The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) is a large and colorful parrot that is native to the humid lowland rain forests of the American tropics, especially the Peruvian, Colombian, Ecuadorian and Brazilian Amazon jungle.  The Scarlet Macaw is long-lived with a life-span of up to 75 years and is a common pet of Amazonian Indians.  Interestingly, the upper sides of their flight feathers are a dark blue while the under sides of their flight feathers are a deep red color.  Amazonian Indians often use the macaw feathers as fletchings on their arrows.  Typically, these indigenous people of the Amazonian rain forest do not kill the birds to use their feathers for arrows, instead they merely harvest the feathers and allow the bird to live.  To kill the macaw would offend the animal spirits and could cause bad luck while hunting with arrows made from their feathers.  Although Scarlet Macaws are not officially endangered, their populations have been decreasing due to the destruction of their Amazon rain forest habitat through deforestation.