Hawfinch vs Scarlet Macaw
Coccothraustes coccothraustes compared with Ara macao
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hawfinch | Scarlet Macaw |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coccothraustes coccothraustes | Ara macao |
| Order | Passeriformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Fringillidae | Psittacidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 18.0 cm (7.1 in) | 85.0 cm (33.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 32.0 cm (12.6 in) | 110.0 cm (43.3 in) |
| Weight | 55.0 g (1.94 oz) | 1000.0 g (35.27 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds and kernels, especially from cherries, olives, elms, and hornbeams. The bill exerts a force … | Fruits, nuts, seeds, and flowers from rainforest canopy trees. Visits clay licks to detoxify compounds … |
| Clutch Size | 3-5 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Hawfinch
Deciduous and mixed woodland, orchards, parks, and large gardens with mature fruiting trees.
Scarlet Macaw
Humid tropical lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and forest edges. Requires large mature trees with cavities for nesting.
Song & Call Comparison
Hawfinch
A sharp, metallic 'tsick' call — the primary vocalization and often all that's heard. Song is a thin, reedy warble. Generally inconspicuous vocally despite its striking appearance.
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
Hawfinch
Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia. Partially migratory, with northern populations moving south in winter.
Scarlet Macaw
Southern Mexico through Central America to Amazonian South America, including Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and Colombia.
Conservation Status
Hawfinch
Scarlet Macaw
How to Tell Them Apart
Hawfinch
Orange-brown head with a black bib and eye stripe. Warm brown back, grey nape, and broad white wing bar. Massive head and bill give a top-heavy appearance.
Enormously powerful, conical, pale bill capable of cracking cherry and olive stones
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
Hawfinch
The hawfinch possesses the most powerful bill relative to body size of any European bird, capable of cracking cherry stones that require a force of 27-43 kg. Despite its distinctive appearance, it is famously shy and difficult to observe. The skull contains special adaptations to absorb the enormous forces generated during seed-cracking.
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.