SCARLET MACAW: CHARACTERISTICS, DANGER OF EXTINCTION, HABITAT, REPRODUCTION - BIOLOGY - 2025

The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is a bird belonging to the Psittacidae family. This tropical species has a very colorful and bright plumage, where the scarlet red color predominates. In addition, it has yellow and blue feathers, which decorate the wings and tail.

Within its genus, it is one of the largest birds. It can measure up to 90 centimeters, of which more than half correspond to its tail. It has a strong beak, adapted to break the hard shells of seeds and fruits.

Scarlet macaw. Source: DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/)

As for the body, it is short, with long wings, rounded at the top and tapered at the bottom. The limbs are black and covered with scales. There is no significant difference between the sexes, however, the feathers of the males may be longer.

This New World bird ranges from Mexico to the Peruvian Amazon region, including Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela. Their population has decreased in many regions, due to the fragmentation of their habitat and their capture for commercialization as a pet.

This has led to the Ara macao being among the protected species, as it is considered at risk of extinction.

Evolution

Research on the Psittacidae family indicates that the first organisms belonging to it originated during the late Eocene, around 40 and 36 million years ago. Its diversification and expansion began 20 million years ago.

The oldest parrot fossil is Archaepsittacus verreauxi, which lived in the prehistoric Miocene period. This was found in Allier, France. Other remains were located in the United States, corresponding to the Upper Miocene, around 20 million years ago.

In the Pleistocene, in Minas Gerais, Brazil, fossil remains of the Psittacidae family were also found. In the Caribbean islands there is some evidence of the presence of parrots in prehistoric times, however, no macaws have been found.

These data suggest that the parrot taxon is very old, however, the scarcity of fossils, especially those belonging to macaws, makes its phylogenetic study difficult.

In more recent studies, based on molecular data from a fossil record found in the Lance Formation in Wyoming, it is suggested that the common ancestor of the uyuyuy family lived in the late Cretaceous.

Recent genetic variations

Likewise, it is presumed that the isolation that produced the deep fragmentation of the A. macao habitat in Central America and Mexico, has caused genetic modifications in the subspecies. This has occurred in a particular way in A. m. cyanoptera, which may be caused by inbreeding.

However, these variations are recent, since habitat degradation is also recent. Therefore, the genetic variations in these subspecies have not led to irreversible character changes.

characteristics

striped-belly

Size

It is a large bird, which is why it is ranked as the third largest of its kind. In females, the variation of these values ​​is very little. Thus, males could weigh between 900 and 1500 grams and reach 90 centimeters, including the tail.

This can measure up to 53 centimeters, having a length greater than the body. The fact that the tail is so long contributes to the navigation of this bird, since they provide balance in flight. In addition, they serve as support when the scarlet macaw moves in the canopy of the trees, in search of food.

Osseous system

The skeleton of the scarlet macaw is perfectly adapted for flight. It is strong, but very light. The vast majority of their bones are flexible and hollow. It has a reduced skull, made up of fragile bones.

As for the sternum, it is thin and light. The keel provides rigidity and at the same time serves as support for the muscles related to flight.

Wings

Photo by David J. Stang

The wings could have an average length of 41 centimeters. They are thick and rounded at the leading edges. On the contrary, at the bottom they are sharp. In addition, they are strong and wide. Thanks to its characteristics, the scarlet macaw could reach up to 56 kilometers per hour.

When flapping, it flaps its wings in a semicircle towards the front, while parting the primary shirts. In this way, the air slides between them, thus allowing you to fly more easily.

Coloration

Its plumage is colorful and very showy, with the predominance of scarlet red. This is found on the head, back, neck, belly, throat, and limbs. In addition, some parts of the tail and wings also have feathers of this color.

The middle and larger covert feathers are yellow. This bird has a beautiful shade of blue on the coverts located on the underside of the rump, on the shirts and on the upper and lower areas of the tail.

Another color present in the Ara macao is orange, located in the internal region of the wings and tail.

