Blue-and-yellow Macaw

Ara ararauna

A flying rainbow that screams hello from a mile away. Stealth is not an option.

Population: Global population size not quantified; described as uncommon, with a decreasing population trend (IUCN assessed 2018-08-09); modeling suggests 20.9-35.3% suitable-habitat loss over three generations, kept below the 25% threshold for uplisting
Habitat: Lowland tropical forest (especially seasonally flooded várzea, also open terra firme/unflooded forest), woodland, swamp forest, dry tropical forest, and savanna, 0-500m elevation; nests almost exclusively in cavities of dead palms, particularly Mauritia flexuosa
Fun fact: Blue-and-yellow Macaws typically mate for life and are usually seen flying in pairs, calling loudly to keep in contact as they travel between roosting and feeding sites.
Range: Extensive range (~10.3 million km²) across northern and central South America and eastern Panama; resident in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela; extirpated from Trinidad and Tobago (reintroduction attempted 1999-2003); introduced/established populations in Puerto Rico and Miami-Dade County, Florida
Diet: Seeds, fruits, nuts, and vegetable matter (including palm fruits), plus bark and leaves, with occasional insects and snails; uses its powerful bill to crack hard nutshells
Size: 0.88 m
Wingspan: 1 m
Lifespan: 35 years

More Parrots