Ara ambiguus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PSITTACIFORMES	PSITTACIDAE

Scientific Name:

Ara ambiguus

Species Authority:

(Bechstein, 1811)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Great Green Macaw
Spanish	–	Guacamayo Ambiguo

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered A2cd+3cd+4cd ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Angehr, G., Horstman, E., Jahn, O., Lyons, J., Salaman, P. & Sharpe, C J

Justification:
This species qualifies as Endangered because extensive habitat destruction and capture for the cagebird trade are suspected to have caused very rapid and continuing population declines. These threats have had such a significant impact that it is very rare in four out of six range states, and the total population is now suspected to be small.

History:

2005	–	Endangered
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Ara ambiguus occurs as two subspecies. The nominate race occurs from Honduras to north-west Colombia, and the race guayaquilensis in western Ecuador³. In Panama, it is locally fairly common (near Cana, Alturas de Nique^1,17) on the Caribbean slope and fairly common in Darién (and adjacent Colombia¹¹), and occurs in Serranía de Majé and south Cerro Hoya¹⁰. In Colombia, it is also found in the north of the Serranía de Baudó and the West Andes, east to the upper Sinú valley^4,13. In Honduras, it is now rare near the río Plátano¹³ and, in Nicaragua, it persists in the Bosawas Reserve and the Indio-Maíz and San Juan Reserve may hold the second largest global subpopulation^12,31. Ecuador's population has been estimated at 60-90 individuals in 2002 in two widely separated populations²⁷, but the population continues to shrink fast^16,18. There majority of these are in Esmeraldas²⁷, and very small numbers remain in the Cordillera de Chongón-Colonche, Guayas^13,27. The largest population in Costa Rica is only 25-35 pairs⁹. Recent estimates suggest that the global population is less than 2,500 mature individuals (or less than 3,700 in total including juveniles and immatures), with the largest subpopulation in Darién, north-west Colombia estimated at less than 1,700 mature individuals (or less than 2,500 in total)¹⁶. However, even within that area its distribution is quite local, it being absent from several remote areas¹⁷.The species forms non-breeding flocks of 50 or more, with flock attendants coming together from huge areas³¹, possibly leading to inflated local estimates of abundance¹⁶.
Countries:	Native: Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; Honduras; Nicaragua; Panama
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The global population is estimate at <2500 mature individuals (or <3700 individuals in total, when juveniles and immatures are included) (Olaf Jahn in litt. 2005, 2007).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It inhabits humid and wet lowland, foothill and (in south-western Ecuador) deciduous forest^21,27, but occurs in edge habitats and crosses open areas^3,5. It is found mainly below 600 m, but occurs to 1,000 m and occasionally 1,500 m in Darién. In Costa Rica, local movements may reflect the asynchronous fruiting of Dipteryx panamensis, the principal nesting and feeding tree^5,9. In south-western Ecuador, it breeds in June-November, and nests in cavities of dead Cavanillesia plantanifolia trees^2,15. Orchids made up 71% of the diet of a pair watched in Ecuador, and their feeding range was estimated at 2,000 ha¹⁵. In the non-breeding season, it tends to form flocks that disperse over large distances in search of food^16,31.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It inhabits humid and wet lowland, foothill and (in south-western Ecuador) deciduous forest^21,27, but occurs in edge habitats and crosses open areas^3,5. It is found mainly below 600 m, but occurs to 1,000 m and occasionally 1,500 m in Darién. In Costa Rica, local movements may reflect the asynchronous fruiting of Dipteryx panamensis, the principal nesting and feeding tree^5,9. In south-western Ecuador, it breeds in June-November, and nests in cavities of dead Cavanillesia plantanifolia trees^2,15. Orchids made up 71% of the diet of a pair watched in Ecuador, and their feeding range was estimated at 2,000 ha¹⁵. In the non-breeding season, it tends to form flocks that disperse over large distances in search of food^16,31.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	In Central America, there is conversion to banana plantations and cattle-ranching, and logging¹⁴. Dipteryx panamensis is selectively logged in Costa Rica⁹. Annual deforestation rates are very high throughout its range¹⁹.Deforestation in Panama probably exceeds 30% of its original range¹⁷ and in some other countries (e.g., Costa Rica and Ecuador) the historical range was reduced by ~90 % over the past 100 years^16,28. In its South American range, plans to colonise and develop remoter areas are progressing through infrastructural improvements, particularly the rapid expansion of the road network, which have increased the impact of logging, small-scale agriculture, illegal coca plantations, gold mining, and hunting, which is even affecting some key protected areas^27,32,33,34. Urbanisation and agriculture have largely extirpated race guayaquilensis, and it is reportedly shot as a crop-pest^5,8. There is illegal capture for (mostly internal) trade, food and feathers^6,9,12,13,27.

