Blue-headed Macaw
Encyclopedia
The Blue-headed Macaw or Coulon's Macaw (Primolius couloni) is native to eastern Peru
(except in north), north-western Bolivia
(mainly in Pando
), and far western Brazil
(only in Acre
). It has a total length of about 41 cm (16 in), making it a member of the group of smaller macaw
s sometimes known as the mini-macaw
s, which includes any species
of macaw with a total length of 50 cm (20 in) or less. As in all macaws, its tail is long and pointed and the bill is large and heavy.
and Golden-collared Macaw
). The bill is pale greyish-horn with a black base (extent varies, but upper mandible in adults typically appears mainly pale). The iris
is whitish with a narrow, often barely visible, maroon eye-ring. Unlike most other macaws, the facial skin and lores are dark greyish. The legs are dull pinkish. Juvenile
s resemble adults, but with the entire bill black, greyer legs, darker iris and the facial skin and lores white.
Propyrrhura, but this is incorrect as per ICZN
rules, the new genus and species is now "Primolius couloni". Earlier, it has also been placed in the genus Ara, which at present only is used for some of the larger macaws.
and adjacent east Andean foothills
. It prefers openings in humid forest, e.g. along rivers or clearings, but has also been observed in Moriche Palm
swamps and outskirts of towns. It occurs from the lowland
s up to an altitude of 1550 m (5100 ft). As several other parrot
s, the Blue-headed Macaw is known to visit clay-licks.
suggested it was rare with a decreasing total population of 1000-2500 individuals. It has therefore been uplisted to endangered in the 2007 IUCN Red List
. Parts of the range of this species remain poorly known, but Tobias & Brightsmith (2007) has suggested that previous estimates were too low, with actual number of 9200-46000 mature individuals more likely. It has therefore been suggested that vulnerable
might be a more appropriate category for this species.
Much of the forest within its range remains intact, but habitat loss could be a threat, at least locally. It occurs in several protected areas, e.g. Tambopata-Candamo
and Manu
.
The capture of individuals for the wild bird trade potentially presents a serious problem. It is rare in captivity and consequently prices are high (US$12,500 but the past few years have declined as low as $4,000 - 5,000 US in some EU countries). International trade in this species was virtually unknown in 1993, where CITES only registered three legally traded individuals, but this had risen to 55 individuals in 2000. As per August 2007, ISIS
only listed 26 individuals in zoo
s outside its native countries, and Loro Parque
(not included on ISIS) has 35+ individuals. CITES reported that approx. 50 illegally held Blue-headed Macaws were seized throughout the World in 1993-2000, and an investigation in Germany
in 2001 resulted in approx. 30 individuals being seized.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
(except in north), north-western Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
(mainly in Pando
Pando Department
Pando is a department of Bolivia, with an area of , adjoining the border with Brazil. Pando has a population 66,689 . Its capital is the city of Cobija....
), and far western Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(only in Acre
Acre (state)
Acre is one of the 27 states of Brazil. It is situated in the southwest of the Northern Region, bordering Amazonas to the north, Rondônia to the east, Bolivia to the southeast and the Ucayali Region of Peru to the south and west. It occupies an area of 152,581.4 km2, being slightly smaller...
). It has a total length of about 41 cm (16 in), making it a member of the group of smaller macaw
Macaw
Macaws are small to large, often colourful New World parrots. Of the many different Psittacidae genera, six are classified as macaws: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca...
s sometimes known as the mini-macaw
Mini-macaw
Mini-macaws are a loosely-defined group of small-to-medium-sized macaw species within the tribe Arini. The term has no fixed taxonomic meaning and is principally used in aviculture to describe a small macaw belonging to one of a number of different genera, with overall length being the sole...
s, which includes any species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of macaw with a total length of 50 cm (20 in) or less. As in all macaws, its tail is long and pointed and the bill is large and heavy.
Description
The Blue-headed Macaw is 41 cm (16 in) long. It has mainly green plumage (often tinged olive, esp. below) with the head, flight feathers and primary coverts blue. The uppertail has a maroon base, a narrow green center and a blue tip. The undertail and underwing are greenish-yellow similar to that of several other small macaws (e.g. Red-belliedRed-bellied Macaw
The Red-bellied Macaw, Orthopsittaca manilata, is a medium-sized, mainly green parrot. It is the only species of the genus Orthopsittaca, and it does not have any subspecies....
and Golden-collared Macaw
Golden-collared Macaw
The Golden-collared Macaw or Yellow-collared Macaw is a small species of macaw belonging to the parrot family Psittacidae. It is native to central South America. In recent years it has often been placed in the genus Propyrrhura, but this is incorrect as per ICZN rules...