Peak

Photo by David J. Stang

Its beak is hooked. The upper part is larger than the lower part. It has a whitish tone, with some small spots in the area where it joins the head. In addition, it has a black tip and base. The bottom is also black.

This one is strong enough to crack open hard-shelled nuts and seeds, then using its muscular tongue to get the insides. In addition, with the pick it can dig and defend itself.

Likewise, the scarlet macaw uses it as a third leg, to facilitate its ascent through the trees, in search of fruits, flowers, leaves and seeds.

Eyes

The eyes are located on the sides of the head. It has a large eyeball, with a relatively small cornea. The iris, in young people, is light brown, in adults, it turns yellow.

The eyes are surrounded by whitish skin, with pink tones. This is apparently devoid of feathers, however, it is not. This region is partially covered by tiny reddish feathers.

Extremities

The limbs have a dark gray coloration. They are short, but with great strength. This is because it has powerful flexor muscles and tendons. Their legs are zygodactyl and they have 4 toes each. Fingers 2 and 3 are forward and fingers 1 and 4 are back.

Danger of extinction

striped-belly

Despite the fact that the population of the Ara macao has decreased notably in the last 50 years, the IUCN considers that this decrease is not happening fast enough to be approaching the threshold of being a species vulnerable to extinction.

Because of this, the scarlet macaw is classified within the group of least concern, in terms of its possibility of extermination.

One of the reasons that explain this situation is that the scarlet macaw has a wide distribution, so there are still significant quantities of this bird in its natural regions.

However, its habitat is severely fragmented and the animal is concentrated in small groups throughout its range of distribution.

It should be noted that the Ara macao is included in Appendix 1 of CITES, thus prohibiting the commercialization of this bird. Thus, it is illegal to sell, buy or use the scarlet macaw in any commercial activity, without complying with the special permits required.

Causes

The destruction of the habitat is one of the first causes that have caused the population decline. This can be affected by forest fires and by the growth of the oil industry.

In addition, man is cutting down the tropical forest, to build urban settlements and for agricultural and livestock purposes. Thus, the natural area of ​​development of this tropical bird is altered, affecting its development and reproduction.

Another factor is the illegal capture, to market their feathers, eggs, and meat, to be sold, nationally and internationally, as pets. The illicit trade in the scarlet macaw intensified in the middle of the 20th century, when approximately 1,500 animals were exported.

Initially, the countries that participated in this commercial activity were Bolivia, Suriname and Guyana. However, in the late 1980s, the Philippines, the United States, and Canada became the major breeders and exporters of Ara macao.

Conservation measures

Many are the efforts that various countries and national and international entities are making to curb the risk of extinction that threatens this species.

Some of the organizations that work in this regard are the World Parrot Trust, created in 1989, and the Association for the Protection of Parrots (LAPPA).

This was formed in Costa Rica in 1995, and is primarily responsible for caring for the nests of the scarlet macaw, caring for and protecting its habitat and conducting scientific studies, among other things.

In Guatemala there is the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which works hard against the illegal trade in this bird. Since 2000, in Mexico it is considered a species included in conservation plans.

On the other hand, in Peru and Venezuela it is classified as vulnerable, being protected by various national laws.

One of the strategies implemented is the reintroduction of reared scarlet macaws to their natural environment. This is being done in countries like Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.

This reinsertion has yielded positive results, with a survival rate greater than 70%. Research on the monitoring of these birds has shown that all released birds, even those from previous years, form groups that take root at the site where they were released.

Habitat and distribution

The scarlet macaw inhabits high sub-evergreen forests, humid plains and in medium sub-deciduous forests. In addition, they live in the lowland jungles, open forests and savannas, in those that are part of the mountainous areas or in those near the coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Likewise, it is found in gallery forests and in humid ones, at a maximum height of 1000 meters above sea level. In this way, they prefer warm climates, whose dry seasons are short. In these ecosystems, they frequent the canopy of the trees, where they usually rest and feed.

