24 of the world’s rarest parrots and their fragile future

The glaucous macaw, Sinu parakeet, New Caledonian lorikeet, and red-throated lorikeet are currently the rarest parrots in the world – if they still exist at all. With no confirmed sightings in decades, these species may already be lost or survive in such low numbers that they are nearly impossible to detect. Among parrots that can still be found in the wild, the imperial amazon stands out as one of the most threatened, having suffered repeated population crashes and now numbering just around 50 mature individuals.

The Spix’s macaw, once declared extinct in the wild, has recently been reintroduced with 20 individuals released in 2022 – a rare conservation success that still hangs by a thread. The orange-bellied parrot, with fewer than 30 wild individuals, represents another species at the edge of extinction, despite intensive recovery programs.

There are dozens of highly endangered parrots worldwide, but this report focuses on those that need immediate help and those that we still hope to find again – a mix of the critically imperiled and the possibly rediscoverable. Every bird on this list reminds us just how narrow the margin for survival has become.

Baudin’s black cockatoo (Zanda baudinii)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 3,250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: South-west Western Australia; found in temperate jarrah-marri forests, orchards, riparian zones, and some urban parks.
• Threats: Nest hollow shortages, habitat loss, climate-related drought and fire, competition for nesting sites.

Baudin’s black cockatoo is endemic to the higher rainfall zones of south-western Western Australia, where it inhabits jarrah, marri, and karri forests. It breeds in the south and shifts northward in winter toward the Darling Scarp and surrounding regions. Despite regular sightings across this fragmented range, the population has been in freefall. From an estimated 10,000-15,000 individuals in the 1990s, numbers have plummeted to fewer than 4,000 mature birds. Long-term roost monitoring reveals near-total collapse at key sites, and the current best estimate is around 3,250 mature individuals.

This decline, estimated at over 90% across the past three generations, is driven primarily by severe shortages of suitable nesting hollows, which only form in very old eucalypts. Widespread logging, mining, and fire have reduced hollow availability, while competition with other birds and feral bees exacerbates the problem. Ongoing drought, increased fire frequency, and disease in food and nest trees further limit reproduction. Although the species is legally protected and some enforcement exists, non-lethal orchard management and improved protection of old-growth habitat are urgently needed to prevent extinction.

Swift parrot (Lathamus discolor)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 2,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Breeds in Tasmania; winters across southeastern mainland Australia
• Threats: Predation by sugar gliders, habitat loss, logging, and collisions.

The swift parrot is a small, fast-flying migratory species that breeds in the blue gum forests of southeastern Tasmania and winters across box-ironbark woodlands on the Australian mainland. Its breeding distribution varies widely each year, depending on flowering of Eucalyptus globulus, making it one of the most challenging parrots to monitor. Most breeding occurs in old tree hollows in fragmented forests, where multiple pairs may nest in proximity. Outside the breeding season, the species is semi-nomadic, moving in response to flowering and lerp availability across a wide non-breeding range.

Recent population viability analyses predict a catastrophic decline, with models projecting an 87-95% population loss within just three generations due primarily to predation by introduced sugar gliders, which kill more than half of all nesting females in some years. Habitat degradation from logging, land conversion, and urban development further compounds the threat. Although the current population is estimated at around 2,000 mature individuals, this figure is likely optimistic given continued forest clearance and low breeding success. Without immediate, targeted intervention, including predator control and protection of remaining old-growth nesting habitat, the species faces a high risk of extinction in the near future.

Yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 1,200-2,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Timor-Leste, Indonesia (Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, and nearby islands); inhabits lowland forests, monsoon woodlands, scrubs, and agricultural areas.
• Threats: Illegal trade, habitat loss, nest predation, weak law enforcement.

The yellow-crested cockatoo has suffered a catastrophic population decline of over 80% in the past three generations, largely due to unsustainable trapping for the cagebird trade. Once common throughout Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas, it is now extinct or nearly extirpated from many islands. Recent surveys estimate a total of 1,800-3,140 individuals, or roughly 1,200-2,000 mature birds, with the largest remaining population on Komodo Island (around 1,100 individuals). Other subpopulations, such as those on Sulawesi, Timor, and smaller islands like Pasoso, are fragmented and critically small. On Pasoso Island, only three individuals remain, and a population viability analysis warns of extinction without urgent interventions such as restocking and predator control.