). The bill is pale greyish-horn with a black base (extent varies, but upper mandible in adults typically appears mainly pale). The iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
is whitish with a narrow, often barely visible, maroon eye-ring. Unlike most other macaws, the facial skin and lores are dark greyish. The legs are dull pinkish. Juvenile
Juvenile (organism)
A juvenile is an individual organism that has not yet reached its adult form, sexual maturity or size. Juveniles sometimes look very different from the adult form, particularly in terms of their colour...
s resemble adults, but with the entire bill black, greyer legs, darker iris and the facial skin and lores white.
Taxonomy
In recent years it has often been placed in the genusGenus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Propyrrhura, but this is incorrect as per ICZN
International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals...
rules, the new genus and species is now "Primolius couloni". Earlier, it has also been placed in the genus Ara, which at present only is used for some of the larger macaws.
Habitat
It is found in the south-west AmazonAmazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
and adjacent east Andean foothills
Foothills
Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills to the adjacent topographically high mountains.-Examples:...
. It prefers openings in humid forest, e.g. along rivers or clearings, but has also been observed in Moriche Palm
Moriche Palm
The Moriche Palm, Mauritia flexuosa, also known as the Ité Palm, Ita, Buriti, or aguaje , is a palm tree. It grows in and near swamps and other wet areas in tropical South America....
swamps and outskirts of towns. It occurs from the lowland
Lowland
In physical geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level. The term is thus applied to the landward portion of the upward slope from oceanic depths to continental highlands, to a region of depression in the interior of a mountainous region, to a plain of denudation, or...
s up to an altitude of 1550 m (5100 ft). As several other parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s, the Blue-headed Macaw is known to visit clay-licks.
Behavior
Little is known about its reproductive behavior in the wild, but a possible nest has been recorded in a bamboo cavity and another in a tree cavity. In captivity, the reproductive cycle appears to be roughly annual with a clutch size of 2-4 being the norm. In the wild it is typically seen in groups of 2-4 individuals, with occasional records of groups up to c. 60 individuals. Its call is higher-pitched and softer than that of most other macaws.Status
Until recently it was considered fairly common, but a review in 2006 by BirdLife InternationalBirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
suggested it was rare with a decreasing total population of 1000-2500 individuals. It has therefore been uplisted to endangered in the 2007 IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
. Parts of the range of this species remain poorly known, but Tobias & Brightsmith (2007) has suggested that previous estimates were too low, with actual number of 9200-46000 mature individuals more likely. It has therefore been suggested that vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
might be a more appropriate category for this species.
Much of the forest within its range remains intact, but habitat loss could be a threat, at least locally. It occurs in several protected areas, e.g. Tambopata-Candamo
Tambopata-Candamo
Tambopata-Candamo is a nature reserve in the Peruvian Amazon Basin south of the Madre de Dios River in Tambopata Province's Inambari and Tambopata districts...
and Manu
Manú National Park
Manú National Park is a biosphere reserve located in Madre de Dios and Paucartambo, Cusco. Before becoming an area protected by the Peruvian government, the Manú National Park was conserved thanks to its inaccessibility. The park remains fairly inaccessible by road to this day. In 1977, UNESCO...
.
The capture of individuals for the wild bird trade potentially presents a serious problem. It is rare in captivity and consequently prices are high (US$12,500 but the past few years have declined as low as $4,000 - 5,000 US in some EU countries). International trade in this species was virtually unknown in 1993, where CITES only registered three legally traded individuals, but this had risen to 55 individuals in 2000. As per August 2007, ISIS
Isis (disambiguation)
Isis was a goddess in Egyptian mythology.Isis may also refer to:-Aircraft:* Integrated Standby Instrument System, used on the Airbus A320 family of airliners* Integrated Sensor is Structure, project to develop an airship for intelligence uses...
only listed 26 individuals in zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
s outside its native countries, and Loro Parque
Loro Parque
Loro Parque is a zoo located on the outskirts of Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife, Spain where it houses an extensive and diverse reserve of animal and plant species...
(not included on ISIS) has 35+ individuals. CITES reported that approx. 50 illegally held Blue-headed Macaws were seized throughout the World in 1993-2000, and an investigation in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 2001 resulted in approx. 30 individuals being seized.
External links
- Stamps (for PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
) with RangeMap - Photo-High Res-(Close-up); *Article; Article-2 pbase—"Macaws and Conures"
- Blue-headed Macaw on Avibase