Bird field guide · New World and African Parrots

Photographing the Scarlet Macaw

How to photograph the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (January, February and March).

25–40 cm1/2500–1/3200 sAppendix I
25–40 cm
Typical length (family range)
1/800 s
Shutter: perched / still
1/2500–1/3200 s
Shutter: action / flight
f/5.6–f/7.1
Aperture
7,446
Research-grade sightings in N. America
ModeManual + Auto ISOLock shutter & aperture, let ISO float
Shutter (still)1/800 s
Shutter (action)1/2500–1/3200 s
Aperturef/5.6–f/7.1
FocusAF-C + subject/eye detectionBird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
DriveHigh-speed burst
Lens300–500 mmFull-frame equivalent

Focal length needed to frame it#

For a subject about 32 cm long filling a third or half of the frame width horizontally.

Distance⅓ of frame (FF)½ of frame (FF)⅓ of frame (APS-C)⅓ of frame (MFT)
5 m (16 ft)176 mm262 mm118 mm88 mm
10 m (33 ft)353 mm525 mm235 mm176 mm
15 m (49 ft)529 mm787 mm353 mm264 mm
20 m (66 ft)705 mm1,050 mm470 mm353 mm
30 m (98 ft)1,058 mm1,574 mm705 mm529 mm
50 m (164 ft)1,763 mm2,624 mm1,175 mm882 mm

When to find it#

Jan: 13% Jan Feb: 12% Feb Mar: 14% Mar Apr: 8% Apr May: 6% May Jun: 8% Jun Jul: 9% Jul Aug: 6% Aug Sep: 4% Sep Oct: 3% Oct Nov: 6% Nov Dec: 10% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: January, February and March.

About the Scarlet Macaw#

The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is a large red, yellow, and blue South American parrot, a member of a large group of Neotropical parrots called macaws. It is native to humid evergreen forests of tropical South America. Range extends from south-eastern Mexico to the Peruvian Amazon, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil in lowlands up to 500 m (1,640 ft) (at least formerly) up to 1,000 m (3,281 ft).

Summary adapted from Wikipedia via iNaturalist (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field-craft tips#

  • Feral parrot flocks are noisy and easy to locate.
  • Bird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
  • Sightings peak in January, February and March, which is when you'll have the most chances.

Ethics#

  • The welfare of the animal comes first: if it changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
  • Stay on trails, respect closures around nests, leks, dens and haul-outs.
  • Avoid playback and baiting in sensitive seasons; never bait predators.
  • Don't share precise locations of rare, nesting or roosting animals publicly.

More New World and African Parrots#

Monk Parakeet Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachus Red-crowned Amazon Red-crowned AmazonAmazona viridigenalis White-fronted Amazon White-fronted AmazonAmazona albifrons Red-lored Amazon Red-lored AmazonAmazona autumnalis

Frequently asked questions#

What lens do I need to photograph a Scarlet Macaw?

At about 32 cm long, a scarlet macaw fills a third of a full-frame image at 10 m with roughly 353 mm, or at 20 m with 705 mm.

What shutter speed should I use for a Scarlet Macaw?

1/800 s when it's still; 1/2500–1/3200 s for action.

When is the best time to photograph a Scarlet Macaw?

Observations in North America peak in January, February and March. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light and activity.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources