Great Green Macaw

Taxobox
name = Great Green Macaw


image_width = 250px
status = EN | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend = down
status_ref = IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2005|id=40207|title=Ara ambiguus|downloaded=11 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is endangered ]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Psittaciformes
familia = Psittacidae
subfamilia = Psittacinae
tribus = Arini
genus = "Ara"
species = "A. ambiguus"
binomial = "Ara ambiguus"
binomial_authority = (Bechstein, 1811)
subdivision_ranks = subspecies
subdivision = "A. a. ambiguus"
"A. a. guayaquilensis"
range_

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range_map_width = 250px
range_map_caption = Red area is the rangeThe Great Green Macaw, "Ara ambiguus", also known as Buffon's Macaw, is a Central and South American parrot found in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador. Two allopatric subspecies are recognized, the nominate subspecies is found in Central America to northern Colombia, while "A. a. guayaquilensis" is found in western Ecuador and possibly south-western Colombia.cite book | first= Joseph M.| last= Forshaw| coauthors= Cooper, William T.|year= 1981|origyear=1973, 1978|edition=corrected second edition| title= Parrots of the World|publisher=David & Charles, Newton Abbot, London|id=ISBN 0-7153-7698-5]

Taxonomy

The scientific name has recently been changed from "A. ambigua" to "A. ambiguus" to bring the name in gender agreement. [David, N. and Gosselin, M. 2002. "The grammatical gender of avian genera." Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 122: 257-282.]

Description

Great Green Macaws are the largest parrots in their natural range, averaging 85–90 cm (33–36 in) long and 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) in weight. They are mainly green and have a reddish forehead and pale blue lower back, rump and upper tail feathers. Tail is brownish red tipped with very pale blue. The bare facial skin is patterned with lines of small dark feathers, which are reddish in older and female parrots.cite web| publisher =BirdLife International (2008) |url = http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=1550&m=0 |title = Species factsheet: "Ara ambiguus" |accessdaymonth = 24 July | accessyear = 2008]

tatus

It has been described as endangered, and has been one of the key elements in the proposal for the formation of a new National Park in Costa Rica, Maquenque National Park. Already significant parts of the bird's existing habitat is covered by Nature reserves and other conservation projects.

Aviculture

Buffon's Macaw is sometimes bred in captivity, having a less nervous personality than most other macaws, but it is still very rarely seen as a pet.

References

External links

* [http://www.greatgreenmacaw.org/ Rainforest Biodiversity Group]