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Red-headed macaw

Ara erythrocephala

The red-headed macaw (Ara erythrocephala) is an unknown species of presumably extinct parrot that inhabited the forests and mountains of the Trelawny and St. Anne’s parishes in northwestern Jamaica. 


According to Phillip Gosse, the red-headed macaw had, as the name suggests, a red head, with a light green body, blue wings and red tail feathers with blue at the tips. The feathers under the wings were bright orange. 


It was believed to be a relative of the extinct Cuban Macaw and another unknown parrot, the Dominican green-and-yellow macaw. The red-headed macaw is not as widely recognized as other unknown Caribbean parrots, as there is only one anecdotal report of the species.

Red-headed macaw illustration by J.G. Kuelemans
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