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Blue and Gold Macaw  (Ara ararauna)

Also Known As: Blue and Yellow Macaw, Yellow-breasted Macaw, Blue Macaw
 
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Blue and Gold Macaw

Credit: (c) SU, HSING FANG | License: ShutterStock
 
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Did You Know?
Paired birds often fly so close to one another that their wings almost touch.

Status in the Wild
World Population:
Not recorded

Range: Large range - E Panama and lowlands of South America to SE Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.

Habitat:
Occurs in wooded areas, usually near water, including edge of lowland humid forest, gallery forest in savanna, savanna with scattered trees and palms, swamp forest and palm swamp. Sometimes forages in open country. Up to 500m (1640 ft).

Threat Summary:
Very heavy wild-caught trade (over 55,000 birds as of 2005).

IUCN Rating:
Least Concern

Wild Diet:
Locally available fruits (various palms), nuts, leaf-buds and some nectar.

CITES Rating:
Appendix II

Ecology:
Feeds quietly in top of forest canopy; large numbers congregate at riverbank locations, with other parrot species, to take clay soils there (natural antacid) Usually in pairs, but often in noisy flocks of up to 25 birds.

Clutch and Egg Size:
2 to 4, elliptical 46 x 36mm (1.8 x 1.4 in)

Breeding Season:
February-March in Surinam; January-May in Trinidad (formerly); December-February in Colombia.

More Info Sites:
http://www.oregonzoo.org/Cards/BirdsOfPrey/bluegoldmacaw.htm

http://www.natureserve.org/infonatura/servlet/InfoNatura?searchName=Ara+ararauna