Hyacinth macaw  (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)

Hyacinth macaw numbers are in decline as a result of habitat loss and over-collection for the illegal pet trade. In the 1980s, it is estimated that at least 10,000 birds were taken from the wild (2). Throughout the macaw's range, habitat is being lost or altered due to the introduction of cattle ranching and mechanised agriculture, and the development of hydroelectric schemes (2).

The hyacinth macaw is protected by law in Brazil and international trade is prohibited by its listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) (2). There are a number of long-term studies and conservation initiatives in place; the Hyacinth Macaw Project in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso do Sul, has carried out important research by ringing individual birds and has created a number of artificial nests to compensate for the small percentage of sites available in the region (5). The effective enforcement of protection laws is required if this beautiful parrot is going to be saved from the fate of the other Brazilian parrots, Lear's (Anodorhynchus leari) and Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii), which now teeter on the brink of extinction.