Major Threat(s):

In Central America, there is conversion to banana plantations and cattle-ranching, and logging¹⁴. Dipteryx panamensis is selectively logged in Costa Rica⁹. Annual deforestation rates are very high throughout its range¹⁹.Deforestation in Panama probably exceeds 30% of its original range¹⁷ and in some other countries (e.g., Costa Rica and Ecuador) the historical range was reduced by ~90 % over the past 100 years^16,28. In its South American range, plans to colonise and develop remoter areas are progressing through infrastructural improvements, particularly the rapid expansion of the road network, which have increased the impact of logging, small-scale agriculture, illegal coca plantations, gold mining, and hunting, which is even affecting some key protected areas^27,32,33,34. Urbanisation and agriculture have largely extirpated race guayaquilensis, and it is reportedly shot as a crop-pest^5,8. There is illegal capture for (mostly internal) trade, food and feathers^6,9,12,13,27.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix I and II. The stronghold is in Darién Biosphere Reserve, Panama, and adjacent Los Katíos National Park, Colombia. There are important reserves in all range states, but these provide insufficient protection for seasonal wanderers⁵. In Costa Rica, a proposed moratorium on logging D. panamensis has not been implemented^9,13. A government-backed conservation strategy is being implemented in Ecuador¹⁸. In 2007, a successful rapid assessment study in search of the last surviving individuals was carried out in the Cordillera Chongón-Colonche, Ecuador¹⁶. A bi-national campaign in the lowlands of the San Juan River (Nicaragua and Costa Rica) aims to increase awareness of biology, threats and conservation, and strengthen management of natural resources²⁰. Conservation Actions Proposed Implement population monitoring programs^27,32. Monitor rates of habitat loss and degradation. Quantify levels of persecution and capture for trade. Effectively protect reserves in Honduras, Nicaragua¹³, Ecuador^16,27,32 and other countries. Sustainably manage the buffer zones of key protected areas and reserves²⁷. Curtail trade through law enforcement and educational campaigns^7,12,27. Designate the proposed Maquenque National Park, Costa Rica⁹. In Ecuador, designate the Awá reserve, Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve, Awacachi corridor, Gran Reserva Chachi, and Canandé Reserve, including the Río Santiago, Cayapas, Ónzole, and Hoja Blanca drainages, as a biosphere reserve^27,32. In Ecuador, efficiently guard all known nests during the entire nesting period to avoid the destruction of nesting trees and the collection of nestlings by poachers¹⁶. Acquire private reserves in selected areas¹⁵.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I and II. The stronghold is in Darién Biosphere Reserve, Panama, and adjacent Los Katíos National Park, Colombia. There are important reserves in all range states, but these provide insufficient protection for seasonal wanderers⁵. In Costa Rica, a proposed moratorium on logging D. panamensis has not been implemented^9,13. A government-backed conservation strategy is being implemented in Ecuador¹⁸. In 2007, a successful rapid assessment study in search of the last surviving individuals was carried out in the Cordillera Chongón-Colonche, Ecuador¹⁶. A bi-national campaign in the lowlands of the San Juan River (Nicaragua and Costa Rica) aims to increase awareness of biology, threats and conservation, and strengthen management of natural resources²⁰.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Implement population monitoring programs^27,32. Monitor rates of habitat loss and degradation. Quantify levels of persecution and capture for trade. Effectively protect reserves in Honduras, Nicaragua¹³, Ecuador^16,27,32 and other countries. Sustainably manage the buffer zones of key protected areas and reserves²⁷. Curtail trade through law enforcement and educational campaigns^7,12,27. Designate the proposed Maquenque National Park, Costa Rica⁹. In Ecuador, designate the Awá reserve, Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve, Awacachi corridor, Gran Reserva Chachi, and Canandé Reserve, including the Río Santiago, Cayapas, Ónzole, and Hoja Blanca drainages, as a biosphere reserve^27,32. In Ecuador, efficiently guard all known nests during the entire nesting period to avoid the destruction of nesting trees and the collection of nestlings by poachers¹⁶. Acquire private reserves in selected areas¹⁵.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Ara ambiguus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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