Great green macaw (Ara ambiguus).
Image: maddysk, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2020 global assessment of Ara ambiguus says Critically EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The great green macaw is a large, mostly green macaw of Central and South American forests. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It depends closely on certain large trees for nesting and food.
Range & habitat
Forests from Central America to north-western South America.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Deforestation
- Trapping for the pet trade
- Loss of key nesting trees
Why it matters
A large rainforest parrot tied to specific trees, the great green macaw is a flagship for protecting and connecting the forests of Central America.
Gallery
Great green macaw (Ara ambiguus).
Image: ~riley, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Great Green Macaw
- IUCN Red List — look up Great Green Macaw (authoritative status)
- BirdLife International
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the great green macaw depend on particular trees?
It relies heavily on certain large trees (such as the almendro) for nesting cavities and food, so losing those trees directly threatens the macaw.
Why is the great green macaw Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite deforestation, trapping for the pet trade, and loss of key nesting trees. See the IUCN Red List for the current assessment.