They are generally located near rivers, with high annual rainfall. This is because they require large areas that are green most of the year, thus guaranteeing their food requirements.

A very important natural element in the habitat of the Ara macao, is the arboreal vegetation. Live species provide this animal with berries, nuts, and seeds.

Older or drier ones offer excellent nesting sites. The trees most used for this purpose are the Costa Rican Caryocar, Schizolobium parahyba, the Ceiba pentandra and the Ficus sp.

Distribution

Ara macao is found in southern Mexico, in Central America and in South America. Thus, it inhabits the evergreen forests of Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua.

In addition, it lives in the riparian tropical forests of Colombia, Guyana, Venezuela, French Guiana, Suriname, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago.

In Mexico, there are only two populations left, one in Oaxaca and the other in the state of Chiapas. The well-known Maya Biosphere Reserve, in Guatemala, is home to this beautiful bird, especially in the Laguna del Tigre National Park and in the La Danta Biological Corridor.

Currently, there is a very small population in Belize, in the Central Maya valleys, in the Upper Macal areas and the Chiquibul National Park. In Honduras, there are a few birds in the provinces of Gracias a Dios and Olancho.

Towards the Atlantic mountain range, in Nicaragua, is the Cosigüina region. There is a group, no more than 100 birds, in the Bosawas Reserve. In Costa Rica, it is found in the Corcovado National Park and in the Palo Verde National Reserve.

South America

In relation to Colombia, it lives in Orinoquia and Amazonia, in Venezuela, it is distributed in the Monagas and Bolívar states and in Brazil it is mainly found throughout the Amazon region.

In Suriname, this scarlet macaw inhabits riparian evergreen forests, such as those near the Morico, Cattica, Wayambo, Kabalebo, Marowijne and Kuruni rivers in Suriname.

The Ara macu, in Ecuador, is only found in the Amazon region, near the Napo River. Its habitat in Bolivia is the Aquicuana Reserve, in the department of Beni.

In relation to Peru, it lives in the Amazon region, in the eastern area of ​​the Andean mountain range. There it is sheltered in the Tambopata-Candamo reserve area and in the Manu National Park.

Reproduction

The scarlet macaw forms a monogamous pair, usually after they are four years old. This link is quite stable, thus lasting a lifetime. Even during flock flight, they usually fly together.

In courtship, the male projects his wings to the ground, curtsies with his body, his pupils dilate, and his head feathers curl. In addition, it spreads its legs and walks slowly, while extending its left wing and moving its head up and down at the same time.

To end this behavior, it stops and begins to move its tail to the left, slowly resting its feathers on its body.

Another very attractive aspect for the female is the bright and colorful plumage of the male. After he conquers his mate, they both rub their beaks, groom each other and share food.

At the moment of mating, both the male and female of the Ara macao move their tails, to later join their cloaca. They maintain this position until the moment the male ejaculates.

Mating

Reproduction occurs every 1 or 2 years, generally from the months of November to May. However, this could be influenced by geographic latitude, seasons, and fruit availability.

Although this species is not territorial, they are capable of fiercely defending the area around their nest. They do it against predators and also other species that want to use the holes in the trees to nest. Such is the case of parrots, toucans and iguanas.

The female can lay between 2 and 4 eggs, round in shape and small in size, compared to the large size of the bird. While the mother incubates the eggs, the male brings her food. The hatching of the eggs usually occurs after 3 to 4 weeks.

Despite being several eggs, rarely all the chicks hatch. Studies indicate that the pair does not reproduce again until the young are independent.

Parents will not breed again until their previous offspring are fully independent, making it common for a pair of Scarlet Macaws to breed only every two years.

Nests

The scarlet macaw, as this species is also known, nests in holes found in trees, one of its favorites being the aguaje palm (Mauritia flexuosa). This animal does not dig the hole, but takes advantage of the cavities left by other birds, such as the woodpecker.

