Barn Swallow vs Scarlet Macaw
Hirundo rustica comparé à Ara macao
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Barn Swallow | Scarlet Macaw |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Hirundo rustica | Ara macao |
| Ordre | Passeriformes | Psittaciformes |
| Famille | Hirundinidae | Psittacidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 19,0 cm (7.5 in) | 85,0 cm (33.5 in) |
| Envergure | 33,0 cm (13.0 in) | 110,0 cm (43.3 in) |
| Poids | 19,0 g (0.67 oz) | 1000,0 g (35.27 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Aerial insects caught in continuous agile flight, including flies, beetles, moths, and aphids. Drinks by … | Fruits, nuts, seeds, and flowers from rainforest canopy trees. Visits clay licks to detoxify compounds … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-7 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Barn Swallow
Open farmland, meadows, and areas near water. Nests almost exclusively in human-made structures such as barns, bridges, and eaves.
Scarlet Macaw
Humid tropical lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and forest edges. Requires large mature trees with cavities for nesting.
Song & Call Comparison
Barn Swallow
A rapid, twittering song: a long stream of 'vit-vit-vit' and rolling chirps. Also gives a sharp 'vit' flight call. Song can last many minutes without pause. Musical and liquid.
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
Barn Swallow
Breeds across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters in South America, Africa, and South Asia.
Scarlet Macaw
Southern Mexico through Central America to Amazonian South America, including Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and Colombia.
Statut de conservation
Barn Swallow
Scarlet Macaw
How to Tell Them Apart
Barn Swallow
Metallic blue-black upperparts, rufous forehead and throat, and pale buff to rufous underparts. Deeply forked tail with elongated outer streamers.
Short, wide, flat black bill adapted for catching insects in flight
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
Barn Swallow
The barn swallow is the most widespread swallow species in the world and has one of the longest migrations of any passerine. Its arrival signals spring across the Northern Hemisphere, inspiring cultural references from ancient Greece to modern poetry. Barn swallows have become almost entirely dependent on human structures for nesting.
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.