The hyacinth macaw, or hyacinthine macaw, is a parrot
native to central and eastern South America. With a length of about 100
cm it is longer than any other species of parrot. It is the largest
macaw and the largest flying parrot species, though the flightless
kakapo of New Zealand can outweigh it at up to 3.5 kg. While generally
easily recognized, it can be confused with the far rarer and smaller
Lear's macaw. Habitat loss and trapping wild birds for the pet trade has
taken a heavy toll on their population in the wild, and as a result the
species is classified as endangered on the International Union for
Conservation of Nature's Red List, and it is protected by its listing on
Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
