Tail feathers of males may be longer than females. Food Habits Scarlet macaws primarily eat fruit and nuts, and will occasionally supplement their diet with nectar, and flowers. Ara macao have been known to consume fruits before they are ripe. Premature fruits have a tougher skin and pulp that is difficult to access unless the bird has a beak large enough to tear into it. By accessing these fruits before they are available to other animals, they may gain a competitive advantage.
Scarlet macaws are also able to break open the toughest nuts.
Parrots have more movement in their beaks than do other birds, which allows for a more powerful bill. Ara macao occasionally consume clay found on the banks of rivers. Reproduction Breeding in Ara macao occurs about every one to two years. The clutch size is 2 to 4 white, rounded eggs with an incubation period of 24 to 25 days. Females mainly incubate the eggs.