Big Finner vs Blue-and-yellow Macaw

Balaenoptera physalus compared with Ara ararauna

Key Differences

• Big Finner is Endangered while Blue-and-yellow Macaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big Finner	Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Balaenoptera (Rorquals)	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Balaenoptera physalus	Ara ararauna

Evolutionary Relationship

Big Finner and Blue-and-yellow Macaw share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Big Finner

EN — Endangered

Blue-and-yellow Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Big Finner	Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big Finner

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 4 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Blue-and-yellow Macaw

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

Big Finner

Big Finner (Balaenoptera physalus) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.

Blue-and-yellow Macaw

One of the most striking and widely kept macaw species, blue-and-yellow macaws display brilliant cobalt blue upper parts contrasting with vivid yellow underparts and green forehead. They inhabit forest, woodland, and savanna from eastern Panama through Venezuela, Brazil, and Bolivia to Peru and Ecuador. Highly intelligent, they live in pairs or small flocks, feeding on palm nuts, seeds, and fruit. Popular in aviculture for over 400 years, they can live 80+ years in captivity.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 6 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇳🇴 Norway 🇹🇼 Taiwan 🇻🇪 Venezuela