The nuts contain a high percentage of oil. In harvesting the single palm fruits from clusters of Scheelea and Acrocomia palms Hyacinthine Macaws show a remarkable cooperative behaviour with rodents. They prefer the nuts without the slightly sticky ectocarp, which is preferred by the rodents and also by cows. In zoos and birdparks the offered food must contain lots of nuts of any kind. The macaws eat fruit, preferably if it is not too soft and juicy.
Vegetables are a minor part of the diet.
It is essential to offer animal protein in order to substitute the insect larvae that infest ripe tropical fruits. Hyacinthine Macaws tend to live in groups. It may be that they even prefer to have short distances between neighbouring nests. This is emphazised in the EEP stock. The best breeding results occur in those participants, who keep several pairs closely together.