The scarlet macaw Ara macao is a large red, yellow, and blue Central and South American parrot, a member of a large group of Neotropical parrots called macaws. It is native to humid evergreen forests of the Neotropics. Its range extends from south eastern Mexico to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil in lowlands, the Caribbean island of Trinidad, as well as the Pacific island of Coiba. In some areas, it has suffered local extinction because of habitat destruction, or capture for the parrot trade, but in other areas, it remains fairly common. 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 habitat of scarlet macaws is also considered to have the greatest latitudinal range for any bird in the genus Ara, as the estimated maximum territorial range covers over 6 million square kilometers. Nevertheless, the scarlet macaw`s habitat is fragmented, and the bird is mostly confined to tiny populations scattered throughout its original range in Middle America. Its wild population is currently estimated between 20 thousand and 50 thousand individuals. Commercial international trade in the species including parts and derivatives is prohibited by the bird`s listing under CITES Appendix 1 due to predation for the pet and cage bird trade. Both subspecies are listed by USFWS as endangered.

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