fork-leaf cycas vs Scarlet Macaw

Cycas micholitzii compared with Ara macao

Key Differences

fork-leaf cycas is Vulnerable while Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	fork-leaf cycas	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Tracheophyta	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Cycadopsida (Cycadopsida)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Cycadales (Cycadales)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Cycadaceae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Cycas	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Cycas micholitzii	Ara macao

Conservation Status

fork-leaf cycas

VU — Vulnerable

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	fork-leaf cycas	Scarlet Macaw
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	85 cm
Average Weight	—	1.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

fork-leaf cycas

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.

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.