* Threatened or Endangered
Scarlet Macaw *
: Ara macao
: Bird
: Eastern Mexico, Peru and Brazil
: Nuts, seeds and vegetation
: Weight 2 to 3 lbs.
: Considered “conservation dependent” due to loss of habitat and capturing for the illegal pet trade. “Conservation dependent” means that the bird will most likely continue to disappear unless protected habitat is set aside in its native lands. It is now illegal to take a bird from the wild.
This very large parrot has a strong, powerful beak that can crack objects such as Brazil nuts easily. Due primarily to loss of habitat, these birds now occupy less than 20% of the range that they once did. In captivity, macaws can live well into their 70’s if diet and care are correct. Young macaws stay with their parents longer than most birds, with the fledglings sometimes remaining for a year or more.