Although trade has diminished since export bans were introduced, illegal domestic trapping continues, and habitat loss from logging and agriculture remains a serious threat. The species relies on large trees with cavities for nesting, making it particularly vulnerable to deforestation. Conservation efforts include legal protection, nest monitoring, predator deterrents, and community-led initiatives, some of which have yielded encouraging results, such as a tripling of the population on Masakambing Island under a zero-trapping policy. However, enforcement of existing wildlife laws remains inconsistent, and future declines are likely unless broader protections and reintroduction efforts are expanded.

Yellow-naped amazon (Amazona auropalliata)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 1,575 mature individuals as of 2020.
• Range and habitat: Pacific and Caribbean slopes from southern Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica; inhabits dry forests, woodlands, mangroves, and rural/agricultural mosaics.
• Threats: Intense poaching for the pet trade, habitat loss from agriculture and logging, urbanization, and poor recruitment.

The yellow-naped amazon has suffered severe declines across its range due to poaching and habitat destruction, particularly since the 1980s. Recent coordinated roost counts in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica identified only 2,361 individuals across 72 sites, with the majority concentrated in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Many sites in the northern range (e.g. Guatemala) now hold fewer than 20 birds, and local extirpations have occurred. Roost counts consistently show low recruitment and steep declines, especially where conservation actions are lacking.

Despite the bleak trend, small-scale recoveries are underway where nest protection, habitat management, and anti-poaching efforts are implemented, such as on Ometepe Island (Nicaragua) and Guanaja Island (Honduras). However, most remaining populations are fragmented, vulnerable, and close to urban or agricultural zones where poaching risk remains high. Long-term survival depends on range-wide coordination, enforcement of trade bans, nest-site protection, and expansion of education and community engagement. Without urgent and large-scale intervention, further dramatic losses are likely.

Ultramarine lorikeet (Vini ultramarina)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 1,700–2,000 individuals
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Ua Huka, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia; inhabits upland and coastal forests, forest edges, and fruit tree groves in both native and semi-modified habitats.
• Threats: Risk of black rat introduction, habitat degradation by fires and feral ungulates, invasive ants, feral cats, and potential disease from introduced bird species.

Once widespread across the Marquesas archipelago, the ultramarine lorikeet is now confined almost entirely to Ua Huka, a small rat-free island where it was reintroduced in the 1940s. Surveys in 2002 and 2009 estimated a stable population of around 1,200-1,500 mature individuals. These estimates are consistent with earlier figures from 2004 (1,763-2,987 total individuals), though subsequent studies suggest the species is much scarcer in the island’s less accessible interior. No viable populations remain on other Marquesan islands, where black rats have caused severe declines or extirpation.

The survival of the species hinges entirely on the continued rat-free status of Ua Huka. Habitat degradation caused by fire, overgrazing by feral goats and horses, invasive ants, and predation by feral cats also present ongoing risks. Conservation actions have focused on improving biosecurity at ports and airstrips, deploying trained sniffer dogs, and developing emergency response protocols in the event of a rat incursion. Reintroduction to other islands remains a long-term goal but will require significant eradication and habitat restoration efforts.

Lilacine amazon (Amazona lilacina)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Around 1,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Pacific lowlands of Ecuador; found in coastal mangrove forests and dry tropical woodland.
• Threats: Trapping for domestic pet trade, mangrove clearance for shrimp farming, loss of algarrobo woodlands, weak enforcement in protected areas.

The lilacine amazon is a critically endangered parrot species endemic to the Pacific coast of Ecuador, from El Oro to Manabi. It inhabits coastal mangrove forests and adjacent dry tropical woodlands, where it roosts communally at night. Major roosts include Santa Elena, Manglares Churute, El Salado, and a smaller group in El Oro, with a disconnected subpopulation near Bahia de Caraquez. While BirdLife International estimates 1,000-2,499 mature individuals, detailed fieldwork by Biddle et al. (2020) reported 741-1,090 total individuals across all known roosts. As this figure includes immatures, the actual number of mature individuals likely falls between 500 and 750. Given fluctuation in roost attendance and possible undetected groups, this is considered a conservative minimum.

