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Scarlet Macaw

Family: Psittacidae

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Scarlet Macaw - Juvenile, about five month's oldAra macaoPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Animal World

     The Scarlet Macaw has been the best known South American parrot for over 100 years!

     The Scarlet Macaw is perhaps the most magnificent of the macaw species. This magnificent macaw has a long history as a companion to humans, dating back to the early 1100's with the Incas. It is frequently described as "magnificent, beautiful, and striking".

     The Scarlet Macaw is very beautiful, inquisitive, and intelligent. It is a large macaw, very similar in size and appearance to the Green-winged Macaw, though a bit more boisterous. This is a lively bird that loves to play and interact. But like all macaws, it has a loud call and it may be quite vocal at times.

     Scarlet Macaw's are eager learners and can be taught a variety of tricks. They can be quite talented as a talker, though generally not quite as adept as the Blue and Gold Macaw. Scarlet's can learn about 5 to 10 words or phrases while the Blue and Gold can learn about 15 to 20.

     The personality of a Scarlet is such that it requires good socialization at a young age. It also needs a firm consistent hand in training, especially as it matures. The well socialized Scarlet Macaw is extremely social, and will be very friendly and confident with a number people. However, this macaw takes a dedicated and determined keeper to reach and maintain its potential as a great pet bird.

For information about the care of Macaws see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Macaw

Scientific name:      Scarlet Macaw, (occasionally referred to as the Red and Yellow Macaw) - Ara macao

Distribution:      The Scarlet Macaw's natural habitat runs from eastern Panama in Central America south across northern South America, east of the Andes, to Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.      Although this range seems extensive, they are now much devoid in many of these areas. Usually grouped colonies are found in areas that are more remote and less disturbed. Today there is a large group of around 100 Scartlet Macaws established south of Belize. These are believed to have resulted from escaped captive birds.

Description:

     Scarlet Macaws are a full sized macaw that are very colorful. They look like a rainbow starting with the head and shoulders a deep red changing to yellow about mid body, and finally blue and green on the lower part of the body and wings. The tail turns back to the deep red.

     Toga, seen in the picture to the left, is a beautiful full sized adult Scarlet Macaw. He is about 4 years old in this photo. Both he and Banjo have been surgically sexed as males.

     There is often some confusion distinguishing these two types of Macaws. In this picture, Toga is the Scarlet Macaw seen just in front of his good friend and companion "Banjo", a Green-winged Macaw to the back.

     To identify each of these types of macaws, use this picture along with the following clues:

Feathering: The Scarlet Macaw differs in appearance from the similar Green-winged Macaw by the broad band of yellow feathers across its back. The Greenwing will have green feathers across the back.

Facial Patch: Another difference in appearance between these two macaws can be seen in the facial patch. There are red tinged feathers on the bare facial patch of the Greenwing while the Scarlet's facial patch has no color..

Size - Weight:      A full sized macaw, they can get over 2 lbs. Lengths up to 85 cm (33.5 inches).

Care and feeding:      The Scarlet is a large, active macaw that need lots of space. A roomy cage is required and the bird should be let out for extended periods each day for exercise. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play pen or parrot perch. They eat a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, and commercial pellets, as well as the same nutritional foods humans eat.

     See About Macaws: Housing and About Macaws: Care and Feeding for more information.

Social Behaviors:      In general the Scarlet Macaw is a typical macaw. They can be cranky at times and may even be a one person bird or only like men or women unless well socialized with lots of folks. However, these macaws are quite lively and boisterous, more so than many of the other types of macaws. They need a keeper that provides a firm hand in training. For a wonderful pet, the Scarlet Macaw must be socialized at a young age, and then have continued contact and interaction on a daily basis.

     See About Macaws: Social Behaviors for information on developing a well rounded friendly macaw. (Also information on handling and activities)

Breeding/Reproduction:      The usual clutch consists of two or three eggs which incubate for about 28 days. The babies will fledge after about 3 months in the nest. Feed the parents plenty of greenstuffs, corn-on-the-cob, carrots, and fruit laced with food supplement while they are rearing the youngsters.

     See About Macaws: Breeding/Reproduction for information on breeding.

Sexual differences:      No visible differences.

Potential Problems:     Can be noisy (as can all macaws).   See About Macaws: Potential Problems for information on illnesses.

Availability:      This Scarlet Macaw is rarer than some of the other macaws for sale (except perhaps the hybrid macaws) and may be a bit harder to get. Their natural habitat has declined to the point where they have been put on the endangered species list, so only acquire captive bred birds.

