Brook-Side Feather-Moss vs Scarlet Macaw

Hygroamblystegium fluviatile compared with Ara macao

Key Differences

Brook-Side Feather-Moss is Critically Endangered while Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brook-Side Feather-Moss	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Bryophyta	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Hypnales (Hypnales)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Amblystegiaceae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Hygroamblystegium	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Hygroamblystegium fluviatile	Ara macao

Conservation Status

Brook-Side Feather-Moss

CR — Critically Endangered

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brook-Side Feather-Moss	Scarlet Macaw
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	85 cm
Average Weight	—	1.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brook-Side Feather-Moss

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, Portugal, and United States. Currently classified as Critically 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.

Brook-Side Feather-Moss

The Brook-Side Feather-Moss (Hygroamblystegium fluviatile) is a species in the genus Hygroamblystegium. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

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.