Guacamayo Jacinto
The largest in the world. Deep blue. CITES I — vulnerable. Only from a legal, documented breeder.
Foto: Wikipedia Commons · CC BY-SA
Ideal for
- ✓Families with time for daily interaction
- ✓Spacious flats (large birds require a dedicated room)
- ✓Those who accept a commitment of decades (parrots live a long time)
Reconsider if
- ×Homes without time to socialise them
- ×Those who cannot tolerate noise (all parrots vocalise)
- ×Flats without room to fly
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Is the Guacamayo Jacinto a good match for you?
Indicative rating from 1 (low) to 5 (high).
💶 Estimated cost of ownership
120-220 €/month
Palm/macadamia nuts, pellets, fruit and vegetables: 60-110 €/month (its high-fat diet is expensive). Toys and hardwood (it destroys them): 25-50 €/month. Pro-rated specialist avian vet and blood work: 30-60 €/month. Separately: a reinforced initial aviary and CITES I documentation; a commitment of over 50 years.
History and origin
The largest flying parrot in the world, native to Brazil; threatened and with a diet highly specialised in palm nuts.
Temperament and character
Intelligence varies by species. Parrots form strong bonds with their humans. They need daily mental stimulation · NOT just a cage.
Living together
Children: depends on the species plus individual temperament. **Other birds:** better in a pair or group (except territorial species). **Older pets:** avoid — a real risk of predation.
Life stages of the Guacamayo Jacinto
Each stage has its own care priorities. Life expectancy: 50+ años.
Chick
0-6 months
Hand-rearing, long weaning, fat intake (palm nuts)
Juvenile
6 months-7 years
Socialisation, flight, nut-rich diet
Adult
7-40 years
Very powerful beak, enrichment, heavy-metal poisoning
Senior
40-60 years
Atherosclerosis, arthritis, kidney/liver function
Care
Cage: at least twice the size of the bird with its wings spread. A dedicated room is better.
Diet: SEEDS are NOT a complete diet. A combination of pellets plus fresh fruit and vegetables daily.
Free flight: at least 1-2 hours a day outside the cage in a safe area.
Vet: an avian specialist vet (exotics vet). Annual blood work.
Care in detail
🍽️ Nutrition
A special diet: it needs more fat than other parrots, based on palm nuts, macadamia and walnuts, complemented with macaw pellets and fruit/vegetables. Its beak cracks very hard nuts; offer safe nuts in the shell.
✂️ Grooming
Frequent bathing/showering, beak and nail care, feather inspection. Its plumage is kept in condition by the right diet and environment, not by brushing.
🎓 Training
The largest parrot in the world and highly intelligent: it learns tricks and words with positive reinforcement and is surprisingly gentle, but its beak is the most powerful of any bird; handling requires a great deal of experience.
🏃 Exercise
It needs a large aviary and several hours of flight, chewing and foraging daily. It is huge, strong and very social: it does not tolerate confinement or loneliness.
Breed-specific health
Aspergillosis (fungal), psittacosis (chlamydiosis), feather problems from stress or deficiencies. Life expectancy 50+ years with proper care. Before adopting a large parrot, consider that you will live with it throughout your adult life.
🩺 Health predispositions of this breed
Conditions this breed is more predisposed to. Knowing about them helps with prevention and early detection. A predisposition does not mean the animal will develop them.
Common diseases in birds
Learn the symptoms, prevention and when to see the vet. Reviewed indicative information that does not replace a veterinary consultation.
Screening and prevention for the Guacamayo Jacinto
Recommended tests and screenings
- ✓DNA sexing
- ✓PCR for PBFD (circovirus) and polyomavirus
- ✓PCR/serology for psittacosis (Chlamydia psittaci)
- ✓Monitoring for PDD/bornavirus, aspergillosis and liver problems from an inadequate diet
Prevention
A very specific diet with a high intake of palm/macadamia nuts (it needs more fat than other parrots) plus pellets and fruit, a large dedicated aviary, daily interaction and flight, and an annual avian check-up. CITES I documentation is mandatory.
Check-up schedule
Annual avian check-up with weighing, blood work and liver/cardiovascular monitoring; follow-up by a vet experienced with large psittacines.
Warning signs
- !Regurgitation and weight loss (PDD)
- !Feather-plucking and dull plumage
- !Breathing difficulty (aspergillosis)
- !Apathy and ruffled feathers
- !Overweight or liver problems from the wrong kind of excess fat
Guacamayo Jacinto gallery
Frequently asked questions about the Guacamayo Jacinto
How long does a Guacamayo Jacinto live?
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How much does a Guacamayo Jacinto weigh?
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Where does the Guacamayo Jacinto breed come from?
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How much exercise does a Guacamayo Jacinto need?
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Is the Guacamayo Jacinto good with children?
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Who is the Guacamayo Jacinto NOT recommended for?
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What health problems does the Guacamayo Jacinto have?
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Is it legal to keep a hyacinth macaw?
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Why does it need such a special diet?
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Is it really the largest parrot?
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Is it aggressive?
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Can it be kept in a flat?
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Learn more about birds
Practical veterinary guides to support your Guacamayo Jacinto.
Sources and references
Content compiled from official breed standards and leading veterinary sources.
- WikipediaAnodorhynchus hyacinthinus ↗
- World Parrot TrustHyacinth Macaw - Parrot Encyclopedia ↗
Want to adopt a guacamayo jacinto?
There are guacamayo jacintos in rescue shelters looking for a family. Filter by breed in the catalogue.
