Scarlet Macaw
Ara macao
- Family
- African and New World Parrots (Psittacidae)
- Order
- Psittaciformes
Overview
The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) also called the red-and-yellow macaw, red-and-blue macaw or red-breasted macaw, is a large yellow, green, red and blue Neotropical parrot native to humid evergreen forests of the Americas. Its range extends from southeastern Mexico to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Honduras, and Brazil in lowlands of 500 m (1,600 ft) (at least formerly) up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft), the Caribbean island of Trinidad, as well as the Pacific island of Coiba. Formerly, the northern extent of its range included southern Tamaulipas. In some areas, it has suffered local extinction because of habitat destruction, or capture for the parrot trade, but in other areas, it remains fairly common.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to see it
Destination guides featuring this bird
- JJanuary: Poor or no data
- FFebruary: Poor or no data
- MMarch: Poor or no data
- AApril: Good
- MMay: Best
- JJune: Best
- JJuly: Best
- AAugust: Best
- SSeptember: Best
- OOctober: Best
- NNovember: Good
- DDecember: Poor or no data
- JJanuary: Poor or no data
- FFebruary: Poor or no data
- MMarch: Poor or no data
- AApril: Good
- MMay: Best
- JJune: Best
- JJuly: Best
- AAugust: Best
- SSeptember: Best
- OOctober: Best
- NNovember: Good
- DDecember: Poor or no data
Range and habitat
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Scarlet macaw
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.