Over the past three generations, the population is estimated to have declined by 96-98%, with consistent losses even within protected areas. Habitat degradation, particularly mangrove clearance for shrimp farming and algarrobo woodland loss, remains ongoing, while trapping for the domestic pet trade continues across the range. Conservation efforts led by Fundacion Jocotoco include monitoring, awareness campaigns, and an expanding nest-box programme, but enforcement at roost sites remains weak. Without expanded protection, habitat restoration, and stronger anti-poaching measures, this fragmented and rapidly declining species remains at serious risk of extinction.

Great green macaw (Ara ambiguus)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 500-1,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Disjunct populations from Honduras to western Ecuador; humid and semi-deciduous lowland forests, mostly below 600 m.
• Threats: Widespread deforestation, selective logging of nesting trees, illegal trade, fragmentation, and low recruitment.

The great green macaw has suffered a severe and sustained population collapse across its range due to habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade. The global population is estimated at 500-1,000 mature individuals, fragmented into small subpopulations. Recent coordinated censuses in 2022 and 2023 counted 653 and 328 individuals respectively across five countries. Costa Rica remains the species’s stronghold, with up to 567 individuals recorded in 2022 and 266 in 2023, suggesting some seasonal or survey variation. New acoustic monitoring has estimated a breeding population of nearly 500 individuals in northern Costa Rica, indicating better-than-expected recovery at managed sites. However, other populations remain small: fewer than 50 birds in Ecuador, around 100 in Colombia, and just 24 in Honduras.

The species relies on large, old-growth trees for nesting, especially Dipteryx panamensis, which are being logged throughout its range. Forest clearance for agriculture, infrastructure, and palm oil continues across Central and South America, while poaching and low reproductive success further threaten population growth. Despite local successes, such as reintroductions and habitat restoration in Ecuador and robust community-based conservation in Costa Rica, many subpopulations remain unstable or unmonitored. Future counts during both breeding and non-breeding seasons, as recommended by the 2023 census report, will be essential to track trends and coordinate region-wide recovery strategies.

Red-vented cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 430-750 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Philippines; found in lowland forests, mangroves, and coastal/agricultural zones.
• Threats: Habitat loss, nest poaching, illegal trapping, drought, disturbance, and persecution as a crop pest.

The red-vented cockatoo, also known as the Philippine cockatoo, has experienced an estimated over 80% population decline in the past three generations due to widespread lowland deforestation and intensive trapping for the pet trade. Most remaining birds are now restricted to Palawan and nearby islands, where active conservation sites such as Rasa, Pandanan, and Dumaran have stabilized or increased local populations. The largest group on Rasa Island has grown from 23 individuals in 1998 to over 300, and intensive nest protection has led to high fledgling success. A 2023 habitat model shows that only 1.12% of the country offers optimally suitable habitat, with Palawan as the top stronghold. Populations on Mindanao, Samar, and other islands remain severely reduced or near extinction.

Despite successful recovery at managed sites, the species remains vulnerable. Nest poaching, illegal logging, and slash-and-burn agriculture persist even inside conservation areas such as Iwahig, where monitoring recorded 17 hatchlings in 2017 but also one poaching incident. The cockatoo’s dependency on mangroves and coastal forests makes it sensitive to typhoons and droughts, with major breeding failures during El Nino years. Conservation efforts, led by the Katala Foundation, include habitat restoration, wildlife warden programs, education, and proposed translocations to historically occupied islands. However, sustained protection, community involvement, and continued habitat defense remain critical for its long-term survival.

Fuertes’s parrot (Hapalopsittaca fuertesi)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 230-300 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Restricted to high Andean forests (2,600-3,800 m) in the Central Andes of Colombia.
• Threats: Habitat loss from logging and pasture expansion; shortage of natural nest sites.

Fuertes’s parrot, also known as the indigo-winged parrot, was once considered possibly extinct until its rediscovery in 2002 in the montane forests of Tolima, Colombia. Since then, coordinated conservation efforts, particularly habitat protection and widespread installation of artificial nest boxes, have led to a slow but steady population increase. The total population is now estimated at 350-450 individuals, with around 230-300 mature birds distributed across at least eleven localities in Quindio, Risaralda, and Tolima. Though much of its original habitat has been lost, deforestation has slowed significantly, and key populations are now protected within private reserves managed by Fundacion ProAves.

