Scarlet Macaw
Ara macao
Scarlet Macaws use their beaks as a 'third foot' to help them climb, and they are one of the few bird species that can use their feet to hold food while eating.
- Scientific name
- Ara macao
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Psittaciformes › Psittacidae › Ara
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Humid lowland subtropical and tropical rainforests, gallery forests, and savannas.
- Diet
- A variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, nectar, and flowers; they frequently visit clay licks to neutralize toxins in their diet.
- Range
- Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia
- Size
- 81 to 96 cm (32 to 38 inches) in length.
- Lifespan
- 40 to 50 years in the wild.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss due to deforestation, illegal poaching for the pet trade, and competition for nesting sites.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless but defensive if cornered. Observe from a distance to enjoy their vibrant plumage and social behavior. Do not attempt to feed or handle wild macaws; their beaks are powerful enough to crush hard nuts and can cause serious injury. If bitten, wash the wound with soap and water and monitor for infection.
The scarlet macaw ( Ara macao ) is a large red, yellow, and blue South American parrot, a member of a large group of Neotropical parrots called macaws. It is native to humid evergreen forests of tropical South America. Range extends from south-eastern Mexico to the Peruvian Amazon, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil in lowlands up to 500 m (1,640 ft) (at least formerly) up to 1,000 m (3,281 ft). It has suffered from local extinction through habitat destruction and capture for...
Photo: Matt Muir, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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