Macaws - Wildlife Conservation Network

Thriving Parrots, Thriving Planet.

When you support Macaw Recovery Network (MRN), you help to make a difference for the most charismatic birds of Costa Rica, including the critically endangered Great Green Macaw, and support biodiversity conservation in one of the world's most biologically important areas.

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MRN protects and recovers endangered parrot populations in the Americas.

They envision a future in which parrots and their ecosystems thrive and coexist with local communities.

Great Green Macaws are renowned for their beauty, intelligence, and charisma.

Unfortunately, due to slow reproductive rates and the many threats they face, only about 500 – 1,000 Great Green Macaws remain in the wild, with only about 300 in Costa Rica.

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Thriving Birds, Intact Habitat, and Unified Communities.

MRN’s three pillars for macaw recovery prioritizes improving birds’ survival and breeding rates, protecting and restoring key tree species critical to survival, and empowering local landowners to be allies in conservation.

Find out more

Great Green Macaws are renowned for their beauty, intelligence, and charisma.

Unfortunately, due to slow reproductive rates and the many threats they face, only about 500 – 1,000 Great Green Macaws remain in the wild, with only about 300 in Costa Rica.

Find out more

Thriving Birds, Intact Habitat, and Unified Communities.

MRN’s three pillars for macaw recovery prioritizes improving birds’ survival and breeding rates, protecting and restoring key tree species critical to survival, and empowering local landowners to be allies in conservation.

Find out more

Parrots inspire a sense of awe and wonder, making them ideal flagships for conservation. Great Green Macaws are some of the most recognizable parrot species in the world. By protecting them, we can save entire ecosystems.

Historic exploitation for the pet bird trade, deforestation for cattle pasture and agricultural plantations (oil-palm, banana, and pineapple), and specifically the loss of Mountain Almond trees have been major barriers to macaw reproduction. MRN is working to reverse this decline in macaw numbers by protecting their habitat and supporting communities in surrounding areas.

Established by Dr. Sam Williams, the Macaw Recovery Network uses evidence-based conservation practices to increase the organization’s impact on protecting parrots. MRN’s dedicated staff in Costa Rica ensure that their programs are running smoothly, continually expanding their knowledge whether that’s about the birds, conservation, or non-profit management. MRN embodies their values of Integrity, Communication, Teamwork, Leadership, and Excellence, holding themselves to the highest ethical standards with empathy and support for one another, and other collaborators in conservation.

Conservation Solutions

Restoring Habitat

During the 20th Century, 54% of Costa Rica’s forest cover was lost, mostly due to the expanse of cattle pastures and banana monocultures, more recently pineapple crops have dramatically expanded. This included historic loss of the endangered Mountain Almond Tree – the Great Green Macaws’ preferred tree for food and nesting. MRN’s habitat protection and restoration program focuses on integrating communities into long term solutions. MRN’s native tree nursery houses thousands of seeds and saplings. While these saplings grow, MRN supports improved land-use practices to protect remaining Mountain Almond trees and other key plant species the Great Green Macaw relies on.

Reducing Conflict

To reduce deforestation and the illegal trapping of birds for the pet trade, MRN’s Habitat and Outreach programs in Costa Rican communities helps bring about a generational shift that sees macaws as wild, free-flying creatures rather than caged pets, and forests as valuable components of ecosystems that should not be chopped down for short-term gain. With permission from local landowners and through improved land-use practices, MRN is able to protect mountain almond trees on private lands, critical habitat for Great Green Macaws.

Scientific Research

Prior to each breeding season, MRN’s teams start inspecting trees in known nesting sites. This hands-on research allows MRN to confirm and monitor egg and chick development. With more effective monitoring activities and the ability to provide hands-on support to chicks where needed. All known nest sites are mapped into a Geographic Information Mapping System (GIS), to help determine spatial preference and patterns between nesting sites. In collaboration with the Tropical Science Center, MRN also conducts annual Great Green Macaw Roost Counts. The data gathered improves the ability to make species population estimates and also indicate the population trend over time.

Empowering Women

MRN’s Pamela Herrera Barquero helped to launch a Women Ranger Program in December 2020 with women in rural northern Costa Rica, who had lost their jobs due to COVID-19. The women participated in workshops with information about the Great Green Macaw, received training to monitor active nests in the wild and completed certifications in Environmental Education and Habitat Restoration. The program not only provided these women with an income during a difficult time, it also empowered them with improved chances of future employment. The program has proven extremely successful and has sparked a keen interest for continued involvement from the women. Long term species conservation is only guaranteed with empowered communities that are unified in the mission.

Expanding Education

MRN’s Women Ranger Program works to educate and involve hundreds of children in northern Costa Rica Great Green Macaw biology and conservation work. In addition, MRN’s Punta Islita Wild Macaw Reserve allows visitors to see these truly remarkable charismatic birds in-person. Visitors are welcomed with a short slideshow and a tour guide takes them to watch MRN’s released wild flock of Scarlet Macaws as they fly in from the surrounding area for their morning or afternoon snack. Visitors gain firsthand experience of MRN’s restoration work and 100% of donations are used to support their mission.

Promoting Health

Our Breeding Center homes 80+ rescued Scarlet and Great Green Macaws, providing them with the best quality of life in aviaries where they can exercise, socialize, and breed in the most natural environment possible to aid wild populations by raising their young and preparing them for release. Nutritious diets, enrichment toys and training, and full health checks are given to each bird before release into the wild through a soft release technique.

