Psittacidae

Psittacidae Skull or Scarlet Macaw Skull Replica measures 4.2 inches. Scarlet Macaw Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane cast. 2-part skull (separate cranium & jaw).

The Scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is a large yellow, red and blue Neotropical parrot native to humid evergreen forests of the Americas.

It is the national bird of Honduras. Like its relative the blue-and-yellow macaw, the Scarlet macaw is a popular bird in aviculture as a result of its striking plumage.

The South American range is extensive and covers the Amazon forest, extending to Peru east of the Andes, to Bolivia. In Bolivia, it is common in the Aquicuana Reserve, located in the Beni Department, near the city of Riberalta, the Capital of the Bolivian Amazon.

In Central America, the Psittacidae or Scarlet Macaw’s range extends from extreme eastern and southern Mexico and Panama through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Belize, the island of Coiba and infrequently on the mainland of Panama, and in Costa Rica in isolated regions on the Pacific Coast; the Nicoya Peninsula the Carara National Park and Peninsula de Osa.

The scarlet macaw has escaped or been deliberately released in to Florida, but there is no evidence that the population is breeding and may only persist due to continuing releases or escapes. An introduced population exists in Puerto Rico.

A typical sighting is of a single bird or a pair flying above the forest canopy, though in some areas flocks can be seen. They often gather at clay licks.

Psittacidae or Scarlet Macaw’s communicate primarily through raucous honks; however, vocal communication is highly variable, and captive macaws are known to be adept mimics of human speech.

While comparatively docile at most times of the year, Psittacidae or Scarlet Macaw’s may be formidably aggressive during periods of breeding. Scarlet macaws are monogamous birds, with individuals remaining with one partner throughout their lives. The hen lays two or three white eggs in a large tree cavity.

The female incubates the eggs for about five weeks, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 90 days after hatching and leave their parents about a year later. Juveniles reach sexual maturity at five years of age.

It is about 32 in. long, of which more than half is the pointed, graduated tail typical of all Macaws, though the Scarlet macaw has a larger percentage of tail than the other large Macaws.

The average weight is about 2 lb 3 oz. The plumage is mostly scarlet, but the rump and tail-covert feathers are light blue, the greater upper wing coverts are yellow, the upper sides of the flight feathers of the wings are dark blue as are the ends of the tail feathers.

The undersides of the wing and tail flight feathers are dark red with metallic gold iridescence. Some individuals may have green in the wings.

Psittaciformes or Wild Scarlet macaws feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, flowers and nectar. They also love to eat insects and larvae. They are seen feeding heavily on bugs, snails and foliage. Snails and bugs are great source of protein, as they need additional protein during breeding seasons.

In Costa Rica’s Central Pacific they have learned to feed on introduced Teak trees and Almond Beach Trees.

Scarlet macaws make very loud, high and sometimes low-pitched, throaty squawks, squeaks and screams designed to carry many kilometers to call for their groups.

The Psittacidae or Scarlet Macaw’s can live up to 75 or even 90 years in captivity, although a more typical lifespan is 40 to 50 years.