Arini (tribe)
A tribe of neotropical parrots including macaws and conures.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
The Arini are a monophyletic clade of neotropical parrots, comprising macaws and parakeets (often called conures in aviculture). They are characterized by colorful plumage and long, tapering tails, and occur throughout Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and the southern United States. The tribe includes some of the rarest birds in the world, such as Spix's macaw, which is extinct in the wild, as well as the largest flighted parrot, the hyacinth macaw.
- Clade
- Monophyletic
- Common names
- Macaws and conures
- Distribution
- Mexico, Central America, South America, Caribbean, southern United States
- Extinct taxa
- One genus and several species extinct; one genus extinct in the wild
- Known from subfossils
- Two species
- Divergence date
- Late Paleogene, about 30–35 million years ago
- Subfamily
- Arinae, family Psittacidae
Lore & Background
The Arini tribe is one of three recognized clades in the subfamily Arinae of neotropical parrots, within the family Psittacidae. Molecular studies have dated the divergence of the Arini from ancestral neotropical parrots to late in the Paleogene period, about 30–35 million years ago. The tribe includes both living and extinct species, with one genus and several species extinct, another genus extinct in the wild, and two species known only through subfossil remains.
Reader's Guide
The Arini tribe holds significance as a diverse group of neotropical parrots that includes some of the most iconic and endangered birds. Among them are the hyacinth macaw, the largest flighted parrot in the world, and Spix's macaw, which is extinct in the wild with fewer than 100 specimens in captivity. The tribe also contains popular pet species such as the blue-and-yellow macaw and the sun conure. About a dozen hypothetical extinct species have been described from the Caribbean area, highlighting the historical diversity and vulnerability of these birds. The Arini are one of three clades in the subfamily Arinae, which belongs to the family Psittacidae, a family of Afrotropical and neotropical parrots. Their colorful plumage and long tails make them distinctive, and their presence across a wide geographic range from the southern United States to South America underscores their ecological adaptability. The tribe's evolutionary history, dating back 30–35 million years, provides insight into the radiation of neotropical parrots.
Did You Know?
- The Arini tribe includes the largest flighted parrot in the world, the hyacinth macaw.
- Spix's macaw, a member of the Arini, is extinct in the wild with fewer than 100 specimens in captivity.
- Two species of Arini are known only through subfossil remains.
- About a dozen hypothetical extinct species of Arini have been described from the Caribbean area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Arini (tribe)?
Arini is a monophyletic clade of neotropical parrots that unites both macaws and the parakeets commonly called conures in the aviculture trade. Members of the tribe are easily recognized by their vivid plumage and long, tapering tail feathers.
Where do Arini (tribe) species occur?
The tribe's range stretches across Mexico, Central America, and South America, with some species reaching the Caribbean islands and others occurring as far north as the southern United States.
What are the most notable members of Arini (tribe)?
The group includes the hyacinth macaw, the largest flighted parrot on Earth, as well as Spix's macaw, which has disappeared from the wild entirely. Several other genera and species within the tribe are now fully extinct, and two additional species are known only from subfossil material.
How old is the Arini (tribe) lineage?
Phylogenetic estimates place the initial divergence of this clade in the Late Paleogene, roughly 30 to 35 million years ago, making it one of the older parrot radiations in the Neotropics.
Why is Arini (tribe) significant in ornithology?
As a monophyletic assemblage, Arini represents one of the most species-rich and visually striking parrot lineages in the Americas. Its members span an extraordinary size range and include both the most iconic and the most critically threatened parrots on the continent.
More in Bird tribes 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record