Scarlet Macaw     Nature created a spectacular combination of color in this macaw. They are in the top ten of the worlds most beautiful parrots. Preferring the love of the immediate family over large crowds. They can become real show offs if introduced to the public life at a young age. The most impressionable of the large macaws. This bird is particularly sensitive to mistreatment of any type. They have sometimes been called "nippy", but if raised in a loving environment, allowed daily freedom from their cages and played with, they will match any Blue and Gold. They do poorly if raised in isolation. They are highly sensitive to their environment. They can be the most loving and adoring member of the family, but if mistreated when they are raised or teased they can become headstrong and unhappy. Their are several variations of the Scarlet; most notably a uncommon variety with emerald green on the wing along with the yellow; and the more common wide patch of yellow. Their declining populations in the wild continues to cause great concern for tropical environmentalists.      The Scarlet Macaw is probably the most strikingly beautiful of all the macaws.   The bright yellow band on each of his wings against the red of his body and upper wing, and the royal blue of the lowerwing make a striking contrast.   The Scarlet Macaw is sometimes confused with the Green Wing Macaw because they both are primarily red, but this is their only similarity.  There are many differences in the appearance and temperament of these two macaws. The Scarlet has a bare facial patch, whereas, the Green Wing has feather lines on its face.  The Scarlet Macaw has a yellow band of feathers across the center of its wings instead of green. Generally, the Scarlet's red is not as dark as that of the Green Wing. The Scarlet is not as heavy bodied as the Green Wing, although, it is usually six to eight inches longer because of its long, slender tail.      There are two types of Scarlet Macaws that originate from two different countries of South America, Bolivia and Honduras. The Bolivian Scarlet is larger bodied and a darker red than the Honduran Scarlet. The band of yellow is narrow and tipped in green. The Honduran Scarlet is much more commonly seen than the Bolivian. His shade of red is more of a Christmas red, and the wider band of yellow feathers on the wing are not tipped with green. Most of the Scarlet Macaws seen today have both types in their background. Therefore, it is not uncommon to find large and small Scarlet Macaws with wide or narrow bands of yellow that may or may not be tipped in green.      The Scarlet Macaw is usually very different in temperament than either the Blue and Gold or the Green Wing. He has a reputation for being nippy, and tend to be more high strung and more sensitive to fast movement than the others. This doesn't lessen his qualifications as a pet, but it does suggest that the buyer should be experienced in parrot psychology and handling to manage him. Again, I must remind you that this a general characteristic of this species of parrot.      Many baby Scarlet seem to be born with an uncontrollable desire to pinch. This usually starts between the ages of 3-5 months, and occurs during times of excitement or exercise of wings. If this behavior is discouraged as soon as it starts, the pinching should not develop into biting. If he find that by pinching he can control you, or scare you, he will very quickly learn that biting works even better. One other caution: NEVER react to a pinch with aggression, slapping, or hitting. Such a react will scare a baby Scarlet. Any baby animal will react to fear, first in defense, and eventually in aggression.      My personal experience with Scarlet Macaws is that they are loving, and very intelligent. Only improper or aggressive handling will cause them to be aggressive and nippy.The babies that I have had have been very sweet tempered, but they do then to be a bit more high strung than some of the other macaw species. Proper and gentle handling will help them to develop into a pet that is as gentle and affectionate as an macaw could be.   Scarlet Macaw-      Description- This is also a large macaw. Main plumage color being red. Scarlet macaws also have yellows, greens, and blues throughout their plumage they have very long tails. The Scarlet macaw is thought to be one of the most beautiful macaws. Average Length- 81-96 cm Average Weight- 800-1200 grams      Approx. Breeding Age- As young as three years of age. At the point of sexual maturity your macaw may show signs of aggression during the mating season sometime in early spring.(usually last 6 weeks)      Origin- From Southern Mexico through Central America to South America. Some come from as far south as Brazil Bolivia, and Argentina.