Ara (bird)

Lore & Background

The genus name comes from the Tupi word ará, an onomatopoeia of the macaw's call. For many years the genus contained additional species, but it was later split to create three other genera: Orthopsittaca, Primolius, and Diopsittaca. Orthopsittaca and Diopsittaca are monotypic and morphologically and behaviorally distinct, while the three Primolius macaws are green and smaller. They have long narrow wings, a massive downward-curved upper mandible, and a pale skin patch around the eye that extends to the base of the beak. This patch typically bears minute feathers arranged in lines, though some species have largely bare skin. Plumage is spectacular: among the eight extant species, three are predominantly green, three are mostly red, one is mostly blue and yellow, and one is mostly blue and gold. The extinct Cuban macaw was predominantly red, and the Saint Croix macaw is another known extinct species. There is no sexual dimorphism in plumage.

Reader's Guide

The genus Ara is significant as a prominent group of Neotropical parrots that includes some of the most recognizable and charismatic macaws. Its members are large, vividly colored, and have long been popular in the pet trade, which has also made them vulnerable to smuggling. The genus has a wide distribution from Mexico to Argentina, with the Amazon Basin and the Panama–Colombia border region as centers of diversity. Seven species occur in Bolivia, but no single locality has more than four. The scarlet macaw is the most widespread, while the blue-throated and red-fronted macaws have tiny distributions in Bolivia. Human activities have reduced the overall range of many species. Several hypothetical extinct species have been proposed based on scant evidence, but their validity is uncertain. Ara macaws are cavity nesters, feeding mainly on seeds and fruit, and they are seed predators rather than dispersers. Their adaptability varies, but all require large trees for food and breeding. The legacy of Ara includes both living icons of tropical avifauna and cautionary examples of extinction driven by human activity.

Did You Know?

• The genus name Ara comes from the Tupi word ará, an onomatopoeia of the macaw's call.
• The Saint Croix macaw is known only from subfossil remains and is one of at least two extinct species in the genus.