bird

Scarlet Macaw

Ara macao

The scarlet macaw is arguably the single most recognizable parrot species in the world, and its brilliance is genuinely distinctive even among macaws: a vivid, almost uniform scarlet-red body gives way to a wing pattern with bold bands of yellow and blue, a combination that separates it cleanly from the green-winged macaw's red-with-green-wing-covert pattern and from the blue-and-gold macaw's entirely different blue-and-yellow color scheme. Its bare white facial patch is essentially unmarked, without the fine rows of small feathers that line a green-winged macaw's face, giving the scarlet macaw a cleaner, starker white-cheek appearance. Temperamentally, scarlet macaws carry a well-documented reputation in aviculture as more intense, higher-strung, and generally quicker to bond fiercely — sometimes exclusively — with one person than the calmer green-winged or the more evenly outgoing blue-and-gold, a reputation that shapes both the appeal and the real challenge of keeping this species. That intensity also shows up in a well-documented predisposition toward feather-damaging behavior (feather plucking and chewing) when the bird's activity, enrichment, or social needs go unmet, a risk experienced keepers treat as a serious, species-relevant welfare concern for scarlets specifically rather than a generic large-parrot footnote. The core large-macaw housing and enrichment framework — a big cage functioning as a base rather than a living space, daily supervised out-of-cage time, room-proofing, and a pelleted-plus-fresh diet — carries over from any other giant macaw, so a keeper already familiar with general macaw housing standards will find that material directly applicable here.

Husbandry

Enclosure size

A large-macaw cage of at least 4ft wide, 3ft deep, and 5-6ft tall functions as a base station only; given this species' documented tendency toward feather-damaging behavior under-stimulated birds develop, generous daily out-of-cage time and rotating enrichment matter even more here than the bare cage-size minimum suggests

Source: Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) large-parrot housing guidance (checked 2026-05-10)

Temperature gradient

Ordinary indoor household temperatures of roughly 65-80°F (18-27°C) suit this species, with no special heating or cooling equipment needed beyond keeping the cage clear of direct drafts and unshielded heating or AC vents

Source: Merck Veterinary Manual — Pet Bird Housing (checked 2026-05-10)

Diet

A pelleted base making up roughly 60-70% of intake, with a wide daily rotation of fresh vegetables, modest fruit, and in-shell nuts offered for both nutrition and legitimate beak work; a seed-heavy diet is both nutritionally inadequate and fails to provide this active species the foraging engagement it needs

Source: Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) nutrition guidance (checked 2026-05-10)

Supplementation

No routine supplementation is needed on a nutritionally complete pelleted base; any added vitamins or minerals should follow specific veterinary guidance rather than a standard blanket regimen

Source: AAV nutrition guidance (checked 2026-05-10)

Cohabitation

Best kept singly with a strong, consistent human bond or as a genuinely established bonded pair; this species' documented tendency to fixate strongly on one preferred person makes deliberately rotating attention among household members from a young age particularly worthwhile here to reduce one-person jealousy and aggression toward others

Source: Merck Veterinary Manual — Pet Bird Behavior (checked 2026-05-10)

Handling

Scarlet macaws are widely described by aviculturists as more intense and quicker to develop strong, sometimes exclusive attachments than several other large macaws, and that intensity cuts both ways: a well-bonded scarlet can be extraordinarily affectionate and engaged with its chosen person, but the same bird may be notably less receptive, even reactive, toward others. Step-up training, careful reading of body language (eye pinning, feather position, tail fanning), and never forcing contact when the bird shows avoidance matter with every large macaw, but the payoff for consistency and the cost of skipping it both tend to be more pronounced with this species given its documented reactivity. Because scarlet macaws carry a real, recognized predisposition toward feather-damaging behavior when bored or under-stimulated, handling and enrichment should be treated as connected rather than separate — a bird getting genuinely engaging daily interaction and problem-solving toys is measurably less likely to redirect that energy onto its own feathers.

Signs of good health

• Vivid, even scarlet-red plumage across the body with no bald patches, thinning, or stress bars crossing feather shafts — early feather damage often starts subtly on the chest or under the wings before becoming obvious
• A consistent, hearty appetite and normal-volume, well-formed droppings
• Clear, dry nares and a large beak free of flaking, overgrowth, or asymmetry
• Bright, fully open eyes and facial skin that flushes pink to red with excitement or arousal and settles back to pale between episodes
• Steady weight confirmed on a home scale checked weekly, since dense plumage can mask a slow downward weight trend from casual visual inspection alone

Common problems

14 common bird problems are tracked for this species; 0 have full guides published so far.

Recommended gear for Scarlet Macaw

Equipment categories that are genuinely correct for this species' welfare needs — see the full Gear Guide for the complete list.

Some links below are Amazon Associates / Chewy affiliate links — Keepers Guide may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend equipment categories that are genuinely correct for the species' welfare needs; we never recommend a product because of the commission.