The specific epithet couloni is in honor of Swiss naturalist Paul Louis Coulon (1804-1894).

Juveniles resemble adults, but with the entire bill black, greyer legs, darker iris and the facial skin and lores white.

It prefers openings in humid forest, e.g. along rivers or clearings, but has also been observed in Moriche Palm swamps and outskirts of towns.

Until recently it was considered fairly common, but a review in 2006 by BirdLife International suggested it was rare with a decreasing total population of 1000-2500 individuals.

[1] Parts of the range of this species remain poorly known, but Tobias & Brightsmith (2007) has suggested that previous estimates were too low, with actual number of 9200-46000 mature individuals more likely.

It is rare in captivity and consequently prices are high (US$12,500 but the past few years have declined as low as $4,000 - 5,000 US in some EU countries).

50 illegally held blue-headed macaws were seized throughout the World in 1993–2000, and an investigation in Germany in 2001 resulted in approx.