Until three decades ago in Palenque, Mexico, the hubbub of the green and red macaws was

deafening. And a lot of these multicolored birds rested in the canopy of the tallest trees. His
presence was noticeable with the noisy songs and his silhouette lit scarlet tones.

They are characterized for being the most intelligent birds that exist, for their certain capacity of
reasoning. They are also among the most spectacular for their colorful plumage. They are relatives
of parrots, parrots and cockatoos, and from the morphological point of view, they are part of the
family of Psittacids, who live in tropical and subtropical regions.

But, these species have been disappearing, due to the loss of their habitat as a result of the
advance of the agricultural frontier, the cattle extension, the forest fires and the illegal traffic of
the species.

ENDANGERED SPECIES

In Panama, the situation is the same, to the point that the macaws are being investigated by
scientists. There are only five species of macaws, two of them in danger of extinction, said Gwen
Keller, an associate scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI).

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) gave the country the second place in the Mesoamerican
region in its "red list" of threatened species.

The IUCN Red List is the most complete inventory of the state of conservation of animal and plant
species worldwide.

The green macaw or Ara Ambiguus lives along the coastal plains of the Gulf and the northwestern
Sierras, the coastal plains of the Pacific and south in the Sierra Madre.

In addition, this species has been declared at risk by the International Convention on the Wild
Species of Flora and Fauna in Danger of Extinction (CITES), which prohibits its commercialization as
a way to protect it from the destruction of its habitat. what their nesting places have been
removed.
CONTRABAND OF BIRDS

The illegal trafficking of the green macaw and its commercialization for the bird market have
contributed to the decline of the species, eliminating it from several regions of the country.

According to Keller, here in Panama these species are found in the Cerro Hoya area, in the
province of Los Santos, in Veraguas and Darién.

However, it is unknown in Panama how these species live and where they nest, so they are
seeking to establish an ecological plan with basic information on macaws, the researcher said.

International studies reveal that green macaws nest in hollows, as well as in caves made in the
calcareous walls of canyons and reefs at heights that reach 40 meters.

However, deforestation and hunting of exotic birds has destroyed nests and cavities with potential
for the nesting of the species, reducing the chances of reproduction of these birds.

Many nests are destroyed by humans, natural predators, diseases, storms, parasites and
competition for cavities with other species that include African bees.

Another species of macaw in danger of extinction is the Ara Macao or Scarlet Macaw, which live in
Central and South America.
THE HUNT ACORRALA TO THE GUACAMAYAS

The macaws of South America look different from those that live in Central America. The red
macaw of South America, Ara macao macao, lives in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and has
some green on its wings, while the red macaw of Central America, Ara macao cyanoptera, is found
in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, It is bigger than the South American one and it has blue color in
its wings.

In Panama, this species has been spotted in the area of the Azuero peninsula, which inhabits
undisturbed rain forests., Panamá América

Its base diet of fruits, nuts, flowers and nectar. Sometimes it feeds on green fruit and nuts that
other animals do not consume. They also consume some coastal clay banks. They also eat
sunflower, wheat, corn, rice and hemp seeds

One of the problems in Panama is the poaching of the macaws.

CONSERVATION

According to Gwen Keller, an associate scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
(STRI), humans remove chicks from their nests by reducing the reproduction rate. Two to three
eggs are produced and only the female incubates, although the marcho sometimes approaches
the nest to feed her partner or chicks. Small birds grow slowly and can remain in the nest for more
than 90 days.

In an attempt to preserve the species, various state and nongovernmental organizations from
Guatemala, Mexico and Belize seek to integrate efforts to ensure that the macaws survive.

As part of the effort, captive breeding of the species has been launched, which is not easy, but can
live up to 100 years, Keller said.

It is also important to protect the nesting area, in order to reduce the predation of the nests, an
important factor to keep the species in its natural state.