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Latest Comments
Scarlet Macaws ARE THE MOST beautiful birds I've ever seen in my life so far with their brightly colored feathers. Anonymous 2009-05-03
I wanted to give an update on my Scarlet Macaw baby Wimbily. He's now been in our heated aviary for about three months now. He has gotten more and more friendly. I am amazed because I didn't really do any training with him. I just let him be. Every day when I came into the aviary my mollucan cockatoos and amazon cockatoos flocked to perch on my shoulders. I think he witnessed this. After a month or so he began hurrying to climb down a spiral rope to me. I gave him a few pine nuts. He still doesn't fly well enough to fly directly to me - but he will climb down to me. He isn't willing to sit for an hour on my arm - like my 3 cockatoos. But he is still friendly and will stay for about ten minutes playing with toys I share with him and taking pine nuts carefully when I give them to him. He's come a very long way from the first days when he ran frantically from me and wouldn't step up. I thought then that he was the most hysterical macaw I had ever met. But he has changed into a calm and friendly bird whom I think I can now start to actually do some training sessions with. Chris Bell 2009-01-01
I think Scarlet Macaws are great! Anonymous 2008-11-10
My new Scarlet is a sweetheart. He NEVER bites. He lovingly nibbles on my ear/earlobe and has never been aggressive. He loves to cuddle and makes the cutest sounds when I scratch all over his head. He is always calm and loves to just sit on my shoulder and hang out with me. One of the best birds I have ever owned. I have had a Catalina Macaw, several Cockatiels, a Noble Mini Macaw, a Timneh African Grey, and a Blue-Fronted Amazon. All were sweet birds, but none match the new Scarlet. I have to wonder about some of the negative comments and the ability of the owners to properly tame & train their birds. This is not to be insulting to anyone. All of my many years of experience with birds has taught that any bird can be tamed and become loving if it is given enough love. Something to think about. Geoffrey Hazard 2008-11-09
Hmmm, a Scarlet Macaw is the most useless macaw of all. They are moody, prone to feather plucking, scream to much, they can't talk very well, they sit around and scream all day, and make dumb noises. My bird is four and says three words. My Greenwing Macaw says a whole bunch of things. I have bruises all over my arms from my bird. If you ask me they are not a good pet and are way to much money. If you are looking into getting a Macaw get a Greenwing Macaw or a Blue and Gold. They are smarter, sweeter, and over all a way better bird. uhhhh 2008-09-19
Some of the coolest comments:
I have seven macaws, 2 Blue and Golds, 2 Greenwings, 1 Military, 1 Buffon's and 1 Scarlet macaw that I just got this summer as a baby. His name is Wimbily. At first I never wanted a Scarlet because I heard that they were "difficult" macaws. Prone to being unfriendly and nippy. But Last spring I finally found a baby Buffons and I decided to get another baby macaw so she would have a buddy. Wimbily the Scarlet Macaw came from a good breeder on the East Coast. But when he arrived at the airport in Portland Oregon he was NOT a happy camper. Poor baby, he was mad about leaving his happy old home where he had another baby bird buddy. I set him up on a large porch with chain link and he had beautiful views of our green pastures and grazing horses. He was not friendly at all at first. He would try to fly away from me no matter what I tried. He was very nervous. But I bought him and Bella Rose ( my Buffon's baby) tons of perches to hang from the high porch ceilings and lots of toys to play with. Pretty soon he was very bonded to Bella Rose. He is also a superbly beautiful bird with spectacular lavender colored tail feathers. For a few months I didn't pester Wimbily to be friendly. I just went and sat on the porch with them and I brought treats of macadamia nuts and fruit and put it in their bowls. Gradually Wimbily changed. Now he is confident, happy and quite friendly. Because winter is coming on with cooler temperatures I moved him and Bella Rose into my big heated aviary building. It has two rooms, each with high ceilings and lots of casement windows. Wimbily and Bella Rose joined two Mollucan Cockatoos and five Amazon parrots. They had no problem and everyone is getting along just fine. So, although I'm far from an expert ( about Scarlets anyway ), give them some time and don't pester them. I'm very happy with my Wimbily. He's a wonderful bird just like all my other macaws. Chris Bell Oregon Chris Bell 2008-11-01
Hello, my name is vanessa. I own a scarlet macaw and I must say yeah he's moody, but I know him well enought to work around that. He is very affectionate and still bites every now again, but for the most part he's really sweet. He spends a lot of time flying around the house and outside from time to time. Luckly he's not a screamer, he calls us by name when he wants us. he also is very strong willed. If he can't get his way it's best to redirect his attention to somthing else. This bird gets a bad rap and I think it's because people don't really know how to manage with them. Me and my pretty boy are pretty well bonded and he can read minds which is pretty cool, and not somthing I hear about macaws too often or at all. Needless to say, he is a very special bird and a great family member. He needs lots of love. I think the scarlet macaw can be a good family pet, you just gotta have the knack and patience. Not a bird for just anyone. vanessa 2008-10-24
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
Thank you for this website because it gave me alot of info on the scarlet macaw. i had it as an exotic animal... and your website helped me out a lot! thank you Anonymous 2005-11-22

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