common bottlenose dolphin vs Scarlet Macaw

Tursiops truncatus compared with Ara macao

Key Differences

• common bottlenose dolphin is carnivore while Scarlet Macaw is herbivore.
• common bottlenose dolphin is 300.0x heavier than Scarlet Macaw.
• Scarlet Macaw lives longer (50 years vs 45 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	common bottlenose dolphin	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Tursiops (Bottlenose Dolphins)	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Tursiops truncatus	Ara macao

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

common bottlenose dolphin

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~600.0K

Trend: Stable →

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	common bottlenose dolphin	Scarlet Macaw
Diet	Carnivore	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	45 years	50 years
Average Length	3.0 m	85 cm
Average Weight	300.0 kg	1.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

common bottlenose dolphin

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 12 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

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.

common bottlenose dolphin

The most studied and recognized dolphin species, bottlenose dolphins inhabit warm and temperate oceans worldwide, from coastal shallows to the open sea. Highly intelligent with large brains relative to body size, they demonstrate self-recognition, complex communication, and social learning. They live in fluid fission-fusion societies and cooperate to herd fish. A keystone indicator species for marine ecosystem health.

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 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇳🇴 Norway 🇻🇪 Venezuela