Araras Ecolodge, Pantanal, Brazil – Hyacinth Macaws are the largest parrot in the world. They are critically endangered due to loss of nesting trees and poaching. A Hyacinth Macaw can sell in the US for $10-$15,000 in the pet trade. Thanks to conservation efforts, their number in the Pantanal has risen from around 1,500 to 5,000 over the past 20 years. Conservation includes providing nesting boxes for pairs to raise their chicks. Pairs bond for life. The female spends the most time curled on the nest with the chicks, which results in her tail feathers being bent, as you can see in this photo.