Bald Eagle vs Scarlet Macaw
Haliaeetus leucocephalus compared with Ara macao
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bald Eagle | Scarlet Macaw |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Ara macao |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Psittacidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 79.0 cm (31.1 in) | 85.0 cm (33.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 203.0 cm (79.9 in) | 110.0 cm (43.3 in) |
| Weight | 4300.0 g (151.68 oz) | 1000.0 g (35.27 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily fish, also waterfowl, small mammals, and carrion. Hunts by swooping down to snatch fish … | Fruits, nuts, seeds, and flowers from rainforest canopy trees. Visits clay licks to detoxify compounds … |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Bald Eagle
Large bodies of open water including coasts, rivers, and lakes with abundant fish and old-growth trees for nesting.
Scarlet Macaw
Humid tropical lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and forest edges. Requires large mature trees with cavities for nesting.
Song & Call Comparison
Bald Eagle
High-pitched, chattering whistle: a rapid 'kleek-kik-ik-ik-ik'. Surprisingly weak and thin for such a large raptor. Also gives a lower 'kwit-kwit' call near the nest.
Scarlet Macaw
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.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bald Eagle
North America from Alaska and Canada through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico.
Scarlet Macaw
Southern Mexico through Central America to Amazonian South America, including Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and Colombia.
Conservation Status
Bald Eagle
Scarlet Macaw
How to Tell Them Apart
Bald Eagle
Adults have a dark brown body with a striking white head and tail. Juveniles are mottled brown and white, reaching full adult plumage at age five.
Large, hooked, bright yellow bill
Scarlet Macaw
Brilliant scarlet red body with bright yellow wing coverts and blue flight feathers and tail. Large white bare facial patch around the eye.
Large, strongly curved bill — pale horn upper mandible, dark lower mandible
About These Birds
Bald Eagle
The bald eagle is the national bird and symbol of the United States. Once endangered due to DDT pesticide use, it made a remarkable recovery and was removed from the endangered species list in 2007. These powerful raptors build the largest tree nests of any bird, some weighing over two tons.
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.