Scarlet Macaw

The Scarlet Macaw ranges widely across lowland tropical forest from southern Mexico through Central America and into large parts of northern and central South America. It is one of the most vividly colored and widely recognized parrots in the world, favoring tall rainforest with emergent trees for nesting and feeding, and is often seen in pairs or small flocks flying above the canopy.

The head, neck, back, and underparts are covered in bright scarlet-red feathers. The wing coverts show a band of yellow feathers followed by blue, creating a bold tricolor pattern against the red body, and the flight feathers are blue. The tail is long, tapered, and predominantly red with blue tips on the outer feathers. The face is largely bare, pale white-pink skin with minimal feathering, generally showing fewer fine feather lines than the Blue-and-yellow Macaw's face. Overall the combination of a scarlet body, yellow-and-blue wing patches, and a long red-and-blue tail is distinctive among large macaws in its range.

Sexes are alike in plumage, with no reliable visual distinction between males and females. Juveniles show duller red coloration, a shorter tail, and browner eyes than adults, with full adult plumage and tail length developing over the first few years through successive molts.

This species occupies tall lowland tropical rainforest and forest edge from southern Mexico through Central America and into northern and central South America, generally favoring areas with large emergent trees. It is largely non-migratory, though flocks make regular movements between roosting sites, feeding areas, and mineral-rich clay licks used by many South American parrot species.

Scarlet Macaws feed on fruit, seeds, and nuts, using their large bills to open tough husks and shells, and often visit clay licks in some regions. Nests are placed in large cavities in tall trees. Pairs are typically seen together and often mate for life, flying in twos or small family groups above the forest canopy. Calls include loud, harsh, raucous squawks and screeches, given frequently in flight and while perched.