Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Ara ararauna
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPsittaciformes (Parrots)
- FamilyPsittacidae (New World and African Parrots)
- GenusAra
- SpeciesAra ararauna (Blue-and-yellow Macaw)
The blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna), also known as the blue-and-gold macaw, is a large Neotropical parrot with a mostly blue dorsum, light yellow/orange venter, and gradient hues of green on top of its head. It is a member of the large group of neotropical parrots known as macaws. It inhabits forest (especially varzea, but also in open sections of terra firme or unflooded forest), woodland, and savannah of tropical Central and South America, as well as the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. They are popular in aviculture because of their striking color, ability to talk, ready availability in the marketplace, and close bonding to humans. It is the most commonly kept macaw species in captivity worldwide as a pet or companion parrot and is also the cheapest among the large macaws. As of 2025, there are 1 million blue and gold macaws living in captivity worldwide, one of the highest populations of any large parrot in captivity. Wikipedia →
30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-and-yellow Macaw sighting in Tambopata National Reserve, based on 1,301 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Tambopata National Reserve
Chestnut-fronted Macaw
Ara severus
Scarlet Macaw
Ara macao
Red-and-green Macaw
Ara chloropterus
Blue-headed Parrot
Pionus menstruus
Cobalt-winged Parakeet
Brotogeris cyanoptera
Mealy Parrot
Amazona farinosa
Dusky-headed Parakeet
Aratinga weddellii
Red-bellied Macaw
Orthopsittaca manilata
White-eyed Parakeet
Aratinga leucophthalma
Yellow-crowned Parrot
Amazona ochrocephala
White-bellied Parrot
Pionites leucogaster
Orange-cheeked Parrot
Pionopsitta barrabandi
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Blue-and-yellow Macaw in Tambopata National Reserve?
About 32% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-and-yellow Macaw sighting in Tambopata National Reserve, based on 1,301 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Blue-and-yellow Macaw in Tambopata National Reserve?
May has the highest sighting rate for Blue-and-yellow Macaw in Tambopata National Reserve in our monthly data.