Common Ostrich vs Scarlet Macaw
Struthio camelus compared with Ara macao
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Ostrich | Scarlet Macaw |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Struthio camelus | Ara macao |
| Order | Struthioniformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Struthionidae | Psittacidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 210.0 cm (82.7 in) | 85.0 cm (33.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 200.0 cm (78.7 in) | 110.0 cm (43.3 in) |
| Weight | 100000.0 g (3527.40 oz) | 1000.0 g (35.27 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — plants, seeds, roots, flowers, insects, and small vertebrates. Swallows pebbles to aid digestion … | Fruits, nuts, seeds, and flowers from rainforest canopy trees. Visits clay licks to detoxify compounds … |
| Clutch Size | 2-11 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Common Ostrich
Open arid and semi-arid habitats including savannas, Sahel, and dry woodlands across Africa.
Scarlet Macaw
Humid tropical lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and forest edges. Requires large mature trees with cavities for nesting.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Ostrich
Male produces a surprisingly deep, resonant booming roar — remarkably lion-like. Also gives whistling and hissing sounds. Females and chicks emit softer grunts and squeaks.
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
Common Ostrich
Sub-Saharan Africa. Formerly also found in the Middle East and parts of Asia. Farmed worldwide.
Scarlet Macaw
Southern Mexico through Central America to Amazonian South America, including Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and Colombia.
Conservation Status
Common Ostrich
Scarlet Macaw
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Ostrich
Males have black body plumage with white wing and tail feathers. Females and immatures are grey-brown. Bare skin on the neck and thighs varies from pink to blue.
Broad, flat bill adapted for an omnivorous diet
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
Common Ostrich
The common ostrich is the world's largest living bird, standing up to 2.7 meters tall and weighing up to 145 kg. Despite being flightless, it is the fastest bird on land, sprinting at speeds up to 70 km/h. Ostrich eggs are the largest of any living bird, weighing about 1.4 kg each.
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.