Calico Aster vs Scarlet Macaw

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum compared with Ara macao

Key Differences

Calico Aster is Not Evaluated while Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Calico Aster	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Symphyotrichum	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Ara macao

Conservation Status

Calico Aster

NE — Not Evaluated

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Calico Aster

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Belgium and United States.

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.

Calico Aster

The Calico Aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum) is a species in the genus Symphyotrichum. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

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.