Scarlet Macaw vs White-faced Plover

Ara macao compared with Charadrius dealbatus

Key Differences

• Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern while White-faced Plover is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Scarlet Macaw	White-faced Plover
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Psittaciformes (Parrots)	Charadriiformes (Charadriiformes)
Family	Psittacidae (True Parrots)	Charadriidae
Genus	Ara (Macaws)	Charadrius
Species	Ara macao	Charadrius dealbatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Scarlet Macaw and White-faced Plover share a common ancestor at the Class level: Aves. (Birds)

Conservation Status

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

White-faced Plover

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Scarlet Macaw	White-faced Plover
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.

White-faced Plover

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Taiwan.

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.