Hyacinth macaws: SAFARI Ltd and SCHLEICH meeting

The largest parrot by length in the world, the Hyacinth Macaw is less known than the Scarlet macaw. That's why this bird is very rare on collectors shelves.

Except the Japanese KABAYA and YUJIN, the only modern company which produced a Hyacinth macaw was SAFARI Ltd until SCHLEICH made one for 2013.

I guess it is the time for a photo session    

I have to say I like Safari's version better. I don't like the shape of Schleich macaw's beak, maybe the length of it, maybe the lack of strength...

Uhh, it is hard to say which one is the nicest, - I like both

In the photoes the Safari model has the best colour, but my Schleich one isn`t so bright

The way the Safari Mac holds his head is ever so charming, and typical for these playful birds.

Looking at pictures, the they can have differently shaped beaks, most are more like Schleich`s model, but some are square-ish , more like the Safari`s . Perhaps it is a queation of the age of the bird ? There is a picture of some chicks, and they have very square beaks.
The yellow paint has been splashed over the lower part of the Schleich beak, - on mine also, even not so bad - which makes the lower beak look weaker, I think. In general, rather sloppy paintwork from Schleich in this specimen

The Safari model has enormous head and feet

But I love both ! Thankyou for the great pictures, Christophe

Wonderful macaws

Thank you Robert, Susanne and Andreas

I like very much the new macaw, it is funny to see a SCHLEICH model with better proportions than a SAFARI Ltd.

Both are very nice! Thank You for walk around Kiki!

I remember I didn't want to buy Safari one because of the big feet :) Now, I think, I will go for Schleich one, I had some doubts about wings' shape but I think it's OK :)

I like both. But I think I slightly prefer the Schleich. As Christophe points out, the proportions are slightly better. (At least I think.)

Anna and Scott, thank you

If you need to buy only one Hyacinth macaw, I agree with you, the SCHLEICH is the good choice

I prefer Safari Ltd's hyacincth macaw. The beak looks more realistic than the Schleich one.

Thanks Christophe! (o)): (o)): (o)): (o)): I don,t like Schleich macaw and very like Safari macaw...

Thanks Chris! I think the Safari is still more appeal to me!

the safari one is better

orcagirl26 wrote:

I prefer Safari Ltd's hyacincth macaw. The beak looks more realistic than the Schleich one.

Sergey wrote:

Thanks Christophe! (o)): (o)): (o)): (o)): I don,t like Schleich macaw and very like Safari macaw...

ken yeo wrote:

Thanks Chris! I think the Safari is still more appeal to me!

mdasilva1973 wrote:

the safari one is better

Before I get the SCHLEICH, I thought the SAFARI Ltd one would be unsurpassed....

So if it is a matter of taste, I agree with you, you have many good reasons to prefer the SAFARI Ltd

It it is a matter of beak, I agree the SAFARI Ltd is better...

It it is a matter of painting and details on feathers, the SAFARI Ltd is better.

But, the SCHLEICH model pointed some things I never noticed on the SAFARI Ltd, it has big head and feets. The proportions of the SCHLEICH are far better. (o)):

Sincerely I'm not a big SCHLEICH fan. I don't like the elephants, especially the new ones, because I think that very good details don't save bad and odd proportions. I prefer the PAPO ones which have less details but are better shaped

I really like the SAFARI LTd macaw but it has bad proportions. I guess it is important to notice

skysthelimit wrote:

I have to say I like Safari's version better. I don't like the shape of Schleich macaw's beak, maybe the length of it, maybe the lack of strength...

+1

Robert, You wrote exactly what I mean. The older Safari Ltd version is far better one (although the head is a little bigger) for me. I think the newer Schleich figure has weird beak shape, too bright blue color from the upper view, very unnatural pose (similar like some old Safari or PV parrots) and the feets should be grey, unfeathered, not blue...

Anyway, congratulations, Kiki, to your new addition :)

Christophe, I understand your points of view. You're being coerent and that is great.
I agree that proportions are better in Schleich macaw, however almost every parts are better shaped in Safari figure, painting is better, plastic is better too, price is lower, much more convincent getting the traditional "parrot" personality. Proportions are important to contribute to the realism of a figure but Schleich macaw doesn't have a natural looking, shape of beak, body and legs are not very realistic. Also I think the pose is not as good as it is in yellow and blue macaw.
Paws of Safari figure are huge and disturbing, they are stretched and are the only support to the figure but exagerated.
My choice is also Safari hyacint macaw, I remember my joy when I bought it while I was extremly neutral when I saw the Schleich on shops.
Both are recomendable and the only representative of that species among major brands.

