Can any of you Adelaide zoo-goers tell me whether you still have those hyacinth macaws, please? (I believe they are the only ones in Australia.) Are they very old?
they are both males from memory and no, they are not very old i don't think. fortunately they are not the only ones in australia, theough they are very few in number and the most expensive macaw by a long, long shot. even PRIAM does not breed the species. i think ben said something about adelaide doing a swap for a female.
yeah was in the works, alot of people are getting rid of there illegal ones because of the new rego scheme, but they want money, and the zoo doesnt have that
Is this not a case for federal legislators to prosecute and than confiscate the illegally held birds (to then place them in appropriate professional zoos and bird parks around Oz)?
Yes, I thought that was where the Adelaide ones originated, as confiscated birds. And it's news to me that there are any others in Australia. This species was not allowed import back in the early 1990s when a few other macaws were allowed entry, so any others already here must be ancient.
I was on a website the other day that had two young hyacinth macaws for sale... they were $30,000 each. I will try and find it again
You are right, they were confiscated birds and yes there are some old Hyacinth Macaws in oz, remember how long these birds live for. The other Macaw species that were imported into oz in the 90s were, the blue & gold, the Scarlett Macaw, and the Greenwing Macaw. , second largest after the Hyacinth.
Yes, and thank heavens a few were allowed import then. It was the saving of those three species in Australia. Prior to that they were virtually worth their weight in gold. ( I was intrigued by a description of Spix's macaw I read once which said that a Spix's macaw is worth it's own weight in cocaine! )
theres actually quite a few macaw species in australia... check out this site mark....(if you haven't already) Priam Silver Dawn Farm
Talking to some of the high level staff at Adelaide Zoo, there is 22 Hyacinth Macaws in Australia... Both of the adelaide zoo ones are male and both were from confiscated from there "owner".... This information is about 2 years old...
All I know is that if I had been "gifted" a couple of male Hyacinth Macaws like Adelaide was I'd move heaven and earth to get a hen from somewhere.
Hyacinth Macaws in Australia There could be more than 22. there are many illegal ones in the country. i recall one getting sold (young male hatched in Aust) sold for about $45-50, 000. A feww years ago, legally bred. bought by ashmore palm resort qld - i think not 100%, but i think.... lol
Does anyone know if Adelaide still has their Hyacinth Macaws? I'm heading there in 3 weeks, and hoping against hope they do. I'm looking forward to seeing them almost as much as the Panda's. Someone please tell me they still have some, and on display.
I understand they are still on display. They used to be housed in one of the old enclosures next to where the entrace to the pandas are but you have to look through the bamboo to see them... I was told a month ago that they are now housed in one of the more modern aviaries and should be easily viewed again... They are very friendly birds so i highly recommend checking them out! and make sure you check out the palm cockatoos there a well because you are unlikely to see them anywhere else in australia either...
