Ara glaucogularis - Blue-throated Macaw
Blue-throated Macaw – Ara glaucogularis (Dabbene, 1921) – is a large parrot from Southamerica with mostly blue and yellow colors with a long tail and powerful beak.
They are uncommon in captivity and sadly also rare in the wild with only an estimated 200-300 birds. It is categorized as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List and is listed on CITES Appendix I and EU Annex A. In the past they were mostly threatened by trapping for cage-bird trade but now their biggest threat is that all their known breeding sites are on private cattle ranches, where their nest trees are either being cut down to be used for fence posts or burned down to clear the area for pasture.
They can reach an age of more than 50 years.
Description
Both male and female have turquoise-blue back and wings; most of the head is blue with a yellow/orange-red stripe on side of neck; characteristic blue patch on the throat; the face is bare white skin with blue/green feathered stripes; chest and underside is yellow; the tail is long with blue on overside and a mix of blue and yellow on underside; yellow eyes; grey/black large bill.
Juveniles has similar colors but a darker blue throat band, grey eyes and a shorter tail.
Size: about 85 cm
Wingspan: about 90 cm.
Weight: about 750 gram.
Taxonomy
- Order: Psittaciformes
- Family: Psittacidae
- Genus: Ara
Synonyms
- Danish: Blåstrubet Ara
- English: Blue-throated Macaw
- French: Ara à gorge bleue, Ara canindé
- German: Blaukehlara
- Portuguese: Arara-de-garganta-azul
- Spanish: Guacamayo Barbazul, Guacamayo barbiazul, Guacamayo de Barba Azul, Papagayo azul y amarillo
- Scientific: Ara glaucogularis, Ara caninde
IUCN Red List
BirdLife International 2021. Ara glaucogularis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T22685542A196624397.
https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22685542A196624397.en
Accessed on 12 March 2022
Habitat
Southamerica: northern Bolivia.
The Blue-throated Macaw is critically endangered; its natural habitat is only found in a small area in the northern Bolivia. They prefer palm forest and flooded savannas with scattered palm trees. Also seen in small numbers in tropical forests in wet lowlands. Usually seen in pairs.
Subspecies
None.
Diet
Wild birds mostly feed on pulp of fruits from large palms like Attalea and Acrocomia. Unlike other macaws they do not feed on nuts but have been seen cracking and drinking the liquid from unripe Attalea nuts.
Aviculture
The aviary should be at least 15 m long. Use a rectangular box about 40 x 40 x 120 cm as nest box.
The clutch usually contains 2-3 eggs, which are incubated for about 26 days; the chicks reach fledging age after 13 – 14 weeks.