The species breeds in tree cavities during the first half of the year and depends on mature cloud forest with fruiting mistletoes and native trees for food. However, selective logging continues to remove large trees used for nesting, and most remaining subpopulations remain small and fragmented. Despite its inconspicuous behavior and narrow range, the population is now stable or increasing. Continued conservation depends on preventing further forest degradation, restoring habitat, and maintaining artificial nesting programs in areas lacking natural cavities.

Red-fronted macaw (Ara rubrogenys)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer then 320 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to inter-Andean valleys of south-central Bolivia; dry scrub and river cliffs at 1,100-2,700 m.
• Threats: Illegal trapping, crop persecution, habitat loss, fragmentation.

The red-fronted macaw is restricted to a handful of arid valleys in south-central Bolivia, where it nests on steep cliffs and forages in surrounding thorny scrub and cropland. Once thought to number up to 5,000 birds, recent coordinated surveys estimate a total population of about 1,160 individuals, with fewer than 160 breeding pairs (320 mature individuals). Although subpopulations are separated by just tens of kilometers, strong natal site fidelity has resulted in four genetically distinct groups with minimal gene flow. The Mizque watershed supports over half the breeding population, while other areas show signs of ongoing decline.

Illegal trade and nest poaching remain serious threats, along with direct persecution by farmers who consider the macaws crop pests. Habitat degradation from overgrazing, deforestation, and agricultural expansion further reduces food and nesting options, pushing birds into greater conflict with humans. While some community-led conservation and ecotourism initiatives have taken root, many breeding areas remain unprotected. The species’ fragmented structure and slow recovery keep it at critical risk, and conservation success will depend on coordinated protection, habitat restoration, and reducing human-wildlife conflict across its entire range.

Blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 200-300 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Bolivia’s Llanos de Mojos savannas; gallery forest and forest islands dominated by motacu palms.
• Threats: Nest poaching, habitat degradation, low reproductive success, competition, and inbreeding.

The blue-throated macaw is one of the world’s rarest macaws, with a fragmented population confined to three disjunct subpopulations in northern Bolivia. Once heavily trapped for the cage bird trade, the species declined rapidly through the 20th century. Recent surveys estimate a total population of 312-455 individuals, including fewer than 160 breeding pairs. Despite this, a sustained conservation effort, including nest box programs, habitat restoration, and two private nature reserves, has stabilized the population, which is now slowly increasing. However, most breeding pairs occur on private cattle ranches where fire, grazing, and deforestation still reduce food and nesting availability.

The species is a specialist of motacu palm landscapes and nests in large natural cavities or artificial boxes. Breeding success remains fragile, with high rates of nest failure caused by predation, disease, abandonment, or severe weather. Modeling shows that even small increases in adult mortality or habitat loss sharply increase extinction risk. Reintroduction of captive-bred adults and intensive nest management could dramatically boost recovery, but long-term success depends on expanding habitat protection and minimizing disturbance. Though signs of recovery are promising, the population remains perilously small, and sustained management is essential to secure its future.

Night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Australia; now known from isolated populations in western Queensland and northern Western Australia.
• Threats: Feral cats, inappropriate fire regimes, grazing, habitat degradation, climate change.

Long believed extinct, the night parrot is one of Australia’s most elusive and endangered birds. Rediscovered in 2013, it is now known from just a handful of isolated sites, mostly in spinifex-dominated grasslands. Even at these locations, populations appear extremely small (often no more than 20-30 individuals) and vulnerable to ongoing decline. The most recent field surveys, including those led by Indigenous rangers in the Great Sandy Desert, suggest that fewer than 250 mature individuals survive, with fragmentation and low density posing major risks to the species’ future.

Night parrots are nocturnal and roost in dense, long-unburnt Triodia (spinifex) hummocks by day, emerging at night to forage on grass and herb seeds in nearby floodplains and open habitats. Ground-nesting and reclusive, they are highly vulnerable to predation by feral cats, especially at nests. In western Queensland, where the only actively managed population exists, conservationists have implemented targeted cat and grazing control, fire management, and acoustic monitoring. Elsewhere, research highlights the importance of traditional knowledge and low-intensity cultural burning to maintain suitable habitat. Despite this progress, most known populations remain unprotected and poorly monitored, and the species’ persistence now depends on expanding habitat protection and predator management across its remaining range.

