Scarlet, My Love

As I flew with my father across a pond our reflection surprised me. We looked like twins! My tail feathers had grown, and my feet were a beautiful black. We landed close to the pond and I tipped my head to see my reflection. My eyes were now a clear yellow, just like Dad’s.

I felt the urge to find a mate. It was time to say goodbye to mom and dad. My brother had left two days ago and now it was my turn.

I looked up just as a beautiful female flew overhead. Dark stripes accented the underside of her red and blue tail. YES! She was perfect. From the black tip of her white beak to the tip of her blue and red tail. I flew above her noting her perfect red, yellow and blue wings. I pursued her to the vines that hung alongside the river and landed next to her.

There were many macaws, like me, also hanging around here, but none compared to her. I couldn’t help myself. I tried to kiss her. I put my beak over hers, and she responded by nibbling my beak! We flew away together and found a place where I could cover her with my wings. I regurgitated my lunch of fruit and nuts for her, which won her heart forever.

We looked for a good nesting spot and found a hole high up in a pine tree where we could see miles of forest. The colors seemed brighter with Scarlet beside me. We heard a pair of little fulvous owls call to each other as we nestled closely on a limb above the nest. The full moon lit the forest that first night we roosted together.

A few days later, Scarlet laid two beautiful white eggs. She stayed in the nest to keep them warm. I brought her fruit and nuts and stayed close by when I was not gathering food. My heart swelled with joy. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. She was so beautiful!

When the moon became full again our two chicks struggled out of their shells. They were wabbly and exhausted from hatching. Scarlet and I were elated! Our first chicks! Their eyes were closed, and they had no feathers, but we thought they were beautiful. Scarlet and I ate and regurgitated into their beaks.

Days later their eyes began to open and tiny prickles appeared all over their bodies-- the beginning of feathers. By the next moon, the pin feathers began to take on a tinge of color and gray fluff had grown on other parts of their bodies. They still could not walk and were totally helpless and dependent upon us. The moon grew full and waned again and again as their feathers grew and covered them with color and warmth.

Scarlet and I both continued to forage and feed our growing fledglings. They had healthy appetites! Moon after moon passed and our little ones exercised their wings. We loved to cuddle with them every day during feeding time. We instinctively knew it would be many more moons before they would be strong enough to fly.

Then one moonless night, a rumble awoke us to see a moving light far below. Large noisy creatures approached our tree and one of them began a clumsy assent. Scarlet and I swooped and screamed at the climbing creature, to no avail. We tried again and again, screeching as loud as we could. I even tried to bite the creature. His limb that was not a wing swung at me. This time my beak clamped down on the end and I bit. Hard.

The creature made a loud sound as he shook me off. The one on the ground returned to the noisy light box they had arrived in. He reappeared with something in his hand. Then a sound split the night, and Scarlet fell to the ground. I flew to her as the creature on our tree found the nest. He reached inside and took our chicks! One at a time they disappeared into something the creature held. Then he descended, taking my chicks with him! I screamed and flew at him, but it was too late. He put my chicks in the noisy light box. The creatures and my chicks rumbled away. I went to Scarlet. I rubbed her head and neck with my bill. She did not move.

I could smell death.

I screamed my outrage, grief and anger as I lifted into the air and flew through the black night.

My chicks are gone.

My Scarlet is gone.

My heart is broken.

A short note:

Scarlet Macaws mate for life and can live up to 115 years though 40 or 50 years are more common. Poaching macaw chicks has been reducing their numbers dramatically throughout the world. This contest hopes to raise awareness of this issue.

Here is a video about one place trying to help, Macaw Mountain:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni6Xl92rAxA&t=233s