Restoring Habitat

During the 20th Century, 54% of Costa Rica’s forest cover was lost, mostly due to the expanse of cattle pastures and banana monocultures, more recently pineapple crops have dramatically expanded. This included historic loss of the endangered Mountain Almond Tree – the Great Green Macaws’ preferred tree for food and nesting. MRN’s habitat protection and restoration program focuses on integrating communities into long term solutions. MRN’s native tree nursery houses thousands of seeds and saplings. While these saplings grow, MRN supports improved land-use practices to protect remaining Mountain Almond trees and other key plant species the Great Green Macaw relies on.

Reducing Conflict

To reduce deforestation and the illegal trapping of birds for the pet trade, MRN’s Habitat and Outreach programs in Costa Rican communities helps bring about a generational shift that sees macaws as wild, free-flying creatures rather than caged pets, and forests as valuable components of ecosystems that should not be chopped down for short-term gain. With permission from local landowners and through improved land-use practices, MRN is able to protect mountain almond trees on private lands, critical habitat for Great Green Macaws.

Scientific Research

Prior to each breeding season, MRN’s teams start inspecting trees in known nesting sites. This hands-on research allows MRN to confirm and monitor egg and chick development. With more effective monitoring activities and the ability to provide hands-on support to chicks where needed. All known nest sites are mapped into a Geographic Information Mapping System (GIS), to help determine spatial preference and patterns between nesting sites. In collaboration with the Tropical Science Center, MRN also conducts annual Great Green Macaw Roost Counts. The data gathered improves the ability to make species population estimates and also indicate the population trend over time.

Empowering Women

MRN’s Pamela Herrera Barquero helped to launch a Women Ranger Program in December 2020 with women in rural northern Costa Rica, who had lost their jobs due to COVID-19. The women participated in workshops with information about the Great Green Macaw, received training to monitor active nests in the wild and completed certifications in Environmental Education and Habitat Restoration. The program not only provided these women with an income during a difficult time, it also empowered them with improved chances of future employment. The program has proven extremely successful and has sparked a keen interest for continued involvement from the women. Long term species conservation is only guaranteed with empowered communities that are unified in the mission.

Expanding Education

MRN’s Women Ranger Program works to educate and involve hundreds of children in northern Costa Rica Great Green Macaw biology and conservation work. In addition, MRN’s Punta Islita Wild Macaw Reserve allows visitors to see these truly remarkable charismatic birds in-person. Visitors are welcomed with a short slideshow and a tour guide takes them to watch MRN’s released wild flock of Scarlet Macaws as they fly in from the surrounding area for their morning or afternoon snack. Visitors gain firsthand experience of MRN’s restoration work and 100% of donations are used to support their mission.

Promoting Health

Our Breeding Center homes 80+ rescued Scarlet and Great Green Macaws, providing them with the best quality of life in aviaries where they can exercise, socialize, and breed in the most natural environment possible to aid wild populations by raising their young and preparing them for release. Nutritious diets, enrichment toys and training, and full health checks are given to each bird before release into the wild through a soft release technique.

You are Making an Impact for Macaws

When you get involved, donate, or spread the word on social media, you are truly making a better world for macaws and the communities that live alongside them. Here’s a few ways you can help:

Connect with Macaw Recovery Network on social media to learn more about their work and be a voice for macaws.

Visit Macaw Recovery Network’s website and sign up for their newsletter to deepen your connection with conservation.
VISIT WEBSITE

You can also help while you travel. Book a conservation experience through AirBNB Experiences to see wild macaws up close and support conservation efforts.

Donate to support MRN’s work protecting macaws in the wild. Through our donation model, 100% of your donation goes to field with zero taken for overhead or administration.

Forests are critical to so many species, and when we protect and restore them, we're not only helping the macaws, but we are also contributing, in a small but important way, to mitigating the climate crisis. This is why this work is so important to me.

Maricela Pizarro-Porter, Macaw Recovery Network

News & Stories

New Heights for Great Green Macaws

The flock soared beneath the tropical sun, emerald and azure feathers flashing like brushstrokes. These vibrant birds, Critically Endangered great... Learn More

Finding Answers for Great Green Macaws

Mario’s harness released a pained creak as he climbed one of Costa Rica’s towering mountain almond trees. Dangling 130 feet... Learn More

Ex Situ Conservation and How it Helps Endangered Macaws

The regular 5 AM macaw vocalizations echo throughout the forested Punta Islita valley, marking the start of another busy day... Learn More

Viewing Wild Macaws Up Close

In March 2019, I booked my flight to Costa Rica to see what sustainable tourism was all about. I had... Learn More

A Day in the Field: WCN's Visit to Macaw Recovery Network

Mario’s alarm goes off at 5am, as the Costa Rican sun rises and the warm weather kicks in. He pulls... Learn More

Great Green Macaws: The Aston-Martin of the Bird World

There are 19 species of macaws in the world, and these birds are among the most well recognized (worldwide) among... Learn More

Photography Credits: Macaw Recovery Network, Corey Raffel, Brittany Decker

Macaw Recovery Network

Thriving Parrots, Thriving Planet.

MRN protects and recovers endangered parrot populations in the Americas.

Great Green Macaws are renowned for their beauty, intelligence, and charisma.

Thriving Birds, Intact Habitat, and Unified Communities.

Great Green Macaws are renowned for their beauty, intelligence, and charisma.

Thriving Birds, Intact Habitat, and Unified Communities.

Species Impact

Team Values