Malherbe’s parakeet (Cyanoramphus malherbi)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer then 400 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to New Zealand; now restricted to three valleys in South Island and three offshore islands (Blumine, Chalky, Tuhua).
• Threats: Predation by invasive mammals, habitat degradation, disease, low genetic diversity.

Once widespread across New Zealand, Malherbe’s parakeet is now among the country’s rarest forest birds. Following major declines from deforestation and introduced predators, the population crashed again in the late 1990s due to ship rat irruptions. Mainland numbers remain critically low, estimated at around 100 birds confined to three beech forest valleys. While over 250 captive-bred birds have been released to four predator-free islands since 2005, recent monitoring suggests mixed outcomes. Blumine Island now supports the largest known population, estimated at around 100-200 individuals, while Chalky Island holds a much smaller number, and no birds were detected on Maud Island in a 2021 survey.

The species nests in natural cavities of mature beech trees and breeds in response to irregular mast seeding events. Large clutches and multiple broods are possible in productive years, but hole-nesting behavior makes incubating females especially vulnerable to predators. On the mainland, conservation relies on continuous stoat and rat control, individual nest protection, and targeted re-releases. Offshore, the long-term success of translocated populations remains uncertain, with disease risks such as psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) and competition from other parakeets presenting ongoing concerns. With its total population likely under 400 individuals, the species remains highly dependent on active management and continued translocation efforts.

Socorro parakeet (Psittacara brevipes)

• Conservation status: Not yet assessed; likely qualifies as Endangered or Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 300 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Socorro Island, Mexico; humid forest between 500-1,000 m elevation.
• Threats: Habitat degradation, introduced predators, natural disasters, and limited range.

The Socorro parakeet is a little-known island endemic confined to a single volcanic island in the eastern Pacific. Formerly considered a subspecies of the green parakeet (Psittacara holochlorus), recent phylogenetic studies have confirmed its status as a distinct species based on genetic divergence, subtle morphological traits, and long-term geographic isolation. It inhabits the mid-elevation humid forests of Socorro Island, where it forages in small flocks and nests in tree cavities or rocky crevices. Though formal population estimates are outdated, the total number of individuals is likely under 300 and may be declining.

The species faces multiple threats due to its restricted range. Past habitat loss from feral sheep, now removed, drastically reduced native vegetation, and introduced cats have historically preyed on both adults and chicks. While cat control efforts have improved conditions, the species remains vulnerable to hurricanes, volcanic activity, and climate-related shifts in food availability. Although it has not yet been assessed separately by the IUCN, its ecological vulnerability and isolation strongly justify conservation attention and formal recognition as one of the world’s rarest island parrots.

Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 250-300 individuals as of 2022.
• Range and habitat: Formerly widespread in New Zealand; now restricted to predator-free offshore islands.
• Threats: Predation by introduced mammals, low fertility, inbreeding, disease, climate-linked breeding cycles.

The kakapo is one of the world’s rarest and most intensively managed bird species. This large, flightless, nocturnal parrot once occupied much of New Zealand but was nearly driven to extinction by introduced predators and habitat loss. By the 1990s, the population had dropped below 50 individuals. Today, after decades of translocations, supplementary feeding, and genetic management, the population exceeds 250 birds. All surviving kakapo live on predator-free offshore islands – Codfish (Whenua Hou), Anchor, and Hauturu (Little Barrier), where they are monitored individually with transmitters and tracked year-round.

Despite strong adult survival and careful nest protection, recovery is limited by low natural fertility and high inbreeding. Many eggs remain infertile, and the species breeds only in years when certain native trees like rimu mast heavily. Conservationists have responded with advanced tools: artificial insemination, genome sequencing of the entire population, and AI-assisted nest monitoring. Often described as both endearing and slightly eerie in appearance, with forward-facing eyes, moss-green plumage, and an owl-like face, the kakapo is as visually unusual as it is evolutionarily unique. Efforts are underway to improve genetic diversity and identify suitable future reintroduction sites on the New Zealand mainland. The k?k?p? remains conservation-reliant, but its recovery program is a global model for applying technology and adaptive management to save a species once thought lost.

Puerto Rican amazon (Amazona vittata)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 260 individuals in the wild; over 500 in captivity.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Puerto Rico; now limited to protected forests at 200-600 m elevation.
• Threats: Hurricanes, predation, nest-site scarcity, disease, competition, habitat disturbance.

