Scarlet Macaw
The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is a large, brilliantly colored parrot of the rainforests of Central and South America. It lives for decades, forms lifelong pairs and is a skilled mimic.
The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is a large, brilliantly colored parrot of the rainforests of Central and South America. It lives for decades, forms lifelong pairs and is a skilled mimic.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Scarlet Macaw in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
Clay Licks: Why Eat Dirt?
Macaws gather in large numbers at river-bank clay deposits to eat soil. The clay may help neutralize toxins from the seeds and unripe fruit they eat, or supply minerals such as sodium.
Strong Beaks and Smart Minds
The curved beak cracks hard nuts and seeds, and the zygodactyl feet, with two toes forward and two back, grip food and branches. Parrots rank among the most intelligent birds. See Common Raven.
Threats
Habitat loss and capture for the pet trade have eliminated the macaw from parts of its range. International trade is restricted under CITES, and reintroduction programs have returned birds to places like Costa Rica.
Scarlet Macaw at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ara macao |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Psittacidae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia: Aves (Birds) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Brilliant red, yellow, and blue plumage, very long tail, massive hooked beak for cracking nuts, bare white facial skin. |
| IUCN Red List status | Least Concern (LC), assessed 2022 |
| Family | Psittacidae |
| Lifespan | Several decades |
See Also
- Common Raven — another intelligent bird
- Kea — another clever parrot