Scarlet Macaw

• ExerciseVery high

  A high-energy flyer — serious daily flight time and enrichment are essential.

• GroomingFrequent feather care

  Frequent misting and feather checks keep the plumage in shape.

• Living spaceAviary scale

  Truly needs aviary-scale space to be happy.

• Owner experienceSome experience helps

  A little know-how makes life smoother.

• Commitment40–60 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Feather plucking · Nutritional deficiency · Obesity

Ranging from southern Mexico through the Amazon basin, the Scarlet Macaw is a giant parrot roughly 90cm long including its tail, weighing up to 1.2 kilograms and living 40-60 years. Strikingly beautiful and highly intelligent, it is also strong-willed and can be more temperamental and nippy than the Blue-and-Gold, best suited to experienced keepers. These birds need an enormous, indestructible enclosure and hours of daily flight or climbing exercise to stay physically and mentally healthy. Their diet should center on formulated pellets with nuts, vegetables, and fruit, and they benefit from access to natural branches for gnawing. Scarlet Macaws are exceptionally loud and require patient, consistent handling to prevent biting. Abundant foraging toys, training, and social interaction are essential; neglect quickly leads to screaming, aggression, and destructive feather plucking.

• How much activity does a Scarlet Macaw need?

  Very high. A high-energy flyer — serious daily flight time and enrichment are essential.

• How much feather care does a Scarlet Macaw need?

  Frequent feather care. Frequent misting and feather checks keep the plumage in shape.

• What cage does a Scarlet Macaw need?

  Aviary scale. Truly needs aviary-scale space to be happy.

• Is a Scarlet Macaw a good fit for first-time owners?

  Some experience helps. A little know-how makes life smoother.

• How long do Scarlet Macaw live?

  40–60 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Scarlet Macaw?

  Keep an eye out for Feather plucking, Nutritional deficiency, Obesity. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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