The scarlet macaw is one of Costa Rica’s unofficial emblems, a riot of color that sums up the sometimes extravagant beauty of the natural world. But, despite their magnificent splendor, they have the most atrocious singing voices.
Down in the Osa Peninsula, where macaws are at their most abundant the early morning dawn chorus (usually filled with angelic song) can, at times, sound like a nail being dragged across a chalkboard, amplified a thousand times over. However, things are getting a little quieter across most of the scarlet macaw’s range (from Belize to Brazil) because every year there are fewer of them.
Oh how the screech!
Despite their ear-shattering vocal chords, many people like to keep macaws as pets, a demand that has led to a lucrative and illegal trade in stolen chicks. A macaw can live up to 75 years, and will usually pair up with a single mate for entire duration.
They really do resemble old married couples, bickering and squawking at each other wherever they go.
Their favorite foods are unripe nuts, which can actually be terribly poisonous. However, many species of macaw have been seen eating clay from riverbanks, an activity which cleanses their systems and keeps them in tip-top shape.
Efforts are being made by various organizations to save Costa Rica’s macaw from extinction. Illegally poached animals are confiscated and released back into the wild. Costa Rica would not be nearly so colorful (or noisy) if we were to lose our most beautiful resident.
Ecotourism and Nature 
