About the Great Green Macaw Drawing
I have seen Great Green Macaws only once, during one of my many visits to Tortuguero, Costa Rica where we were doing ecological research. Rain was pouring down when our boat driver Tony recognized the unmistakable call and took us directly to its source. High in a tree, a pair of macaws sat waiting out the storm, with one bird calling above the sound of the rain. It was a brief but unforgettable encounter with one of Central America’s rarest birds.
Great Green Macaws (Ara ambiguus) inhabit humid tropical forests from Central America into northwestern South America. They are usually seen in pairs or small groups, moving through the forest canopy in search of fruits, seeds, and nuts. In Costa Rica, they are closely associated with large almendro trees, which provide both important food and nesting cavities.
The species is classified as Critically Endangered. Forest clearing and fragmentation have eliminated much of its former habitat, while the loss of mature nesting trees and capture for the wildlife trade have added further pressure. Protecting the macaw therefore also requires preserving large areas of connected tropical forest and the old trees on which it depends.
In Jewel, I focused closely on the bird’s powerful beak, pale eye, intricate lines of facial feathers, and overlapping plumage. Although graphite does not reproduce the vivid greens, blues, and reds of the living bird, it reveals the remarkable textures and structures that contribute to its beauty. The title reflects both the macaw’s striking appearance and the rarity of encountering one in the wild.
Jewel is a graphite wildlife drawing of a Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) by Michael E. Dorcas for Tantilla Art.