Program: Great Green Macaw Recovery
The Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) is native to the Caribbean lowlands of E Honduras to NW Colombia, as well as Esmeraldas, W Ecuador. Smaller numbers occur in the Cordillera de Chongon-Colonche, Guayas on the central Pacific coast of Ecuador.
Once common throughout the entire Caribbean, Great Green Macaw populations have declined alarmingly in recent years due to poaching, persecution and deforestation, in particular the clearing of Mountain Almond trees. Overall the global population is estimated to have decreased 80-99% over three generations.
The World Parrot Trust has supported work to protect the Great Green Macaw for over two decades, working alongside in-country partners to help stabilise and grow wild populations. Key actions include:
Supporting habitat restoration and protection
Helped restore and safeguard key forested areas critical to the survival of endangered parrot populations.Funding nest protection and monitoring
Contributed resources and expertise to improve wild chick survival through direct nest guarding and monitoring programs.Assisting with rescue, rehabilitation, and release
Aided in the care and return of injured or confiscated parrots to the wild, often in collaboration with local rescue centres and authorities.Contributing to captive breeding for reintroduction
Supported breeding programs designed to reinforce wild populations and prepare parrots for safe reintroduction into native habitats.Backing field surveys and population assessments
Provided funding and technical support for studies to evaluate species distribution, population size, and conservation needs.Engaging communities through outreach
Delivered education campaigns to raise awareness, build local stewardship, and reduce threats such as poaching and habitat loss.Providing emergency care for vulnerable chicks
Offered hands-on support and emergency intervention for chicks displaced from nests or struggling to survive in the wild.Collaborating to reduce local threats
Worked with partners to address key risks such as wildfire, deforestation, and human disturbance in sensitive parrot habitats.
Together, these efforts aim to secure a future for the Great Green Macaw in its native range.
Make a difference in the lives of parrots.
Find out how the World Parrot Trust is supporting Great Green Macaw recovery.
