Threatened Species

20,000 - 50,000; About 2,000 in Costa Rica. Total Central American population no more than 4,000.

500 - 1,000; Between 400 - 600 in Costa Rica.

1,000-2,499; Poorly studied wild population size.

Scattered throughout lowland rainforests in small isolated populations from Mexico to Panama in Central America and east of the Andes from Colombia down to Bolivia and southern Brazil in South America.

Tiny remaining populations are found in the lowland rainforests on the Caribbean slope from east Honduras to northwest Colombia. In parts of Panama and at the southern end of their range in Ecuador they are found in the dry forests on the Pacific coast.

Frequently inhabiting tropical dry-forests; arid and semi-arid woodlands and savannas with scattered trees. It can also be found in evergreen gallery forest, and in the last decades scattered small populations have established in parks and wooded urban areas.

There is evidence of a population decline in the wild across the range. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Scarlet Macaw at the lowest level of concern for extinction, largely because of its huge range. However in Costa Rica they are missing from much of their former range and there are only two healthy sub-populations remaining. Furthermore there may be no more than 4,000 of these birds in Central America.

IUCN Red Listed as Critically Endangered. The Great green Macaw was once prevalent throughout the entire Caribbean slope. Approximately since the 1970’s, the bird populations have declined. The main cause is the loss of forest habitat and in particular the destruction of Mountain Almond trees, which they rely on for feeding and nesting. Over time, branches of the tree naturally break off, leaving large cavities in the trunks of the trees that provide a hollowed nest.

This parrot species is listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List after its last review in 2021. The most recent census conducted in Costa Rica and Nicaragua show dramatic declines in populations, possibly related to the high demand for these charismatic birds as pets in local households.