Ara tricolor

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Bibliography

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PSITTACIFORMES	PSITTACIDAE

Scientific Name:

Ara tricolor

Species Authority:

Bechstein, 1811

Common Name/s:

English

–

Cuban Macaw

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Extinct ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

History:

2004	–	Extinct
2000	–	Extinct
1994	–	Not Recognized
1988	–	Not Recognized

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Ara tricolor was endemic to the Isle of Pines and mainland Cuba, and probably also Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic)⁵. The last specimen collected in 1864¹, and the last reports in 1885³. At least 19 specimens exist⁴. Macaws are known from numerous historical accounts from Hispaniola, but all specimens are now apparently lost⁶. Ritter, writing in 1836, was the last to record birds, in 1820⁶. Presumably, the species was hunted to extinction there in the early 19th century⁶.
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Range Description:

Ara tricolor was endemic to the Isle of Pines and mainland Cuba, and probably also Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic)⁵. The last specimen collected in 1864¹, and the last reports in 1885³. At least 19 specimens exist⁴. Macaws are known from numerous historical accounts from Hispaniola, but all specimens are now apparently lost⁶. Ritter, writing in 1836, was the last to record birds, in 1820⁶. Presumably, the species was hunted to extinction there in the early 19th century⁶.

Range Map:

Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It inhabited forest, requiring trees with large holes for nesting purposes.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Its extinction was caused by hunting for food and felling of nesting trees to capture young birds for pets².

Major Threat(s):

Its extinction was caused by hunting for food and felling of nesting trees to capture young birds for pets².

Bibliography [top]

	Bangs, O.; Zappey, W. R. 1905. Birds of the Isle of Pines. American Naturalist 39: 179-215. Forshaw, J. M.; Cooper, W. T. 1989. Parrots of the world. Blandford Press, London. Lack, D. 1976. Island biology illustrated by the land birds of Jamaica. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford. Moreno, A. 1992. Uber den am Ende des 19 Jahrhunderts aus gestorbenen en Kuba-Ara (Ara cubensis). Bongo 20: 65-68. Walters, M. 1995. On the status of Ara tricolor Bechstein. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 115: 168-170. Wetherbee, D. K. 1985. The extinct Cuban and Hispaniolan Macaws (Ara: Psittacidae), and description of a new species Ara cubensis. Caribbean Journal of Science 21: 169-175.

Bangs, O.; Zappey, W. R. 1905. Birds of the Isle of Pines. American Naturalist 39: 179-215.

Forshaw, J. M.; Cooper, W. T. 1989. Parrots of the world. Blandford Press, London.

Lack, D. 1976. Island biology illustrated by the land birds of Jamaica. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.

Moreno, A. 1992. Uber den am Ende des 19 Jahrhunderts aus gestorbenen en Kuba-Ara (Ara cubensis). Bongo 20: 65-68.

Walters, M. 1995. On the status of Ara tricolor Bechstein. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 115: 168-170.

Wetherbee, D. K. 1985. The extinct Cuban and Hispaniolan Macaws (Ara: Psittacidae), and description of a new species Ara cubensis. Caribbean Journal of Science 21: 169-175.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Ara tricolor. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2012.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided