Bigelow's ray vs Scarlet Macaw

Rajella bigelowi compared with Ara macao

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bigelow's ray	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Aves (Birds)
Order	Rajiformes (Rajiformes)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Rajidae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Rajella	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Rajella bigelowi	Ara macao

Evolutionary Relationship

Bigelow's ray and Scarlet Macaw share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Bigelow's ray

LC — Least Concern

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bigelow's ray	Scarlet Macaw
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	85 cm
Average Weight	—	1.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bigelow's ray

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Portugal.

Scarlet Macaw

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Population trends indicate a declining trajectory in parts of its range.

Bigelow's ray

The Bigelow's ray (Rajella bigelowi) is a species in the genus Rajella. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Scarlet Macaw

One of the most brilliantly colored birds in the Americas, scarlet macaws display vivid red, yellow, and blue plumage with wingspans reaching 1 meter. Found in humid lowland forests from Mexico to Bolivia, they are highly intelligent, long-lived — up to 75 years — and form lifelong pair bonds. They travel long distances to clay licks where they consume mineral-rich soil to detoxify seeds. Listed as Least Concern but locally threatened by habitat loss and the pet trade.