Bigeye thresher vs Scarlet Macaw

Alopias pelagicus compared with Ara macao

Key Differences

• Bigeye thresher is Endangered while Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bigeye thresher	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Alopiidae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Alopias	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Alopias pelagicus	Ara macao

Evolutionary Relationship

Bigeye thresher and Scarlet Macaw share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Bigeye thresher

EN — Endangered

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bigeye thresher	Scarlet Macaw
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	85 cm
Average Weight	—	1.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bigeye thresher

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Taiwan. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Bigeye thresher

The Bigeye thresher (Alopias pelagicus) is a species in the genus Alopias. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia