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Red-and-green macaws are mating in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest for the first time in 200 years
Parrot conservation efforts for the area include reintroducing captive macaws, some held in captivity for over 25 years, into regenerated forest areas
Blue-and-yellow macaws were also recently reintroduced to Rio de Janeiro through conservation efforts
The red-and-green macaw is making a comeback in Brazil.
For the first time in 200 years, red-and-green macaws are mating in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, according to BBC Wildlife.
The recent hatching of two chicks marks the first documented reintroduction of the species into the area, a major milestone for conservation efforts in the forest, conservationists say.
A red-and-green macaw in Jardim, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
Credit: Pablo Porciuncula/ AFP via Getty
The red-and-green macaw was once widely found throughout Brazil, but deforestation and illegal capture for the pet trade caused its numbers along the Brazilian coast to dwindle. In 2022, the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources established a reintroduction program for the species.
In 2024, 35 captive birds were chipped, quarantined and rehabilitated in specialist nurseries, where they learned to socialize with other macaws and adapt to life in the wild. The birds were then released into a large area of regenerated forest in southern Bahia, Brazil, which contained artificial feeders and nest boxes.
Red-and-green macaws in Jardim, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
Credit: Lucio Tavora/Xinhua via Getty
The nest sites were monitored remotely to avoid stressing the birds. In April, two chicks poked their heads out of one of the boxes, making history.
“It was a very special moment,” project coordinator Ligia Ilg told BBC Wildlife. “Seeing the chicks flying well, being fed by their parents, and beginning to forage independently was incredibly emotional.”
The story also shows that captive macaws can be successfully returned to the wild. The adult birds released into the wild as part of the program were rehomed from private owners and from illegal wildlife seizures, with some in captivity for more than 25 years before their release.
“The idea that wild macaws kept in captivity prefer human company is a myth,” Ilg added.
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In another Brazilian parrot success story, the blue-and-yellow macaw recently returned to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Four birds were brought to Tijuca National Park through Brazilian nonprofit Refauna’s “refaunation” program.
The birds, three females and one male, are currently back in their enclosure for monitoring after being released for 15 days earlier this year. Refauna is planning to release the birds again in September.
“They are so magnificent. It’s no surprise that all the visitors are constantly asking how they can see them,” Viviane Lasmar, director of Tijuca National Park, told the Guardian. “For me, as the head of the park, it’s special. But even more so as a carioca [a person from Rio]. It’s a dream come true.”
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