Spix’s macaw

bird

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Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

Spix's macaw, the inspiration for the movie Rio, is a species of macaw native to Brazil. Macaws are large, colorful parrots found in tropical North and South America. They are known for their vibrant plumage and long tails. Both male and female macaws share similar appearances.

Spix's macaw was last sighted in the wild in 2000 and is considered extinct in the wild by 2018. This rarity is due to factors like illegal pet trade, deforestation, and habitat loss, which threaten many macaw species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists several macaws as endangered or critically endangered.1

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macaw
…confirmed sighting of a non-captive Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii)—the bird that inspired the popular children’s films Rio (2011) and Rio 2 (2014)—occurred in 2000, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other authorities considered the species extinct in the wild by 2018. In addition, ornithologists hold out…
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…confirmed sighting of a non-captive Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii)—the bird that inspired the popular children’s films Rio (2011) and Rio 2 (2014)—occurred in 2000, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other authorities considered the species extinct in the wild by 2018. In addition, ornithologists hold out…
Read More