Once reduced to just 13 individuals in the wild, the Puerto Rican amazon has narrowly escaped extinction through one of the most intensive recovery programs ever undertaken for a parrot species. Originally widespread, it now survives in three isolated wild populations: Rio Abajo State Forest (approximately 210 individuals), El Yunque National Forest (32), and Maricao State Forest (18). These populations stem from decades of coordinated releases from captive aviaries, along with nest monitoring, predator control, and artificial cavity installation. However, successful wild breeding is limited, and the number of mature individuals remains low, especially following major storms like Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The species nests in deep tree cavities and typically lays 3-4 eggs per season. Most known wild nesting since the early 2000s has occurred in artificial nests. Reintroduction efforts have improved survival using predator aversion training and phased release techniques. Still, high juvenile mortality from red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), mongooses, and invasive mammals continues to limit productivity. Additional threats include disease outbreaks (e.g., Chlamydia psittaci in 2020), human disturbance near nest sites, and increasing hurricane frequency tied to climate change. Despite a growing captive population exceeding 500 birds and a promising new wild group at Maricao, the species remains fragile and dependent on long-term, well-funded conservation to secure its future.

Blue-winged racket-tail (Prioniturus verticalis)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 150 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Sulu Archipelago, Philippines; survives in scattered forest remnants on Tawi-Tawi.
• Threats: Habitat loss, logging, hunting, lack of protection, and political instability.

The blue-winged racket-tail, also known as Sulu racquet-tail, is one of the rarest parrots in Southeast Asia, with a sharply declining population now likely below 150 mature individuals. Once locally abundant across several islands in the Sulu Archipelago, it has disappeared from much of its range, with recent sightings confined to a few forest patches on Tawi-Tawi. Most historical sites, including Bongao, Sanga-Sanga, and possibly Sibutu, are believed to have lost their populations, though lack of survey access in parts of the region leaves some uncertainty.

This species inhabits lowland forest, mangroves, and degraded forest edges, but avoids cultivated areas. Its quiet behavior and relative tameness make it highly vulnerable to hunting in areas with widespread firearm ownership. Forest clearance, mining, and agricultural expansion continue to erode its remaining habitat, with no formal protected areas established in the Sulu Islands. Conservation efforts are further limited by ongoing security concerns. With so few individuals remaining and the rate of decline expected to accelerate, urgent field surveys and habitat protection are needed. Captive breeding may also need to be considered if in situ protection cannot be secured.

Orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 30 wild individuals; 340 in captivity.
• Range and habitat: Breeds only at Melaleuca, Tasmania; winters along southern coastlines of mainland Australia.
• Threats: Habitat degradation, disease, breeding failure, skewed sex ratio, low recruitment, predation.

The orange-bellied parrot is one of the rarest migratory parrots in the world, with a wild population that has often dropped below 30 individuals. It breeds at a single site in southwest Tasmania and migrates across the Bass Strait to winter in coastal saltmarshes of South Australia and Victoria. The species depends on a narrow range of habitats (button grass moorlands for breeding and salt-tolerant vegetation in winter) which have been extensively degraded or lost. In the early 2010s, an outbreak of PBFD (psittacine beak and feather disease) and a prolonged drought further reduced its reproductive success. While adult survival remains relatively stable, low female breeding participation has led to a steady decline in recruitment.

Captive breeding programs have produced over 340 individuals, with releases aimed at supplementing the wild population. However, survival and return rates of released birds are low, and many display poorer feather condition and altered behaviors. A severely skewed sex ratio, often as high as six males for every female, has further limited recovery. Habitat management, including the use of controlled fire in breeding areas, and predator control in wintering grounds are ongoing. Despite intense conservation efforts, the orange-bellied parrot remains critically close to extinction in the wild.

Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii)

• Conservation status: Extinct in the Wild (pending reassessment).
• Estimated population: 180 individuals in captivity; 20 reintroduced to the wild in 2022.
• Range and habitat: Formerly endemic to the Caatinga region of Bahia, Brazil; relies on riparian gallery forest with Tabebuia trees.
• Threats: Illegal bird trade, habitat destruction, predation, climate change, invasive species.

