Scarlet Macaws
 Blue & Gold |
 Scarlet |
 Hyacinth |
 Catalina |
 Harlequin |
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About Scarlet Macaws (Ara Macao)
The
Scarlet Macaw is a beautiful bird with a sweet, inquisitive nature and
friendly, outgoing personality!
In the wild, Scarlet Macaws live in family groups of up to thirty birds, but pair off within the groups. Occasionally, isolated pairs of Scarlet Macaws are observed. They are highly social and are often seen keeping the company of Green-Winged or Blue and Yellow Macaws. While flying, Scarlet Macaws give regular, raucous croaking calls. When perched, Scarlet Macaws are nearly silent, and are generally extremely cautious when near the ground or in areas where raptors might prey upon them. They regularly visit clay banks where they consume mineral clay in order to obtain the nutrients they need to neutralize the toxins released into their systems from eating unripe fruit. Scarlet Macaws feed upon both unripe and ripe fruits, in addition to seeds and nuts, greenery, flowers and berries. In captivity, you should feed your Scarlet Macaws greens, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seed mixes and a mineral supplement. Egg food and white bread are good for young, hand reared birds, and biscuits or oatmeal makes much appreciated treats. In warm weather, spray your Scarlet Macaw, as they love to bathe, and be sure to have fresh water readily available. Scarlet Macaws should be kept warm with a bit of humidity, as this is their natural clime. They are talkative and social, and may be kept with other birds except for during their breeding season. They love human attention and are curious, affectionate, and docile, forming close bonds with their handlers.
The Scarlet Macaw grows to about 33.5 inches. Sometimes called the Red and Yellow Macaw, the base plumage color is a brilliant red. The tops of the wings are yellow, as are the irises and sometimes the edges of the feathers on the back of the head. Scarlet Macaws have green tips on the feathers of their wing coverts. The tail coverts are pale blue, and the wing feathers have blue outer webs. The upperside of the tail is mostly red feathers with blue edges. Scarlet Macaws may have light traces of red feather lines on their bald whitish face patches. The bill has blackish edges and is horn colored, and the lower mandible is dark gray or blackish. Scarlet Macaws have dark gray feet.
Native to tropical forests below 3300 feet, the Scarlet Macaw also inhabits Pacific coast scrubland and lowland cultivated areas with scattered forests. Found in parts of Panama, Southeast Mexico, Northern Bolivia and Brazil, Northern and Eastern Columbia, Eastern Peru and Ecuador, Surinam, the Guyanas, and Southern Venezuela, the Red and Yellow Macaw is not as common as the Blue and Yellow Macaw due to habitat loss, hunting for food, and trapping for the pet trade.
