Photo: Hans Norelius from Älvsjö, Sweden / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Critically Endangered

Parrots

Great Green Macaw

Ara ambiguus

Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) — Parrots & Cockatoos of Central America & Caribbean.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Colombia Birds of Costa Rica Birds of Ecuador Birds of the United States Birds of Florida Birds of New York

By family

Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Colombia Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Costa Rica Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Ecuador Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of the United States Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Florida Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of New York

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The Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) is a member of the Psittacidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 1.3 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Critically Endangered.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

CR Critically Endangered

Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Psittaciformes
Family Psittacidae African & New World Parrots
Genus Ara
Species ambiguus

Where it lives

Eastern Honduras to western Ecuador

Quick facts

Weight: 1.3 kg
Diet: Seed-eaters
Family: Psittacidae
Order: Psittaciformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Red-and-green Macaw

Ara chloropterus

Endangered

Lear’s Macaw

Anodorhynchus leari

Extinct

Glaucous Macaw

Anodorhynchus glaucus

Least Concern

Blue-and-yellow Macaw

Ara ararauna

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Great Green Macaw is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Great Green Macaw is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) is a member of the Psittacidae family, within the order Psittaciformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA e Honduras to w Ecuador.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.3 kg, with a wing length of about 40 cm and a tail of around 44.5 cm.

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 108,000 km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Great Green Macaw?

The Great Green Macaw is a very large bird that weighs around 1.3 kg.

Where does the Great Green Macaw live?

The Great Green Macaw is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA e Honduras to w Ecuador, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Great Green Macaw belong to?

The Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) belongs to the Psittacidae family, in the order Psittaciformes.

What does the Great Green Macaw eat?

The Great Green Macaw is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.

Does the Great Green Macaw migrate?

The Great Green Macaw is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Great Green Macaw endangered?

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

How large is the Great Green Macaw's range?

The Great Green Macaw has a mapped global range of about 108,000 km².