Scarlet Macaw vs Thick-nerved Apple-moss

Ara macao compared with Philonotis calcarea

Key Differences

• Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern while Thick-nerved Apple-moss is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Scarlet Macaw	Thick-nerved Apple-moss
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Bryophyta
Class	Aves (Birds)	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)
Order	Psittaciformes (Parrots)	Bartramiales (Bartramiales)
Family	Psittacidae (True Parrots)	Bartramiaceae
Genus	Ara (Macaws)	Philonotis
Species	Ara macao	Philonotis calcarea

Conservation Status

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Thick-nerved Apple-moss

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Scarlet Macaw	Thick-nerved Apple-moss
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.

Thick-nerved Apple-moss

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway