Scarlet Macaw vs Widow Skimmer

Ara macao compared with Libellula luctuosa

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Scarlet Macaw	Widow Skimmer
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Psittaciformes (Parrots)	Odonata (Odonata)
Family	Psittacidae (True Parrots)	Libellulidae
Genus	Ara (Macaws)	Libellula
Species	Ara macao	Libellula luctuosa

Evolutionary Relationship

Scarlet Macaw and Widow Skimmer share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Widow Skimmer

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Scarlet Macaw	Widow Skimmer
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.

Widow Skimmer

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in United States.

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.