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Cuban macaw †
Ara tricolor

Cuban Macaw

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Cuban Macaw

Description of Cuban Macaw:

The Cuban Macaw (Ara tricolor) ave a great era, had a length between 45 and 50 centimeters, the “forecrown” It was red and orange and yellow the nape.

around the eyes had white areas devoid of feathers. Cara, abdomen, chest and the thighs They were also orange and legs and the tip of the bill brown. The upper portion was a brownish red with festooned with feathers in green, while feathers below tail, on top of this and the lower back region they were blue. Also of this color combined with purplish red were the wings.

The external appearance of both male and the female It was the same. As for the flight, as described, when taking off it opened and exhibited its splendid tail to its full extent in a truly magnificent spectacle.

Habitat:

Little is known about the habits Cuban Macaw. Local people reported the Cuban naturalist, born in Germany, Juan Gundlach (1876) What anidaba in the holes of the palm trees and lived in pairs and family groups. He noted that it had a strong vocalization similar to that of Central American macaws. (Gundlach 1893).

apparently small populations bred in scattered locations.

Reproduction:

Little is known about the reproduction of this species, except that they nested in the holes of the palm trees and lived in pairs and family groups.

Food:

They ate fruits, Palmas, tree seeds cinnamon (Meliá azedarach), tender shoots and buds (Wiley & Kirwan 2013).

Olson & Suarez (2008) skull suggest that the tablet back-ventral, in other macaw is an adaptation for a strong muscle attachment, is an indication that this species feeds on palm nuts extremely hard shell, and distribution of birds may have been closely related to the availability of this food source.

Distribution:

Distributed in the past by the island of Cuba, and probably the Isle of youth. It is said that there were large populations in the Zapata Swamp to the South of Matanzas. There is no evidence of the historical existence of this guacamayo or another Hispaniola, where it has hinted at the existence of this species (although possibly they were observed on that island, with the last individuals registered in 1820.

Conservation:

• Current category of the Red List of the UICN: Extinct.

• Population trend: extinguished.

Justification of the Red List of the Category

This species was known in the island of Cuba, but hunting led to its population to extinction. The last reports of the species date from 1885.

Its extinction was caused by his hunting as food and the felling of trees for nesting capture young birds and their use as pet (Forshaw and Cooper 1989).

It is said that the last specimen known to have existed was shot down in La Vega, about the Zapata Swamp in 1864. Then testimonies of sightings occurred up 1885 which were not confirmed.

"Cuban macaw †" in captivity:

It is believed that the Cuban Macaw was quite common in Cuba. First he began to increase his capture in order to give them to the Kings of Spain. As the nineteenth century progressed increased human population and this not only cut down the trees and forests deforested, but he also hunted the bird for food – despite the fact that its meat tasted bad – he plundered its nests to take from pets young birds. This is how their habitats were eliminated, until he ended up becoming extinct.

Alternative names:

Cuban Macaw, Hispaniolan Macaw, Hispaniolan or Cuban Macaw, Hispaniolan, Cuban or Jamaican Macaw (English).
Ara d’Hispaniola, Ara tricolore, Ara tricolore ou A. de Cuba, Ara tricolore, A. de Cuba ou A. de Gosse (French).
Dreifarbenara (German).
arara-vermelha-de-cuba (Portuguese).
Guacamayo cubano (español).


scientific classification:

Johann Matthew Bechstein
Johann Matthew Bechstein

Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: ARA
Scientific name: Ara tricolor
Citation: (Bechstein, 1811)
Protonimo: Ara tricolor

Cuban Macaw pictures:


Cuban macaw † (Ara tricolor)



Species of the genus Ara


Sources:

Avibase
• Parrots of the World – Forshaw Joseph M
• Parrots A Guide to the Parrots of the World – Tony Juniper & Mike Parr
Birdlife
cubaconecta

Photos:

(1) – Ara tricolor, recreación digital By Digitally treated by Rod6807 from the original image of Peter. [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(2) – Cuban Macaw. Eleven-Thirteenths Natural Size—from specimen in Liverpool Museum By John Gerrard Keulemans (1842 – 1912) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
(3) – Now tricolor Bechstein, 1811 by Huub Veldhuijzen van Zanten / Naturalis [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(4) – Now tricolor Bechstein, 1811 Huub Veldhuijzen van Zanten / Naturalis Biodiversity Center [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(5) – Ara tricolor By Bechstein, 1811 [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(6) – Watercolour by Jacques Barraband (circa 1800) of a Cuban Red Macaw (Ara tricolor) by Jacques Barraband [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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