his field assistant Dante Teixera and their team observed three of them in 1974 near Formosa do Rio Preto. At the time of the discovery the only pair of birds that were in captivity was in Al Wabra, Qatar.
In a meeting in Sao Paulo city, Purchase and other conservationists agreed that the only way to solve the problem was to release macaws from captivity into the wild. The number of breeding pairs is low, which means they had to act fast. In addition, they had to establish separate lineages at different breeding centres so that one pair did not swamp the entire population with its genetics.
So the conservationists began to scour Brazil for any Spix’s macaws in private hands which could be rehabilitated to be reintroduced. The owners were initially reluctant to submit their information due to the risk of prosecution for breaking a law banning the export of wildlife. Kiessling claims that “one by one” people began to come forward.