The Hyacinth Macaw Project.

  Réfugio Ecológico Caiman is home base for the blue macaw project.

Threatened with extinction, the hyacinth macaw is outstanding because of its beauty and because it is the largest macaw in the world, approximately one meter from the tip if its bill to its tail and weighting about 1.3 kg.

The project monitors about 3000 individuals distributed over an area of 400.000 hectares in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sol. The project's main objective is to observe and collect data about the Hyacinth Macaw (Blue Macaw), a bird threatened with extinction, as well as to find new nesting sites and monitor those that already exist

The young Macaws are weak at birth and stay, on average, a little more than three month in the nest, under the attentive care of the parents. 

For the first 45 days, their lives are in danger from cockroaches, ants or other birds, such as toucans and hawks, which raid their nests. For the majority of adult pairs, only one chick survives. At the end of the 45 days they venture forth on their first flights. Family life, however doesn't stop there, the birds are fed by their parents until they reach six months of age.

The Hyacinth Macaw Project involves research, management and conservation of the species. In carrying these out, biologists, veterinarians, field workers, rangers  and university students are in close cooperation.
In the Pantanal, 90% of hyacinth macaw nests are found in a single type of tree, the "manduvi"

The macaws do not begin the nest-hole, but dig out the small cavities left by woodpeckers or by branches breaking off, or even those caused by fungus or left by termites. The hole used for the nest is deep and cosy, and lined with sawdust, which they scrape from the tree itself. The big problem is to find natural cavities, and their is much competition with other species, the Project has developed and installed artificial nests.

The first nests were put in place in 1997, on ranches in the Pantanal.

The occupancy rate was low, but nonetheless contributed to the species' short-term conservation because the red-and-green macaws, toucans, hawks, owls, ducks and vultures also occupied some of them, thus reducing the struggle for natural nests.

The nests are checked periodically and all details are registered.
 

One of the co-workers of the project-team climbs to the nest and takes out the chick for weighing and investigating on possible defects or physical problems
 

The chick is examined completely and it seems that it does not really dislike it.