Scarlet Macaw
Ara macao

CLASS

Aves

ORDER

Psittaciformes

FAMILY

Psittacidae

Range

Humid regions of Mexico, south through parts of Central America, and into northern South America

Habitat

Tropical evergreen and riparian forests, near rivers and clearings with big trees

Diet

Palm fruits, figs, berries, seeds, nuts and pods, insects and their larvae. They also supplement their diet with nectar, leaf shoots and flowers

Facts

• Its strong bill is used to crush its food and as an additional limb for climbing.
• Macaws eat mud from the side of cliffs to obtain minerals that will aid in neutralizing the acid in their system.
• They communicate by making loud squawks and piercing shrieks which help them make their presence known in dense rain forests.
• In Mayan tradition, the scarlet macaw represented daylight and the rising sun.

Conservation

These birds are on the endangered species list due to loss of their natural habitat caused by deforestation, as well as illegal capturing of chicks and adults for the international pet trade.

CITES Appendix I