Scarlet Macaw vs Violet Smut

Ara macao compared with Urocystis violae

Key Differences

• Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern while Violet Smut is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Scarlet Macaw	Violet Smut
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Ustilaginomycetes (Ustilaginomycetes)
Order	Psittaciformes (Parrots)	Urocystidales (Urocystidales)
Family	Psittacidae (True Parrots)	Urocystidaceae
Genus	Ara (Macaws)	Urocystis
Species	Ara macao	Urocystis violae

Conservation Status

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Violet Smut

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Scarlet Macaw	Violet Smut
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.

Violet Smut

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Denmark.

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.