Macaws on the Endangered Species List

Macaw General Information

The status of all macaw species in the wild are of concern. Large numbers were exported to the United States and Europe the beginning of the 20th century. The majority of macaws are now endangered in the wild; several are highly or critically endangered, others are threatened with extinction and five or more species are already extinct – mainly due to the rapid rate of deforestation, hunting, and the illegal trapping for the pet trade.

Therefore, all macaws are listed on the IUNC Red List of Threatened Species and are subjects of conservation; and bird importation is now greatly restricted. However, endangered exotic birds are still targeted by poachers for the illegal exotic bird trade, as collectors are willing to pay many thousands of dollars for one of these “trophy birds.” Thousands of endangered birds get injured or killed – either as they are trying to protect their young that poachers take from their nests, or as they are captured themselves, or they die in transit, as they are cramped into tight spaces that are designed to conceal them from authorities.

Fortunately, many species are thriving in captivity and their captive-bred offspring is readily available – making those parrot species less attractive to collectors and to poachers.

SPECIES	Year Placed on Appendix	Extinct	May be extinct	CITES Appendix I	CITES Appendix II
Blue and Gold Macaw	1981				X
Blue-headed Macaw	1976			X
Blue-throated Macaw	1983			X
Buffon’s Macaw	1984			X
Cuban	1981	X
Dominican Macaw		X
Glaucous Macaw	1976		X	X
Guadeloupe Macaws		X
Green and Yellow Macaw		X
Green Winged Macaw	1981				X
Hahn’s Macaw	1981				X
Hyacinth Macaw	1987			X
Illiger Macaw	1989			X
Lear’s Macaw	1981			X
Martinique Macaws		X
Military Macaw	1987			X
Noble Macaw	1981				X
Red Bellied Macaw	1981				X
Red Fronted Macaw	1983			X
Saint Croix Macaw		X
Scarlet Macaw	1985			X
Severe Macaw	1981				X
Spix’s Macaw	1975			X
Yellow-collared Macaw	1981				X
Yellow-headed Macaw		X

CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, establishes world-wide controls on the international trade in threatened species of animals and plants. It requires that this trade be subject to authorization by government-issued permits or certificates. In the case of species threatened with extinction, CITES prohibits all commercial trade in wild specimens. The Convention was signed in 1975 and more than 125 countries are members.

Appendix I: Species endangered and trade is permitted only in exceptional circumstances

Appendix II: Species which would become endangered unless trade is regulated

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Extinct Parrots:

Cuban Macaw

Dominican Macaw

Jamaican Green-and-yellow Macaws

Guadeloupe Macaws:

Genus: Scientific: Ara … English: Macaws … Dutch: Echte Aras … German: Eigentliche Aras … French: Aras

Species: Scientific: Ara guadeloupensis aka Anodorhynchus purpurascens … English: Guadeloupe Macaw … Dutch: Guadeloupe Ara … German: Guadeloupe Ara … French: Ara de Guadeloupe

CITES Status – EXTINCT … Distribution: Formerly inhabited Guadeloupe, now extinct

Martinique Macaws:

Genus: Scientific: Ara … English: Macaws … Dutch: Echte Aras … German: Eigentliche Aras … French: Aras

Species: Scientific: Ara martinica … English: Martinique Macaw … Dutch: Martinique Ara … German: Martinique Ara … French: Ara Martinique

CITES Status – EXTINCT

Saint Croix Macaws:

The Saint Croix Macaw (Ara autocthones) belongs to the parrots and was found on the island of Saint Croix, in the Virgin Islands. The only remains known are a sub-fossil left tibiotarsus (long leg bone), which has been found in the kitchen middens at Concordia, which is near Southwest Cape.

Genus: Scientific: Ara … English: Macaws … Dutch: Echte Aras … German: Eigentliche Aras … French: Aras

Species: Scientific: Ara authocthones … English: Saint Croix Macaw … Dutch: Sint Croix Ara … German: St. Croix Ara … French: Ara Saint Croix

CITES Status … EXTINCT – Former habitat: St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, now extinct

Yellow-headed Macaws:

Genus: Scientific: Ara … English: Macaws … Dutch: Echte Aras … German: Eigentliche Aras … French: Aras

Species: Scientific: Ara gossei … English: Gosse’s Macaw, Yellow-headed Macaw … Dutch: Geelstaartara … German: Gelbstirnara … French: Ara Gosse

CITES Status … EXTINCT

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Research by Sibylle Johnson

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Gaurav Dhir

Gaurav is an animal enthusiast. He lives in beautiful Ontario with his energetic family. As a part of his work at beautyofbirds.com, he has been working with ace parrot trainer, Cassie Malina to understand bird behavior and learn more about how he can train his feathered companions.

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