Parrot Hut

Scarlet Macaw

There's nothing flashier than a scarlet macaw, making it a popular large bird among fanciers and novices alike. It's not unusual for someone to begin their bird collection with a scarlet, though this bird is often not a great choice for the novice. The scarlet is just so gorgeous and filled with personality, it's tough for someone with a few extra bucks in their pocket to refuse.

The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) has an enormous natural range in Central and South America and is found in two subspecies: Ara macao cyanoptera, which hails from Central America, primarily from Belize, Guatemala, Panama, Mexico, and Nicaragua; and Ara macao macao, found in South America, including the countries of Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Surinam, and Venezuela. The Central American scarlet is said to be larger and have more blue than green on its wings than the South American, if it has any green at all.

Some scientists believe that these aren't true subspecies, but the final word isn't out on this yet, though many scientists hold rigorously to the distinct classifications. Others break the scarlets into three groups - Mexican, Central, and South American based on size and coloration. In general, the Mexican will have less yellow and be smaller than the others; the South American is a little larger and has a little more yellow on the wing; the Central American scarlet is the stunning "prize" of the three, a large bird with a wide band of yellow on the wing.

Whatever the case, only knowledgeable breeders will take the time to carefully distinguish between these differences and breed only scarlets from the same region together. That being said, it might happen that the scarlets you buy from backyard breeders will be "mixed," which doesn't do anything to harm their beauty or quality as a companion, but serious aviculturists will recommend against such pairings, because it dilutes the gene pool and eventually the regional differences will be lost. In any case, it's a good idea to find out which kind of scarlet you are buying.

The scarlet macaw, because of its beauty, has been depleted in the wild, though efforts are taking place in Costa Rica and other countries to help save current populations or to repopulate area formerly occupied by these birds. They are on the CITES Appendix I list, and cannot be brought into the United States from the wild for the pet trade (nor can any other parrot), though they are still being threatened in the wild due to deforestation, trapping for food and feathers, and smuggling.

The scarlet ranges in size from 32-39 inches in length, and is primarily red, as its name implies, with a band of yellow in the center of the wings, followed by a band of blue leading to the flight feathers. In some birds, there may be a band of green where the yellow meets the blue. Some people confuse the scarlet and the greenwinged macaw, though there are prominent differences. The greenwinged, in general, is a much larger bird and has a large band of green on the wing. The primary difference, however, is in the face - the scarlet has a naked face and the greenwinged has tiny red lines of feathers circling down from the eyes onto the face patch. Both birds have a similarly colored beak, a black lower mandible and a horn-colored upper mandible (with a little bit of black where the two parts of the beak meet).

The scarlet is a "sassy" bird, filled with energy and personality. It's highly intelligent and is a capable escape artist. It has distinct likes and dislikes, and can become a "one person bird" if care is not taken to train the bird otherwise. The beak is formidable and it can pack a wallop of a bite, so it's not a great bird for children. Even the tamest of these birds can be "nippy" to get its way - it's not a companion for meek or fearful individuals.

This is an easily trainable bird and can be taught complicated "tricks" if done gently and with patience. It is not the most competent talker in the macaw family, but with those looks, it doesn't have to talk. It will learn a few words and phrases, though it will do more screaming than talking. This is not a bird for someone living among sensitive neighbors or with an infant, unless there's plenty of space between the bird and those who will be disturbed by its loud screeching.

Like all birds, the scarlet macaw will thrive in a large environment, and will suffer in a cage that's inadequate for its size. This bird is known for self-mutilation when confined, and will not do well with an owner who doesn't plan on allowing it sufficient out-of-cage time. Large swings and toys are a must, too, because the scarlet is an active bird that likes to play and chew. If not given the opportunity to chew, it will become quite unhappy and may turn the chewing onto its feathers. Properly fed and cared for, this bird is reported to have a life span of over 70 years.

Scarlets live in small groups in the wild and a lone scarlet in a household will become very lonely. This is not a bird for someone who isn't home a lot, or someone who doesn't understand the intricacies and responsibilities of bird keeping. This is a sensitive, clever bird that can easily become bored and miserable, leading to excessive noise, plucking, and biting. Boredom and birds are an unhappy mix.

Scarlets can be housed with other large macaws, but it's not appropriate to breed different species to one another, creating hybrid birds which cannot contribute their genes to the declining Scarlet population in the U.S. and the world.