The Scarlet Macaw Species

Scarlet macaws (Ara macao) are one of the largest parrot species kept as pets. Highly intelligent, scarlet macaws learn many tricks, such as speaking. However, macaws need special care and lots of attention or they suffer in captivity. Although not endangered, wild populations of scarlet macaws face threats from deforestation and removal from the wild for the pet trade.

  1. Identification

    • Scarlet macaws get their name from their bright red heads, bellies, upper bodies and tail feathers. Their wings and lower bodies have bands of yellow, green and blue feathers. They grow up to 37 inches long, with a 47-inch wingspan. Their thick, round beaks include an upper white or ivory-colored mandible and a lower black mandible. Their thick, black claws need frequent trimming in a captive environment. For such large birds, they weigh only an average of 2 to 4 lbs.

    Diet

    • Scarlet macaws need such huge beaks to break open nuts and seeds found in their native habitat, the rainforests of Central and South America. Wild macaws also eat fruits and flower nectar. Pet macaws eat a main diet of commercially made pelleted food supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. Treats include unsalted nuts, preferably still in their shells to help wear the beaks down, and whole grain bread or pasta. In the wild, scarlet macaws eat fruits with traces of toxins. To neutralize the poison, they consume special clay called kaolin, according to Sir David Attenborough's "The Trails of Life."

    Breeding Habits

    • Wild and captive scarlet macaws form strong breeding pairs that both help to rear chicks. Macaws mate for life. In the wild, scarlet macaws mate in the spring and fall. The female lays 2 to 4 eggs in the hollow of a tree trunk. She takes on the responsibility of incubating the eggs while the male feeds her. After the eggs hatch in 24 to 28 days, both parents feed the chicks. The chicks stay with their parents up to two years after hatching, even after they learn to fly and feed themselves. Only after the chicks leave do the parents breed again. (See Reference 2, Subheading "Reproduction/Growth")

    Vocalizations

    • Scarlet macaw screams and calls can be heard two miles away, so they are not recommended for apartments. Macaws developed such loud voices to communicate with their mates through thick forests, where maintaining eye contact is impossible. Macaws mimic animals and sounds they hear regularly, including human voices. Not all pet macaws learn to talk.