Likewise, it usually occupies the holes formed naturally in softwood trees. Some of these species are the ceiba (Ceiba pentandra), the mountain almond (Dipteryx panamensis) and the guapuruvu (Schizolobium Parahybum).

The cavity can be 7 meters above the ground, but those that are higher are preferred, and can be up to 25 meters.

The first modification that you can make to the hole is to expand the inside diameter, since the Ara macao is a large bird. On the other hand, line the bottom with wood chips.

There are seldom other macaw nests within a radius of less than 3 kilometers, thus reducing the competition relations for the species of the genus.

Young

The chicks remain in the nest for approximately 137 days. In its early stages, parents can feed them 4-15 times a day, offering food that they have previously regurgitated.

The young begin to fly with their parents around week 14, being able to stay with them for up to two years.

Feeding

The scarlet macaw, although it is fundamentally granivorous, since it consumes almost three-quarters of seeds in its diet, it can easily adapt to a wide variety of foods. Besides fruits and seeds, it can eat nuts, insects and their larvae, berries, flowers, nectar, leaves and even stem.

The fruits you eat do so before they are ripe, so they have tougher skin. To access the pulp, it uses its strong beak, with which it can open the hard shells of some fruits and nuts.

This constitutes a great advantage over other birds, in such a way that it has a greater variety of species to feed on.

On the other hand, research on the eating habits of this tropical bird indicates that they occasionally eat clay, which they find on the banks of rivers. This contributes to the digestion of some chemical substances, such as tannin, which makes it difficult to absorb some minerals.

Vegetable species

The young begin by feeding on those trees whose fruits they can easily find and reach, such as the jobo (Spondias mombin). As they become experts, they may even feed on trees you have access to in the middle of your flight.

Among the trees that Ara macao frequents are the genera Bursera, Ficus, Dipteryx, Hura, Eschweilera, Inga and Micropholis. As for the seeds, consume those of Caryocar, Dialium, Cedrela, Euterpe, Jacaranda, Hevea and Sapium.

This species likes the nectar and flowers of Virola and Erythrina. During the dry season, it prefers the fruits of the mijao (Anacardium excelsum), the ceiba (Ceiba pentandra) and the yellow ceiba (Hura crepitans). In the rainy season, the Ojoche (Brosimum alicastrum) stands out.

Dietary adaptations

The scarlet macaw can swing its beak with incredible force. The species has developed some structures in the internal part of its beak, which allows this bird to press the seed between its tongue and its palate, in order to grind it and later digest it.

The upper jaw is attached to the skull by means of a mobile joint. Thus, it can move down and up, thus increasing its power to crush food.

This characteristic also makes this jaw an important climbing tool that, together with the toes, allows it to have a highly effective grip. These fingers are also used to transport the seeds to the jaw, where they are held while the bird removes the shell.

Likewise, the tongue, which is muscular and short, has innumerable taste buds. Also, the scarlet macaw has a very muscular gizzard, which helps in the decomposition of extremely hard plant material.

Behavior

Nutritional

Due to the nutritional needs of the scarlet macaw, it is very often necessary to constantly move to nearby areas, in search of food. These flights are slow and performed from dawn, at a speed of 15 km / h.

This species is very noisy while in the air, however, when it eats it is quite quiet. Contrary to this behavior, when feeding on clay it generally forms a group. At that time, they socialize with each other, making calls or grooming their feathers.

On the other hand, like most macaws, it is an animal that generally uses its left to manipulate food, while it holds onto its right.

Communication

The Ara macao usually communicates with various body postures and with vocalizations. The latter could be squawks and screeches, although they vary depending on the message you want to communicate: locate one of the group, encourage the presence of a predator or give notice of a place where there is an abundance of food.

Also, it can spread its wings or stomp to intimidate any threat, thus appearing to be larger or of great strength. Likewise, she may ruffle the feathers on her head, to be aggressive or to express her fear.

References

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