Butterfly ray vs Chestnut-fronted Macaw

Gymnura altavela compared with Ara severus

Key Differences

• Butterfly ray is Endangered while Chestnut-fronted Macaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Butterfly ray	Chestnut-fronted Macaw
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Aves (Birds)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Gymnuridae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Gymnura	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Gymnura altavela	Ara severus

Evolutionary Relationship

Butterfly ray and Chestnut-fronted Macaw share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Butterfly ray

EN — Endangered

Chestnut-fronted Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Butterfly ray	Chestnut-fronted Macaw
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Butterfly ray

Habitat

Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Venezuela. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Chestnut-fronted Macaw

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (Belgium, Norway), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

Butterfly ray

The Butterfly ray (Gymnura altavela) is a species in the genus Gymnura. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Chestnut-fronted Macaw

A medium-sized macaw of Central and South American tropical forests from southern Mexico to Bolivia and Brazil, chestnut-fronted macaws have predominantly green plumage with a chestnut forehead, red shoulder patches, and blue flight feathers. The smallest of the true macaws, they inhabit forest edges, savannas, and secondary woodland and often raid crops, making them locally unpopular with farmers. They are popular aviary birds, but wild populations face pressure from trapping and deforestation.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇻🇪 Venezuela