Scarlet Macaw vs Variable Chachalaca / Little Chachalaca

Ara macao compared with Ortalis motmot

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Scarlet Macaw	Variable Chachalaca / Little Chachalaca
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Psittaciformes (Parrots)	Galliformes (Galliformes)
Family	Psittacidae (True Parrots)	Cracidae
Genus	Ara (Macaws)	Ortalis
Species	Ara macao	Ortalis motmot

Evolutionary Relationship

Scarlet Macaw and Variable Chachalaca / Little Chachalaca share a common ancestor at the Class level: Aves. (Birds)

Conservation Status

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Variable Chachalaca / Little Chachalaca

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Scarlet Macaw	Variable Chachalaca / Little Chachalaca
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.

Variable Chachalaca / Little Chachalaca

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Norway, and Venezuela.

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 3 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇳🇴 Norway 🇻🇪 Venezuela