The scarlet macaw is one of the most spectacular birds of the Americas. Still widespread in the Amazon, it has disappeared from much of Central America because of habitat loss and trapping.
Interesting facts
- Its powerful beak can crack hard nuts.
- Pairs usually stay together for life and fly side by side.
- It is the national bird of Honduras.
- Macaws can mimic sounds.
- Illegal capture for the pet trade has caused local extinctions in Central America.
- Reintroduction programmes have returned macaws to parts of Mexico and Costa Rica.
Behaviour
Macaws are social and noisy, flying in pairs and flocks between roosts and feeding areas.
Breeding and young
Pairs nest in tree cavities and lay 2 to 4 eggs. Chicks stay in the nest for about three months.
Threats and conservation
Habitat loss and capture for the illegal pet trade.
Where to see it
- Tambopata clay licks, Peru
- Corcovado and Carara, Costa Rica
- Scarlet Macaw reintroduction sites, Palenque, Mexico
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
Where to see the scarlet macaw
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