When a woman carrying her pet hyacinth macaw sat down near me yesterday in Sutton Place Park, I immediately consulted Google on my iPhone for more info about this bird. It appears that they make good pets if you don't mind being bitten occasionally. They survive mainly on nuts, and can cost as much as $10,000 to purchase. Needless to say, there are not all that many private owners of hyacinth macaws, although anything goes in New York. It appears that the bird owner was conferring with the owner of the cute lap dog about the merits of each pet. The gorgeous macaw is about the largest parrot and regularly makes itself known by loud squawking, as was evident yesterday. The owner kept stroking the bird as if it were a cat. These birds become very attached to their owners and need a lot of personal attention. They can learn a few words, but don't talk as much as other parrots. Maybe that's a good thing.