Red-tailed Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Encyclopedia
The Red-tailed Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Ara erythrura, is an hypothetical extinct species
of parrot
that may have been native to Jamaica
or Martinique
. This species
was postulated by Walter Rothschild
in 1907, but James Greenway
suggested that, if anything, Ara erythrura is a synonym of the Martinique Macaw
. He regarded Rothschild's description, which is based on Rochefort (1658), as not credible because Rochefort had not visited Jamaica but "seems to have taken his account from du Tertre". The initial description is as follows:
Hypothetical extinct species
Several extinct species have been postulated, but owing to a lack of evidence they can only be regarded as hypothetical extinct species. They have caused confusion, as they may have been a separate species, a subspecies, or an introduced species.-Parrots:...
of 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...
that may have been native to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
or Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. This 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...
was postulated by Walter Rothschild
Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild
Lionel Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild FRS , a scion of the Rothschild family, was a British banker, politician, and zoologist.-Biography:...
in 1907, but James Greenway
James Greenway
James Cowan Greenway was an American ornithologist. An eccentric, shy and sometimes reclusive man, his survey of extinct and vanishing birds provided the base for much subsequent work on bird conservation.-Early years:...
suggested that, if anything, Ara erythrura is a synonym of the Martinique Macaw
Martinique Macaw
The Martinique Macaw, Ara martinica, is an hypothetical extinct species of parrot that may have been native to Martinique, a French island in the eastern Caribbean Sea....
. He regarded Rothschild's description, which is based on Rochefort (1658), as not credible because Rochefort had not visited Jamaica but "seems to have taken his account from du Tertre". The initial description is as follows: