Black Howler Monkey vs Scarlet Macaw

Alouatta pigra compared with Ara macao

Key Differences

• Black Howler Monkey is Endangered while Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Howler Monkey	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Primates (Primates)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Atelidae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Alouatta	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Alouatta pigra	Ara macao

Evolutionary Relationship

Black Howler Monkey and Scarlet Macaw share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Black Howler Monkey

EN — Endangered

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Howler Monkey	Scarlet Macaw
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	85 cm
Average Weight	—	1.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black Howler Monkey

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

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.

Black Howler Monkey

The Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta pigra) is a species in the genus Alouatta. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

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.