Great Green Macaw Ara ambiguus
Critically endangered
Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; Honduras; Nicaragua; Panama
Great Green Macaws are colourful and spectacular birds that can live for up to 70 years, they are one of the largest macaw species in the world.
The Great Green Macaw qualifies as Critically Endangered because extensive habitat destruction and capture for the cagebird trade are causing extremely rapid and continuing population declines. These threats have had such a significant impact that the total population is now very small.
The historical range of the Great Green Macaw was reduced by ~90 % over the past 100 years (Chassot et al. 2002; O. Jahn in litt. 2004, 2005). Large areas of western Ecuador are being purchased, denuded of forest and converted to industrial oil palm plantations (Sharpe 1999).
IUCN red list
Great Green Macaws are colourful, intelligent birds, one of the largest Macaws in #Colombia. Critically endangered due to #palmoil #deforestation and the #pettrade @IUCNredlist Support this animal’s survival. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife
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They live in humid and wet lowland, foothill and (in south-western Ecuador) dry deciduous forest (Benítez et al. 2002; Berg et al. 2007), but can sometimes occur in edge habitats and crosses open areas (Fjeldså et al. 1987; Juniper and Parr 1998). They are found mainly below 600 m, but also occur to 1,000 m and occasionally 1,500 m in Darién. In Costa Rica, they strongly prefer Dipteryx panamensis as principal nesting tree, with 87% of all active nests found on this tree (Macaw Recovery Network 2020); local movements may reflect the asynchronous fruiting of Dipteryx panamensis (Powell et al. 1995; Juniper and Parr 1998). Breeding pairs typically produce 1-2 chicks per breeding season (Macaw Recovery Network 2019). In south-western Ecuador, they breed in June-November, and nests in cavities of dead Cavanillesia plantanifolia trees (Berg and Horstman 1996; López-Lanús et al. 1999). Orchids made up 71% of the diet of a pair watched in Ecuador, and their feeding range was estimated at 2,000 ha (López-Lanús et al. 1999). In the non-breeding season, these birds tends to form flocks that disperse over large distances in search of food (O. Chassot verbally 2004; O. Jahn in litt. 2004, 2005).
In Central America, original vegetation is converted for agriculture, plantations, cattle-ranching and logging (Stattersfield et al. 1998; S. Nazeri in litt. 2020). Dipteryx panamensis is selectively logged in Costa Rica (Powell et al. 1995).
In Central America, original vegetation is converted for agriculture, plantations, cattle-ranching and logging (Stattersfield et al. 1998; S. Nazeri in litt. 2020). Dipteryx panamensis is selectively logged in Costa Rica (Powell et al. 1995). Annual deforestation rates are high throughout its range (FAO 2001). Deforestation in Panama probably exceeds 30% of its original range (G. Angehr in litt. 2005) and in some other countries (e.g., Costa Rica and Ecuador)
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Further Information
BirdLife International. 2020. Ara ambiguus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T22685553A172908289. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22685553A172908289.en. Downloaded on 16 February 2021.
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