# Blue-and-yellow Macaw

Scientific name: Ara ararauna

Bird group: [macaw](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/macaw)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/200/Blue-and-yellow-Macaw

## Identification

The blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna), also known as the blue-and-gold macaw, is a large South American parrot with mostly blue top parts and light orange underparts, with gradient hues of green on top of its head. It is a member of the large group of neotropical parrots known as macaws. It inhabits forest (especially varzea, but also in open sections of terra firme or unflooded forest), woodland and savannah of tropical South America. They are popular in aviculture because of their striking color, ability to talk, ready availability in the marketplace, and close bonding to human(s). They can also live for 65–70 years.


## Distribution and habitat

The Blue-and-yellow Macaw is native to eastern Panama, 
Paraguay, southern Brazil, and 
northern Argentina (Dickinson 
2003). It is introduced and 
established on Puerto Rico, 
where there is one population 
in the metropolitan area of San 
Juan, which has experienced 
declines and increases during 
the last decades (Falcón and 
Tremblay 2018). It is associated 
with Roystonea palms for 
food, roosting, and nesting 
(J.A. Salguero-Faría, personal 
observation 2009). In its native habitat, it occurs mostly in 
seasonally fl ooded forests, gallery 
forests along waterways, lightly 
timbered savannas, and in some 
regions also in deciduous forests 
far from water (Forshaw 2006). 
The atlas fieldwork yielded a 
total of six records within five 
hexagons or 1 percent of the 479 
total hexagons (see map). Of the 
five hexagons where this species 
was found, breeding met the 
atlas definition of probable in 60 
percent (three) of the hexagons 
and possible in 40 percent (two) 
(see map). Blue-and-yellow Macaw distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones 
in Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.       191Blue-and-yellow Macaw/Guacamayo Azuliamarillo

## Breeding

This species nests high in a hole of a dead palm, and 
breeding occurs generally from 
November to May in its native 
range, according to previously 
published reports (Juniper 
and Parr 1998). Atlas results 
suggest that this species breeds 
during the months of April, 
May, July, and October (see 
chart). Overall, the breeding 
activity peaks in May and July, 
and mostly takes place within 
the subtropical moist forest life zone (see chart). Results suggest 
that this species breeds mostly 
within the subtropical moist 
forest life zone (80 percent of 
the hexagons) (see table and 
map). It may also breed within 
subtropical wet forest life zones 
at higher elevations (20 percent 
of the hexagons).

## Conservation

The current global population trend of the Blue-and-yellow 
Macaw has not been quantified 
or assessed, but the species is described as uncommon (Stotz 
and others 1996). However, it 
is currently listed as a species 
of least concern by the IUCN 
(BirdLife International 2018). 
Locally, this species is not 
listed in any of the threatened 
categories of PRDNER and 
USFWS. In Puerto Rico, the 
Blue-and-yellow Macaw has 
a protected habitat in land of 
4 percent or 4.8 km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons 
where evidence of breeding was 
found for this species (119 km2). 

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_200_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_200_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.