Scarlet Macaws

These are large and colorful parrots.



Scarlet macaws live in south and Central America. The bird species from Central America is yellow and red with white patches on its face. It is larger and the bird has blue on its wings.



The species of scarlet macaw from Central America can be found in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico. The South American scarlet macaw is generally found in Brazil, Peru, Equador and Columbia.

About Scarlet Macaws

These birds enjoy being in undisturbed rainforests. Scarlet macaws eat nectar, flowers, nuts, fruits and also eat nuts and unripe fruits.



These species of parrots also like to eat clay from the banks of rivers. Researchers are still not sure as to why they do this, but it is believed that clay probably help parrots digest toxic chemicals that are found in unripe fruits.

A pair of these birds raises one or two chicks every season. They generally build their nest in a tree cavity. Chicks are known to stay with their parents for a couple of years. Adult scarlet macaws do not bring up another clutch till the young birds leave the nest and become independent. This is another reason why the population of macaws grows at snail’s pace.

Deforestation is also a big threat to scarlet macaws. If they lose their natural habitat, then they won’t be able to build nests and reproduce. They will also have a problem finding enough food to eat. Scarlet macaws are also captured and sold as pets.

Physical appearance and temperament: These parrots weigh between 2-3 pounds and are about 35 inches long, from the beak till their tail feathers. These birds can live for about 80 years or more. These birds are like winged rainbows and have vivid red, sunny yellow and blue feathers.

Scarlet macaws are very intelligent birds but they need to be stimulated and socialized early on and on a regular basis to stay tame. Scarlet macaws also get bored very quickly and need a lot of toys that they can play with. If you are planning to keep these birds as pets, then do keep in mind that they can be noisy at times.

Pet care: For your pet scarlet macaw, you need to provide it with fresh food every day, Nuts, vegetables, fruits and other bird-safe treats are advisable. Since these are large birds, do remember to provide a large cage for them, where they have space to exercise their muscles. You should also take them out of the cage for a few hours every day. Give them a lot of chew toys.