The striking Scarlet Macaw has a bright yellow band on each of his wings which contrasts vividly against the red of his body and upper wing, and the royal blue of the lower wing.

Sometimes the Scarlet Macaw is confused with the Green Wing Macaw, both are primarily red, however this is their only similarity. There are many differences between these two macaws in appearance and temperament. The Green Wing has feather lines on its face whereas the Scarlet has a bare facial patch. The Green Wing has a green band of feathers across its wings in place of the yellow band found on the Scarlet. The Scarlet's red is usually not as dark as that of the Green Wing. Although the Scarlet is not as heavy in the body as the Green Wing it is usually 6 to 8 inches longer because it has a long, slender tail.

Most of the Scarlet Macaws seen today have been bred from two different sources in South America, it is not uncommon to find large and small Scarlet Macaws with wide or narrow bands of yellow that may or may not be tipped in green. The Scarlet Macaw is usually more nippy and more highly strung than either the Blue and Gold or the Green Wing. This does not make him less attractive as a pet, however, being as they are more sensitive, they are better suited to an experienced parrot owner. Someone with experience should have understanding of parrot psychology and also have the ability to handle and manage a large parrot.

Generally many baby Scarlet Macaws seem to be born with a desire to pinch. Often this behaviour occurs during times of exercise or excitement, it can be and should be discouraged, in case this pinching should develop into biting. If he finds that by pinching he can control you, or scare you, he will very quickly learn that biting works even better. Training will soon bring this bad behaviour into check. The advice for the inexperienced is do not react to a pinch with aggression verbal correction should work. The sensitive baby Scarlet will react to fear if handled incorrectly which will lead to aggression eventually.

In conclusion the Scarlet Macaw will make an excellent pet for the more experienced parrot owner, or at the very least someone who has put in the necessary time learning how to handle a large parrot as Scarlet Macaws need a firm but understanding hand. Always try to obtain a hand-reared baby and always handle the parrot a few times before you take him home. Be sure you are confident to handle this beautiful macaw before you choose him as your pet.