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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Sun Parakeet	Scarlet Macaw
Scientific Name	Aratinga solstitialis	Ara macao
Order	Psittaciformes	Psittaciformes
Family	Psittacidae	Psittacidae
Conservation Status	Endangered	Least Concern
Length	—	85.0 cm (33.5 in)
Wingspan	31.2 cm (12.3 in)	110.0 cm (43.3 in)
Weight	120.5 g (4.25 oz)	1000.0 g (35.27 oz)
Diet	--	Fruits, nuts, seeds, and flowers from rainforest canopy trees. Visits clay licks to detoxify compounds …
Clutch Size	3-4	1-4
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Sun Parakeet —

Scarlet Macaw 85.0 cm

Wingspan

Sun Parakeet 31.2 cm

Scarlet Macaw 110.0 cm

Weight

Sun Parakeet 120.5 g

Scarlet Macaw 1000.0 g

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🌲 Forest

Sun Parakeet only

None

Scarlet Macaw only

🏖️ Coastal

Scarlet Macaw

Humid tropical lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and forest edges. Requires large mature trees with cavities for nesting.

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Song & Call Comparison

Sun Parakeet

Scarlet Macaw

Song

Very loud, raucous squawking screams 'araak-araak'. Also gives chattering contact calls in pairs. Capable of mimicking human speech in captivity. Highly vocal throughout the day.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Sun Parakeet

Scarlet Macaw

Southern Mexico through Central America to Amazonian South America, including Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and Colombia.

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Conservation Status

Endangered

Sun Parakeet

Least Concern

Scarlet Macaw

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How to Tell Them Apart

Sun Parakeet

Scarlet Macaw

Plumage

Brilliant scarlet red body with bright yellow wing coverts and blue flight feathers and tail. Large white bare facial patch around the eye.

Bill

Large, strongly curved bill — pale horn upper mandible, dark lower mandible

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About These Birds

Sun Parakeet

Scarlet Macaw

The scarlet macaw is one of the most iconic tropical birds with its dazzling tricolor plumage. These highly intelligent parrots form lifelong pair bonds and can live over 75 years in captivity. They play an important ecological role as seed dispersers in Neotropical rainforests.

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Related Comparisons

Scarlet Macaw vs Turquoise-fronted Amazon

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