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THE PARROT SPECIES FIELD GUIDE · Psittacidae

Scarlet Macaw

Ara macao

Meet the scarlet macaw: its taxonomic place, natural range and conservation record.

Scarlet Macaw — Ara macao
Scarlet Macaw
SPECIES NOTES

A closer look.

Scientific names follow AviList v2025b. Read the taxonomy and source notes for changes in classification.

About this species

The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) also called the red-and-yellow macaw, red-and-blue macaw or red-breasted macaw, is a large yellow, green, red and blue Neotropical parrot native to humid evergreen forests of the Americas. Its range extends from southeastern Mexico to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Honduras, and Brazil in lowlands of 500 m (1,600 ft) (at least formerly) up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft), the Caribbean island of Trinidad, as well as the Pacific island of Coiba. Formerly, the northern extent of its range included southern Tamaulipas. In some areas, it has suffered local extinction because of habitat destruction, or capture for the parrot trade, but in other areas, it remains fairly common.

Conservation record

AviList v2025b records this species as least concern. Assessments and taxonomy can change; follow the source checklist for updates.

Sources & image credit

Names, family, range and conservation record: AviList Core Team (2026), AviList v2025b, CC BY 4.0. Species summary: Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0. Length, weight and longevity when listed: World Parrot Trust species account.

Image: Charles J. Sharp. Original file and full credit · CC BY-SA 4.0. Display size and encoding adjusted.