Lear's macaw
| Lear's macaw | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Superfamily: | Psittacoidea |
| Family: | Psittacidae |
| Subfamily: | Arinae |
| Tribe: | Arini |
| Genus: | Anodorhynchus |
| Species: | A. leari |
| Binomial name | |
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Anodorhynchus leari Bonaparte, 1856 |
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| Range is shown in green | |
Lear's macaw (Anodorhynchus leari), also known as the indigo macaw, is a large all-blue Brazilian parrot, a member of a large group of neotropical parrots known as macaws. It was first described by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1856. Lear's macaw is 70–75 cm (28–30 in) long and weighs around 950 g (2.09 lb). It is metallic blue with a faint, often barely visible, tinge of green, and a yellow patch of skin at the base of the heavy, black bill.
This macaw is rare with a highly restricted range. Its lifespan can exceed 30–50 years.
Lear's macaw was first described by French ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1856, but in 1978, the rarely seen bird was considered a distinct species when ornithologist Helmut Sick finally located the wild population. It was named after the poet, author, and artist, Edward Lear, who published many drawings and paintings of live parrots in zoos and collections. One of his paintings in his book Illustrations of the Family of the Psittacidae, or Parrots strongly resemble this species, although at the time it was believed to be a hyacinth macaw — a species which is larger, darker, and has a differently shaped patch of yellow skin adjacent to the base of the bill.
Lear's macaw is 70–75 cm (27.5–29.5 in) long and weighs around 950 g (2.09 lb).
The body, tail, and wings are dark blue and the head is a slightly paler shade. It has an area of pale-yellow skin adjacent to the base of its beak, and orange-yellow eye rings. It has a large, blackish beak and dark grey feet.
Lear's macaw is similar to the larger hyacinth macaw and the slightly smaller glaucous macaw. The hyacinth macaw can be distinguished by its darker plumage, lack of greenish tinge, and a differently shaped patch of yellow skin adjacent to the base of the bill. The glaucous macaw is paler and has a more greyish head.
When a group of macaws is searching for food or a new nesting ground, a small advance party of males "scouts out" the approaching terrain. In addition, when danger is found on these hunts for new territory, the macaws let out their signature call which can be heard for miles. The macaw can reach flight speeds up to 35 miles per hour to escape predators or poachers.
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Wikipedia