Blue-throated Macaw

Overview

The Blue-throated Macaw is restricted to a small region of seasonally flooded palm savanna in the Beni department of Bolivia, making it one of the more range-limited macaw species. It closely resembles the more widespread Blue-and-yellow Macaw but can be told apart by close attention to facial and throat feathering.

Its striking turquoise-blue back and wings contrast with warm yellow-orange underparts, a color combination shared with its more common relative but with subtle differences in facial pattern.

Feather Identification

• Upperparts: Bright turquoise-blue feathers cover the back, wings, and tail, generally a cleaner, more saturated blue than the Blue-and-yellow Macaw.
• Underparts: Rich yellow-orange feathers cover the chest and belly.
• Throat patch: A patch of blue feathers extends across the throat, the key field mark that gives the species its name and separates it from the green-throated Blue-and-yellow Macaw.
• Facial skin: Bare, pale skin around the eye is crossed by fewer, more widely spaced lines of small feathers than in the Blue-and-yellow Macaw.
• Compared to similar species: The Blue-and-yellow Macaw has a green rather than blue throat and a more extensively feathered face.

Plumage Notes

Sexes look alike, sharing the same blue-and-yellow coloring and blue throat patch. Juveniles resemble adults but have shorter tails and slightly less vivid coloring until after their first molt.

Molt proceeds gradually through the year, without a single concentrated molting season.

Habitat & Range

This species is confined to a small area of seasonally flooded savanna dotted with palm islands in northern Bolivia. It depends heavily on specific palm species for both food and nesting cavities, making its range unusually restricted compared to most macaws.

It is largely resident within its limited range, moving locally between feeding and roosting palm stands as flooding levels change through the year.

Behavior & Field Notes

Blue-throated Macaws are typically seen in pairs or small family groups, feeding on palm nuts and other seeds within scattered palm islands across the savanna. They fly with the strong, direct wingbeats typical of large macaws.

Nesting occurs in natural cavities of large palm trees, and pairs appear to form long-term bonds. Their calls are loud and macaw-like, though generally less commonly heard than the more numerous Blue-and-yellow Macaw due to the species' small population and restricted range.