The pre-Hispanic settlement of Paquimé (1150/1200–1450 CE) in northwestern Chihuahua exhibits extensive evidence of exchange connections with distant communities, including the remains of over 300 scarlet macaws (Ara macao), brilliantly plumed birds whose geographic origins lie at least 1000 km southeast in the humid lowlands of Mexico. Archaeological and historic records indicate that these birds were prized for their many cosmological associations, the multi-colored feathers which were widely traded and used in ceremonial attire, and their ability to mimic human speech. We use archaeological and isotopic investigations to infer the diet and geographic origin(s) of Paquimé’s scarlet macaw population. We examine 29 scarlet macaw bone samples from Paquimé using radiogenic strontium isotope analysis. Our results demonstrate that Paquimé’s scarlet macaw population was primarily raised locally, though Paquimé’s inhabitants also acquired scarlet macaws from nearby Casas Grandes region settlements in Chihuahua and extra-regional locales that may have been as far away as their endemic homeland in Veracruz in eastern Mexico. Ultimately, our findings indicate that macaw aviculture at Paquimé was complex and not congruent with any single previously proposed model.

奇瓦瓦州西北部的帕奎梅（Paquimé）的西班牙裔前定居点（1150 / 1200–1450 CE）展示了与遥远社区的交流联系的广泛证据，其中包括300多只猩红色金刚鹦鹉的遗骸（澳门Ara），羽状明亮的鸟类，其地理起源位于墨西哥潮湿的低地东南至少1000公里处。考古和历史记录表明，这些鸟因其多种宇宙学联系，被广泛交易并用于礼仪装束的彩色羽毛以及它们模仿人类语言的能力而倍受赞赏。我们使用考古和同位素调查来推断帕基梅猩红色金刚鹦鹉种群的饮食和地理起源。我们使用放射锶锶同位素分析检查了来自帕奎梅的29个猩红色金刚鹦鹉骨样品。我们的结果表明，帕奎梅的猩红色金刚鹦鹉种群主要是在当地饲养的，尽管Paquimé的居民还从附近的奇瓦瓦州卡萨斯格兰德地区定居点和地区外地区（可能已经远离墨西哥东部韦拉克鲁斯的地方）购得猩红金刚鹦鹉。最终，我们的发现表明，帕基梅（Paquimé）的金刚鹦鹉航空养殖很复杂，并且与以前提出的任何单一模式都不相符。