Anodorhynchus glaucus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PSITTACIFORMES	PSITTACIDAE

Scientific Name:

Anodorhynchus glaucus

Species Authority:

(Vieillot, 1816)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Glaucous Macaw
Spanish	–	Ara Azul, Guacamayo Glauco, Guacamayo Violáceo

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered D ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Symes, A., Butchart, S., Bird, J.

Contributor/s:

Clay, R.

Justification:
This species was last recorded in the 1960s and it is likely to have declined severely as a result of hunting and trapping, plus habitat degradation and destruction. However, it may well remain extant, because not all of its formerly large range has been adequately surveyed, and there have been persistent and convincing local reports. Any remaining population is likely to be tiny, and for these reasons it is treated as Critically Endangered.

History:

2009	–	Critically Endangered
2008	–	Critically Endangered
2004	–	Critically Endangered
2000	–	Critically Endangered
1996	–	Extinct
1994	–	Extinct

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Anodorhynchus glaucus was formerly widespread but clearly very local in north Argentina, south Paraguay, north-east Uruguay and Brazil from Paraná state southwards. It was endemic to the middle reaches of the major rivers (Uruguay, Paraná and Paraguay) and adjacent areas, with most records coming from Corrientes, Argentina. It became rare before or early in the second half of the 19th century and there were only two acceptable records in the 20th century, one direct observation (in Uruguay in 1951) and one based on local reports (in Paraná in the early 1960s). Whilst it has been generally treated as extinct, persistent rumours of recent sightings, local reports and birds in trade indicate that a few birds may still survive.
Countries:	Native: Argentina; Brazil; Paraguay; Uruguay
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Any remaining population is assumed to be tiny based on the lack of confirmed records since the 1960s.

Population:

Any remaining population is assumed to be tiny based on the lack of confirmed records since the 1960s.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It was reported mostly along major rivers, but this may reflect travellers' dependence on river transport rather than the species's true habitat requirements. It appears to have been adapted to consume palm nuts as its staple, and therefore presumably wandered into palm-savannas and potentially lightly wooded areas. The only palm in its range with the appropriate size and type of nut is the Yatay (or Chatay) palm Butia yatay¹. It nested and roosted on cliffs and the average clutch-size was probably two eggs.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It was reported mostly along major rivers, but this may reflect travellers' dependence on river transport rather than the species's true habitat requirements. It appears to have been adapted to consume palm nuts as its staple, and therefore presumably wandered into palm-savannas and potentially lightly wooded areas. The only palm in its range with the appropriate size and type of nut is the Yatay (or Chatay) palm Butia yatay¹. It nested and roosted on cliffs and the average clutch-size was probably two eggs.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Settlement of the major river basins within its range was presumably accompanied by the widespread loss of palm-groves, either through direct clearance for agriculture or the suppression of regeneration by colonists' cattle. The size and appearance of the bird probably made it a significant target for hunters, and even the taking of young as pets could have been important. There is some evidence that it was traded, but little to support various claims that there has been recent trade in live specimens. Any current trade in eggs, skins or live specimens would obviously be extremely harmful.

Major Threat(s):

Settlement of the major river basins within its range was presumably accompanied by the widespread loss of palm-groves, either through direct clearance for agriculture or the suppression of regeneration by colonists' cattle. The size and appearance of the bird probably made it a significant target for hunters, and even the taking of young as pets could have been important. There is some evidence that it was traded, but little to support various claims that there has been recent trade in live specimens. Any current trade in eggs, skins or live specimens would obviously be extremely harmful.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix I and II and protected under Brazilian law. There have been various attempts (so far unsuccessful) to rediscover the species. There are ongoing funding proposals to attempt to finance a programme of work aimed at confirming this species's presence in the wild. Conservation Actions Proposed Conduct interviews with local people, especially former and active parrot trappers, to assess the likelihood that any populations remain. Prepare to follow-up on any positive data from these interviews.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I and II and protected under Brazilian law. There have been various attempts (so far unsuccessful) to rediscover the species. There are ongoing funding proposals to attempt to finance a programme of work aimed at confirming this species's presence in the wild.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct interviews with local people, especially former and active parrot trappers, to assess the likelihood that any populations remain. Prepare to follow-up on any positive data from these interviews.

Bibliography [top]

	Begazo, A.; Munn, C.; Castelino, M.; Yamashita, C. Undated. Humans caused the first proven extinction of a South American land bird: a post mortem for the Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus. Collar, N. J.; Gonzaga, L. P.; Krabbe, N.; Madroño Nieto, A.; Naranjo, L. G.; Parker, T. A.; Wege, D. C. 1992. Threatened birds of the Americas: the ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, U.K. Yamashita, C.; Valle, M. De P. 1993. On the linkage between Anodorhynchus macaws and palm nuts, and the extinction of Glaucous Macaw. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 113: 53-60.

Begazo, A.; Munn, C.; Castelino, M.; Yamashita, C. Undated. Humans caused the first proven extinction of a South American land bird: a post mortem for the Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus.

Collar, N. J.; Gonzaga, L. P.; Krabbe, N.; Madroño Nieto, A.; Naranjo, L. G.; Parker, T. A.; Wege, D. C. 1992. Threatened birds of the Americas: the ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, U.K.

Yamashita, C.; Valle, M. De P. 1993. On the linkage between Anodorhynchus macaws and palm nuts, and the extinction of Glaucous Macaw. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 113: 53-60.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2010. Anodorhynchus glaucus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
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