How big is a Hyacinth Macaw?
The Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) is the largest flying parrot on Earth and the biggest of all the macaws. Measured from the top of its head to the tip of its long tapering tail, an adult reaches about one metre — roughly 3 ft 3 in. No other parrot capable of flight is longer.
Length, weight and wingspan
- Length: about 1 m (3 ft 3 in), head to tail tip.
- Weight: roughly 1.2 to 1.7 kg, making it one of the heaviest parrots that can fly.
- Wingspan: spread wide, the wings exceed 1.2 m (more than four feet).
Only the kakapo, a flightless ground parrot, is heavier — so among flying parrots, the Hyacinth Macaw stands alone at the top.
How strong is its beak?
Size is only half the story. The Hyacinth Macaw's curved black beak is built to crack the rock-hard nuts of acuri and bocaiuva palms — a food source almost no other animal can open. A 2025 study of parrot bite forces published in the Journal of Anatomy measured exceptionally large bite forces in macaws, on the order of several hundred newtons, consistent with a beak that can split nuts that would resist a hammer. The bird is not aggressive toward people, but that same power means a defensive bite can cause serious injury.
How long does it live?
Big, slow and long-lived go together. Hyacinth Macaws commonly live 30 to 50 years in the wild, and individuals in human care have exceeded 50 years. They mature slowly, reaching breeding age around seven, and raise just one or two chicks per clutch — which is exactly why population recovery is so gradual.
Why its size matters for survival
A metre-long bird that depends on specific palms for food and a single tree species for nesting needs a lot of intact habitat. The IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable, with about 4,300 mature individuals in 2021 and a declining trend, and Brazil reassessed it as Endangered nationally after the 2020 Pantanal fires. You can explore the full profile in our Hyacinth Macaw species guide. Much of the conservation effort is quiet, long-term work — monitoring nests and protecting palms — and our partner-funded teams in Brazil are part of it if you'd like to help keep that work going.
Read the full Hyacinth macaw wildlife guide for the facts, IUCN status and conservation context — or donate to WARN to help fund the local partners protecting this species.
