Flat-topped Yate vs Scarlet Macaw

Eucalyptus occidentalis compared with Ara macao

Key Differences

• Flat-topped Yate is Endangered while Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Flat-topped Yate	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Myrtales (Myrtales)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Myrtaceae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Eucalyptus	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Eucalyptus occidentalis	Ara macao

Conservation Status

Flat-topped Yate

EN — Endangered

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Flat-topped Yate	Scarlet Macaw
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	85 cm
Average Weight	—	1.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Flat-topped Yate

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including deserts and xeric shrublands, temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Italy, Libya, and Yemen. Currently classified as 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.

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.