Scarlet Macaw vs Smith's Brome

Ara macao compared with Bromus pseudosecalinus

Key Differences

Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern while Smith's Brome is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Scarlet Macaw	Smith's Brome
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Psittaciformes (Parrots)	Poales (Grasses)
Family	Psittacidae (True Parrots)	Poaceae (Grass Family)
Genus	Ara (Macaws)	Bromus
Species	Ara macao	Bromus pseudosecalinus

Conservation Status

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Smith's Brome

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Scarlet Macaw	Smith's Brome
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	50 years	—
Average Length	85 cm	—
Average Weight	1.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic 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.

Smith's Brome

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and temperate coniferous forests within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Found across Europe (8 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across 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.