Its plumage is mostly scarlet but its tail-covered feathers are light blue, making the Scarlet Macaw one of the most beautiful birds of the American tropics. In fact, with almost 1 meter in length, more than half constituted by its pointed striking tail, this bird cannot go unnoticed, especially because they are often seen in pairs. A number of couples may even congregate with others to form a flock of several hundred individuals: a spectacle that is impossible to forget when they fly above the forest canopy.
This is possible because they live in lowland rainforests, open woodlands, river edges and savannas of Central and South America. Its range extends from Mexico until basically the Amazon basin.
One interesting thing about Macaws is that they are not only monogamous but also form only one couple in their entire life, meaning that if any of the two dies, the other remains alone, which could be a long time, taking into account that these birds can live as long as 50 years or more.
Another curious thing is the use of beaks as an aid in both eating and as a "third foot" when climbing. The beak is strong to crush seeds and nuts, while the thick fleshy tongue is used to move the food around. Breeding takes place during the first half of the year and the nest is usually in a hole at the top of a tall dead tree previously made and used by a woodpecker. Despite the fact that the young are born featherless, at six months it is hard to distinguish the young from the parents.
