It occurs in várzea and savanna adjacent to tropical forest in east Amazonia, campo cerrado, caatinga and palm-stands in the Gerais, and palm-savannas in the Pantanal. As it prefers forest edges, it tolerates some habitat degradation (Villarroel and Luque 2018), and has been seen in the hundreds in areas of relatively degraded habitat (T. Dornas in litt. 2020). It feeds mostly on the hard fruit of a few regionally endemic palm species (Attalea phalerata and Acrocomia aculeata in the Pantanal [Antas et al. 2006], Maximiliana regia, Orbignya martiana and Astrocaryum in the Amazon region, and Attalea funifera and Syagrus coronata in the northeast of its range [Collar et al. 2020]). It appears to undergo some long-distance seasonal movements, apparently in response to plant phenology (da Silva and Willis 1986), and it may fly long distances between feeding and roosting or nesting sites (Forshaw 1989). Nesting is from July-December in large tree cavities (primarily in Sterculia apetala in the Pantanal [Johnson 1996], and S. pruriens in Amazonia [Presti et al. 2009]) and on cliffs (in the north-east). Two eggs are usually laid, but only one chick normally fledges (C. Yamashita in litt. 2000). The Toco Toucan Ramphastos toco is responsible for dispersing 83% of the seeds of Sterculia apetala hence is key to the availability of nest sites for this species, but is also its main nest predator in the Pantanal (Pizo et al. 2008).

This species occurs in three areas in Brazil: east Amazonia (Pará and Amazonas), the 'Gerais' of Maranhão, Piauí, Bahia, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso in central Brazil, and in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and into eastern Bolivia (Santa Cruz), where numbers appear to increase in the dry season perhaps as birds move from Brazil (B. Hennessey in litt. 2012) and Paraguay (a small population in Concepción department [R.P. Clay in litt. 2011, N. López de Kochalka in litt. 2013, H. del Castillo in litt. 2014], with local reports from Alto Paraguay [R.P. Clay in litt. 1997, H. del Castillo in litt. 2014]). The species was formerly more widespread, occurring in parts of Maranhão, Goiás and Mato Grosso where it has not been recorded recently (Presti 2011, Devenish et al. 2021).

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I and II, protected under Brazilian and Bolivian law and banned from export in all countries of origin. It is managed as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Parrot Technical Advisory Group. It occurs in a number of protected areas. It is included in the National Action Plan for the Conservation of the Birds of the Cerrado and Pantanal, which includes actions to improve enforcement and run educational activities to curb illegal hunting and trade, improve management of protected areas and monitor impacts of developments, although some of the actions proposed to protect habitat have not been implemented (ICMBio 2023). Many ranch-owners in the Pantanal and in the Gerais no longer permit trappers on their properties. There are several long-term studies and conservation initiatives. In the Brazilian Pantanal, the Hyacinth Macaw Institute has used artificial nests and chick management techniques and raised awareness among cattle ranchers and children (Anon 2004, Corrêa and Guedes 2006). Initiatives involving ecotourism and environmental education have taken place since the 1990s (Collar et al. 2020, Almeida 2015, Villarroel and Luque 2018). Following the Pantanal fires of 2020, supplementary feeding has taken place to compensate for the loss of food trees (Guedes et al. 2021).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Carry out surveys to gain an updated estimate of the population size and to monitor population trends across its range. Monitor domestic and international trade in the species.
Enforce legal measures preventing capture, hunting and trade. Enforce existing laws to promote habitat conservation, including compensation for ecological services (J.N. Pinto-Ledezma in litt. 2020). Continue education programmes to discourage destruction of forest patches (Pinho and Nogeira 2003). Improve capacity and coordination of fire management and control in the Pantanal.