Abstract
I often think about the Hyacinth
Macaw as a macaw designed by birdtrappers:
the largest and perhaps the
most spectacular of all parrots, and
also the most absurdly easy to locate
and catch. Indisputably, Hyacinths are
especially vulnerable to capture and
shooting because they are large and
conspicuous, noisy, intrinsically fearless,
curious, sedentary, predictable,
and have extremely specialized feeding
behaviors. A trapper can quickly
learn where a given group of macaws
sleeps, nests, feeds, and rests. A clever
trapper can determine regular flight
routes into and out of favorite trees,
then strategically place nets to capture
the birds . And because they
thrive on fallen palm fruits, Hyacinths
can even be enticed into traps on the
ground.
The same qualities which make
Hyacinth Macaws ideal prey for birdcatchers
make them perfect quarry
for aboriginal meat or feather
hunters. One famous Kayapo' Indian
head-dress included the tail feathers
of more than fifty of these charismatic
blue parrots.
The Hyacinth Macaws' specific
feeding requirements also make them
susceptible to habitat destruction.
Their reliance on the fruit of certain
palm trees limits their ability to adapt
to changing environments. Although
the palms on which Hyacinths
depend for food are often spared
during human agricultural activities
(because they provide food for
cattle), if those species of palms were
cut and the rest of the habitat left
untouched, all Hyacinth Macaws.
would quickly perish.