Scarlet Macaw vs Spotted Shag

Ara macao compared with Phalacrocorax punctatus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Scarlet Macaw	Spotted Shag
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Psittaciformes (Parrots)	Suliformes (Suliformes)
Family	Psittacidae (True Parrots)	Phalacrocoracidae
Genus	Ara (Macaws)	Phalacrocorax
Species	Ara macao	Phalacrocorax punctatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Scarlet Macaw and Spotted Shag share a common ancestor at the Class level: Aves. (Birds)

Conservation Status

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Spotted Shag

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Scarlet Macaw	Spotted Shag
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.

Spotted Shag

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway.

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 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway