Who is the scarlet macaw in guatemala?
History of the scarlet macaw in Guatemala
Fauna has been an important part of the Mayan culture in Guatemala. In addition to the Quetzal -the national bird-, in pre-Columbian times, the Macaw was an important part of the indigenous cosmovision.
It is said that one of the oldest cities of the Mayan civilization was called Waka, which had a close and strategic relationship with the princesses of the Kaan kingdom. In fact, this history is carved in the stelae of the Waká archaeological site, in the surroundings of Laguna del Tigre National Park.
Red Macaw chicks in a cage for captive breeding.
Important details you should know about the scarlet macaw:
The scarlet macaw is a large bird, as its body length can be up to 85 cm long. It is characterized by bright scarlet plumage on the underside of the back. And the upper and lower tail coverts are pale blue. The upper and middle coverts are yellow with green tips. The tail is scarlet with blue tips. The face has a cream-colored bare area. The upper jaw is white with black lower edges. The lower jaw is grayish black. The iris is yellow. The legs are dark gray.
This spectacular macaw is usually seen in pairs, family groups or in flocks of approximately 30 individuals. As with other macaw species, the bonds between members of a pair are very close, and this is most evident when flocks are seen flying, as the male and female fly very close to each other and almost touch with their wings. They make daily flights that are very conspicuous from their roosting sites to feeding areas.
Why is the scarlet macaw in danger of extinction?
The scarlet macaw is currently classified as endangered. Hunting, nest plundering and trapping have forced this species to retreat to areas far away from human settlements.
Illegal hunting is the main reason why the scarlet macaw is in danger of extinction, mainly due to the interest in marketing it as a domestic bird, since its colorful plumage attracts a lot of attention. At first glance, it seems that this should not influence its disappearance since its hunting does not imply its direct death but its commercialization. However, the problem arises when the buyer has to take care of the bird, since in most cases, they do not know the care and needs of the animal. In addition, the scarlet macaw is a social animal, so it tends to become depressed or adopt unnatural behaviors when it is in a cage, and its adaptation to other environments is quite complicated. It should be noted that poachers are not only interested in hunting adult species, but many of them also search for, collect and steal macaw eggs. Another cause of the macaw's extinction is the destruction of its habitat. The felling and deforestation of forests for the extraction of resources, construction of infrastructure or agricultural use of the land causes the loss of trees, which play a fundamental role in the life of the scarlet macaw, since it is in them that it builds its nests and spends most of its life. On the other hand, natural predators are another factor contributing to the macaw's extinction, such as black hawks, which feed on the chicks found in the nests.
Let's share the "Let's take care of the scarlet macaws" symbol.