Kikimalou wrote:

Before I get the SCHLEICH, I thought the SAFARI Ltd one would be unsurpassed....

So if it is a matter of taste, I agree with you, you have many good reasons to prefer the SAFARI Ltd

It it is a matter of beak, I agree the SAFARI Ltd is better...

It it is a matter of painting and details on feathers, the SAFARI Ltd is better.

But, the SCHLEICH model pointed some things I never noticed on the SAFARI Ltd, it has big head and feets. The proportions of the SCHLEICH are far better. (o)):

Sincerely I'm not a big SCHLEICH fan. I don't like the elephants, especially the new ones, because I think that very good details don't save bad and odd proportions. I prefer the PAPO ones which have less details but are better shaped

I really like the SAFARI LTd macaw but it has bad proportions. I guess it is important to notice

...Yes, Kiki! But what you say about the beak of Schleich macaw?

jarda wrote:

skysthelimit wrote:

I have to say I like Safari's version better. I don't like the shape of Schleich macaw's beak, maybe the length of it, maybe the lack of strength...

+1

Robert, You wrote exactly what I mean. The older Safari Ltd version is far better one (although the head is a little bigger) for me. I think the newer Schleich figure has weird beak shape, too bright blue color from the upper view, very unnatural pose (similar like some old Safari or PV parrots) and the feets should be grey, unfeathered, not blue...

Anyway, congratulations, Kiki, to your new addition :)

Roger wrote:

Christophe, I understand your points of view. You're being coerent and that is great.
I agree that proportions are better in Schleich macaw, however almost every parts are better shaped in Safari figure, painting is better, plastic is better too, price is lower, much more convincent getting the traditional "parrot" personality. Proportions are important to contribute to the realism of a figure but Schleich macaw doesn't have a natural looking, shape of beak, body and legs are not very realistic. Also I think the pose is not as good as it is in yellow and blue macaw.
Paws of Safari figure are huge and disturbing, they are stretched and are the only support to the figure but exagerated.
My choice is also Safari hyacint macaw, I remember my joy when I bought it while I was extremly neutral when I saw the Schleich on shops.
Both are recomendable and the only representative of that species among major brands.

Sergey wrote:

...Yes, Kiki! But what you say about the beak of Schleich macaw?

What an interesting topic The kind of topic I love the most discussion about a model between collectors. (o)):

If I needed one more good reason to buy this SCHLEICH, this topic would be that reason.

So what about the beak ? I prefer the SAFARI Ltd beak but google a bit and maybe you will find the SCHLEICH beak is not so wrong... And a macaw is not "only" a beak.

Now if we are talking about choice, I have the great chance to have the two models and I will not sold my SAFARI Ltd

If we are talking about details, the SAFARI Ltd is more interesting, as I already said, and the painting is better too.

But about realism I don't know why very big head and paws are more realist than an odd beak ! I think the SCHLEICH gave me the chance to discover that my beloved SAFARI Ltd was not so perfect

@ Roger: When I came to the shop, I really thought I would buy the Blue and yellow macaw, but the models were so poorly painted, worse than the vulture, that I found the Hyacinth very beautiful and let the ara on shelf. It was really awful and so expensive

I wasn't trying to say that Schleich's hyacinth macaw was a bad figure, but just trying to say that the Safari Ltd. one's beak looked more realistic. The beak on the Schleich one isn't nearly has "hooked" as the Safari Ltd.

orcagirl26 wrote:

I wasn't trying to say that Schleich's hyacinth macaw was a bad figure, but just trying to say that the Safari Ltd. one's beak looked more realistic. The beak on the Schleich one isn't nearly has "hooked" as the Safari Ltd.

I understand Orcagirl and my point was not a direct answer to your post, some members are thinking the same and you are not wrong. The SAFARI LTd beak is more beautiful and appealing than the SCHLEICH, it is more hooked too. Again, lots of Hyacinth macaws have also less hooked beaks than the SAFARI Ltd.

Kikimalou wrote:

orcagirl26 wrote:

I wasn't trying to say that Schleich's hyacinth macaw was a bad figure, but just trying to say that the Safari Ltd. one's beak looked more realistic. The beak on the Schleich one isn't nearly has "hooked" as the Safari Ltd.

I understand Orcagirl and my point was not a direct answer to your post, some members are thinking the same and you are not wrong. The SAFARI LTd beak is more beautiful and appealing than the SCHLEICH, it is more hooked too. Again, lots of Hyacinth macaws have also less hooked beaks than the SAFARI Ltd.

Thanks Kiki!