Ara macao - There are 17 species of macaws. The scarlet macaw, measuring 85 centimeters, is the largest. The males have slightly longer tails and their beaks are more robust. Macaws pair for life and will flock together with others during the night. Their diet consists of nuts and fruit. The powerful beak of the macaw allows them to break open the hardest nuts. Occasionally they will consume clay from river banks or cliffs to help with digestion and possibly to supplement their calcium needs.
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Suriname is the smallest country in South America and the only independent entity in the Americas with Dutch as its official language. Suriname was originally inhabited by Taíno people. The British were the first Europeans to settle in Suriname; they established a settlement at Marshall’s Creek in 1630. The control of Suriname swayed back and forth between the Dutch and British with the Dutch eventually retaining control until independence was granted to Suriname in 1975.