The Spix’s macaw disappeared from the wild in 2000, driven to extinction by illegal trapping and the destruction of its native Caatinga habitat. Though over 180 birds survive in captivity today, wild populations were absent until 2022, when 20 individuals were reintroduced in Bahia. The birds were released in mixed flocks with wild-caught Blue-winged macaws (Primolius maracana) to help them adapt. One year later, survival stood at 58%, with many birds staying near the release site and forming cohesive flocks.

In 2023, one reintroduced pair successfully hatched chicks – the first wild nesting in over 30 years. Although the chicks did not survive, the attempt shows that captive-bred birds can adapt and breed in the wild. The species now lives under protection in two newly created reserves, with ongoing support from local communities. Conservationists plan to release 20 birds each year to build a stable wild population. The Spix’s macaw remains listed as extinct in the wild, but for the first time in decades, it is once again part of Brazil’s landscape.

Imperial amazon (Amazona imperialis)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 40-60 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Dominica; inhabits montane and elfin forests (600-1,300 m), occasionally descending to lowlands after storms.
• Threats: Hurricanes, habitat loss, nest site scarcity, introduced predators, low reproductive rate.

The imperial amazon, Dominica’s national bird, has undergone repeated population crashes, most recently following Hurricane Maria in 2017. Once common across the island’s highland forests, the species declined dramatically during the 20th century due to habitat loss, hunting, and trapping. Following Hurricane David in 1979, the population fell to fewer than 50 birds. Conservation measures, including forest protection, nest monitoring, and public education, supported a slow recovery, with the population reaching over 300 individuals before Maria. That storm destroyed or defoliated much of Dominica’s forest, forcing the parrots to forage in lower-elevation habitats and again reducing the population to critically low levels.

The species nests in tall forest trees, particularly Dacryodes excelsa and Sloanea caribaea, often using cavities formed by broken limbs during hurricanes. Reproduction is extremely slow: pairs typically fledge one chick every other year, and chicks remain dependent for up to a year. Successful nesting depends on large, well-sheltered cavities and coordinated biparental care. Field studies have documented rare two-chick clutches, but most nests produce a single fledgling. While threats from poaching and trade have diminished, increased hurricane frequency due to climate change poses an immediate risk to the species’ long-term survival. Ongoing recovery depends on habitat protection, support for local conservation capacity, and careful in situ management of nest sites and fledglings.

Red-throated lorikeet (Vini amabilis)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 50 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Fiji; formerly on Viti Levu, Taveuni, Ovalau, and possibly Vanua Levu; mature montane and lowland forest.
• Threats: Introduced predators, habitat loss, logging, and road construction.

The red-throated lorikeet is one of Fiji’s most threatened birds, and may already be extinct. Once recorded from four of the country’s major islands, it has not been reliably observed since 1993, despite over 2,000 hours of targeted field surveys between 2001 and 2012. A 2001-2002 expedition led by the World Parrot Trust failed to detect the species in its historical strongholds, despite focused canopy watches, flowering tree surveys, and interviews with local residents. No calls were heard that could be attributed to the lorikeet, and villagers often confused it with the more common collared lory (Vini solitaria). Habitat suitable for the species still exists, especially in upland areas such as the Mount Tomaniivi Reserve and Bouma National Heritage Park, but its persistence remains unconfirmed.

If the lorikeet does survive, it is likely at critically low numbers. Historical accounts suggest it once occurred in flocks of up to 30 individuals, but recent credible sightings have involved no more than two to three birds. Introduced black rats are believed to be the primary driver of its decline, as seen in other Vini and Charmosyna lorikeets across the Pacific. Habitat degradation, predation by mongooses and cats, and possibly reduced food availability linked to changes in flowering tree phenology have likely compounded the threat. Surveys are ongoing, and conservationists continue to search high-altitude forests while building community awareness. However, without concrete evidence of its survival, the red-throated lorikeet remains a candidate for future extinction.

New Caledonian lorikeet (Vini diadema)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 20 individuals (possibly extinct).
• Range and habitat: Endemic to New Caledonia; montane humid forest, Melaleuca savanna, and possibly lowland semi-deciduous forest.
• Threats: Habitat loss, introduced predators, potential disease, extremely small population.

