The Scarlet Macaw

  
The Scarlet Macaw

The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) is without a doubt, one of the most colorful tropical
birds. Once very abundant throughout tropical America, this species is restricted
to those areas where they are protected by law, like National Parks and Wildlife
Refuges. The pet trade and habitat destruction led to a serious decline in their
populations and caused them to disappear from a large portion of their original
range. In Costa Rica, the breeding populations in the Central and South Pacific
areas are slowly recovering after years of intensive education and enforcement
programs. As a result, their loud squawking and colorful wings are once again
a common sight in these regions.