EnglishThe Cyanoptera macaw (Ara macao cyanoptera) is an endangered subspecies of the scarlet macaw. It is both breathtaking and nearly extinct. Cyanopteras have unusually long tail feathers and a unique wing coloration. Each year, their wild babies are stolen and sold into the illegal pet trade. Now, fewer than 20 of these birds remain in all of western Central America. The mating pairs are getting old. If no one protects their last babies, these macaws will soon be extinct. New generations need to grow up in the wild.
Each nesting season, we are working to directly protect the birds through nest monitoring, health checkups, and round-the-clock nest protection by our community rangers. When macaws fledge the nest, we give incentive payments to the landowners who protected them instead of selling them. Our program also involves local children in our Junior Ranger environmental education curriculum.
Each successful macaw nestling preserves unique genes and gives this species a lifeline. Our methods work: This trio of nest protection, economic benefit and education is a proven formula. With limited funding and no permanent field office, we have fought hard and already increased the macaws’ population by 20%. The nestlings in this picture are the some of the fruit of these efforts. Your help now will make it possible to protect baby macaws next year. Please make a gift, and even start a monthly donation, today.