The New Caledonian lorikeet is one of the most elusive and possibly extinct parrots in the Pacific. Known from two preserved specimens collected in 1859 and a third individual reported in 1913 near Mont Ignambi, the species has not been reliably recorded since. A few possible sightings were reported in 1953-54 and again in 1976, but none have been confirmed despite dedicated searches. From 1998 to 2011, surveys across potential habitat, totalling over 500 person-days, failed to detect the species, and local interviews yielded no credible reports. The last known locations are in the island’s remote northern mountains, particularly near Mont Panie and Mont Ignambi.

Though montane humid forest remains largely intact, lowland forest (likely important for feeding) has been almost entirely cleared. Like other Vini lorikeets, the species may be nomadic and hard to detect, further complicating rediscovery efforts. Predation by introduced rats and disease such as avian malaria are suspected contributors to its decline. If any individuals survive, the population is likely tiny and highly vulnerable. Conservationists recommend upgrading and expanding protected areas and continuing community engagement and search efforts in the northern massifs.

Sinu parakeet (Pyrrhura subandina)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 20 individuals (possibly extinct).
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Sinu Valley, northern Colombia; dry and gallery forests at 100-1,500 m elevation.
• Threats: Deforestation, habitat fragmentation, agriculture, logging, potential trapping and hunting.

The Sinu parakeet is one of the least-known parrots in the world, with no confirmed records since 1949. It is known only from 18 museum specimens collected in the early 20th century from four locations in Colombia’s Sinu Valley. Since then, deforestation for agriculture and cattle grazing has removed over 90% of the species’ presumed original habitat. Although two of the four historical sites have been entirely deforested, some suitable forest remains in areas like the Murucucu hills and Alto Sinu. Multiple targeted surveys from 2004 to 2008 failed to find the species, and no individuals have been reliably observed since.

In 2021, the first major search in decades was launched following Colombia’s peace agreement, allowing researchers to access previously conflict-restricted regions. A 10-day expedition focused on the highland forests of Alto Sinu, where parakeets were last reported. Though no definitive evidence was found, the area had never been thoroughly surveyed, especially at elevations above 400 meters. Local reports of a parakeet with similar characteristics persist. If the Sinu parakeet survives, its population is likely extremely small and vulnerable. The species remains listed among the world’s most wanted lost birds, and further surveys are urgently needed.

Glaucous macaw (Anodorhynchus glaucus)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 20 individuals (possibly extinct).
• Range and habitat: Historically found in Paraguay, northern Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay; relied on yatay palm savannas.
• Threats: Habitat destruction, loss of primary food source, trapping for the pet trade.

The glaucous macaw was once a rare but distinct parrot of South America’s Parana and Uruguay river basins, feeding primarily on the nuts of yatay palms. Its decline began as early as the mid-19th century, driven by widespread deforestation, agricultural expansion, and the near-total loss of palm groves. By the 20th century, the species was already considered nearly extinct, with only a few unverified reports persisting into the 1990s. The last probable sightings were in Mbaracayu, Paraguay, between 1990 and 2001, though no confirmed evidence of survival exists. Despite comparisons to the rediscovery of Lear’s macaw, the glaucous macaw’s former habitat has been thoroughly surveyed, with no recent findings.

The probability of its continued existence remains low. Studies estimating its chances of survival place it between 12% (based on threats) and 42% (based on historical records), but decades of searches have yielded no definitive proof. Unlike other rare macaws, no evidence suggests it remains in illegal trade or uncharted forests. Conservationists continue to monitor remote areas and conduct interviews with locals, but without new evidence, the glaucous macaw is likely lost.

Future outlook

Parrots are among the most threatened bird groups globally, and unfortunately, the number of critically endangered species is simply too great to cover in a single report. In this article, we have focused on those that are at immediate risk of extinction – species whose wild populations number in the low hundreds, sometimes fewer. These parrots are in urgent need of attention, funding, and coordinated conservation action.

We have also included several species that are missing or possibly extinct in the wild, but for which there is still hope. At Planet of Birds, we believe in holding onto that hope. Some of these species have vanished without a trace, yet we continue to believe that rediscovery is possible—hard to believe, perhaps, but history has shown us that miracles can happen.

This report, however, is not static. It is, by nature, ongoing. Some species currently listed may soon be officially recognized as extinct, while others that were once thought to be secure are now facing steep declines. Many parrots that were relatively numerous just decades ago now number only a few hundred breeding individuals, and their status must be urgently re-evaluated. Conservation is a race against time, and this list will inevitably evolve as populations rise or fall, threats shift, and new discoveries are made.