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Ara militaris
– Vulnerable
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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AVES
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Order:
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PSITTACIFORMES
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Family:
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PSITTACIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Ara militaris
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Species Authority:
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(Linnaeus, 1766)
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Common Name/s:
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| English | — | MILITARY MACAW |
| French | — | ARA MILITAIRE |
| Spanish | — | GUACAMAYO MILITAR, GUACAMAYO VERDE |
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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VU A2cd+3cd ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2004
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Assessor/s:
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BirdLife International
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Evaluator/s:
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Wege, D. & Benstead, P. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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This species is Vulnerable because levels of habitat loss and capture for the cage-bird trade indicate that there is a continuing rapid population decline. Its future ought to be secured by the large number of national parks in which it occurs, but many of these currently provide ineffective protection.
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History:
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| 1988 | - | Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2004) |
| 1994 | - | Vulnerable (Collar, Crosby and Stattersfield 1994) |
| 2000 | - | Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2000) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Ara militaris occupies a massive but fragmented range from Mexico to Argentina. In Mexico, it occurs from central Sonora to Jalisco on the Pacific slope and east Nuevo León to San Luis Potosí on the Atlantic slope6. In Colombia, it is known from the Guajira Peninsula and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta through the Sierras de Perijá and de San Lucas, south along the East Andes, with local populations on the Pacific slope in Chocó, the Cauca valley, the head of the Magdalena valley and in the Sierra de la Macarena7,12. It is very local in north Venezuela, and occurs disjunctly in the east Andes of Ecuador, Peru (also in the río Chinchipe drainage1), Bolivia and north-west Argentina. It has been extirpated from many areas, especially in Mexico (west Chiapas along the Pacific slope to Guerrero, and perhaps as far north-west as Michoacán and Colima6) and Argentina (no records since 19912), and is very local elsewhere. Populations in Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia face continuing threats, and further extirpations are expected.
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Range Map:
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 (click for detailed map)
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Countries:
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Native:
Argentina; Bolivia; Colombia; Ecuador; Mexico; Peru; Venezuela
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Population
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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It inhabits humid lowland forest and adjacent cleared areas, wooded foothills and canyons. In Mexico, it is found in arid and semi-arid woodland, and pine-oak, humid lowland and riparian forest, moving seasonally to dense thorn-forest9. It occurs from sea-level to 3,100 m, but the core range is 500-1,500 m 9. Nests and large communal roosts are sited on cliff-faces or in large trees6,9.
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System:
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Terrestrial
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Threats
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Threats:
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Habitat loss and especially domestic trade are the chief threats, even within reserves12. In 1991-1995, 96 wild-caught specimens were found in international trade, with Bolivia possibly the most significant exporter2.
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Conservation measures underway:
CITES Appendix I and II, and legally protected in Venezuela. There are reasonably healthy populations in El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Mexico10, Madidi and Amboró National Parks and Pilon Lajas Biosphere Reserve, Bolivia5,9,11, with small populations in at least some of the 19 other protected areas in its potential range1,3,4,5,8,11,12.
Conservation measures proposed:
Assess its population status and ecological requirements. Monitor the largest known populations. Control capture and trade of wild birds, beginning in reserves4,12. Improve management and awareness initiatives in and around national parks.
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