Lear's Macaw
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| Anodorhynchus leari Bonaparte, 1856 |
The Lear's Macaw, Anodorhynchus leari, (also more commonly known as the Indigo Macaw) is a Brazilian parrot with a highly restricted range. The bird is metallic blue tinged with green, and a yellow patch of skin by the bill. It weighs around 950 g (2 pounds) and is 75 cm (30 inches) long. It is named after the poet Edward Lear, who spent some time in Brazil painting the birds. He also spent a large amount of time writing poems on them.
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[edit] History
For over a century after its being described, the whereabouts of the wild population was unknown. It was eventually discovered in 1978 in the interior northeast of Brazil, in the country's Bahia state. Originally, the bird was thought to be some sort of hybrid derived from the very similar Hyacinth macaw. However, this idea was soon abandoned, as the Lear's Macaw has plumage that differs slightly from that of its close relatives. The macaw was actually first seen by humans in 1950 in a Brazilian zoo, but was not classified as its own species until 1978, as stated above.
[edit] Habitat
The Lear's Macaw lives in stands of licuri palm, the nuts of which form a prominent part of its diet. This habitat, while never plentiful, is currently estimated to be around 1.6% of its original cover. The Lear's Macaw also requires a sandstone cliff in which to nest. In order to nest there, they apply their saliva to the sandstone, softening it, and then hilariously excavate small crevasses by using their beaks and shooting the dust out of their soon-to-be nests with their feet.
[edit] Conservation
The population of the Lear's Macaw, as of 1994, is 140 birds. It is currently listed as Critically Endangered (CITES I). As well as habitat loss, the Lear's Macaw has also historically suffered from hunting and, more recently, trapping for the aviary trade. In addition, the wild cows that live near its nesting grounds often stand on the roots of the licuri palms that they eat, causing a large loss of food for these majestic birds. In fact, though the average life span of thse trees can be 30-50 years for healthy adult trees, most baby palms barely make it over 8-10 years. Many organizations, such as BioBrazil and the World Parrot Trust, along with local ranchers and other independent organizations, are working to help conserve the species. Many ranchers are proud to have macaw nesting sites on their land, and are happy to adopt the birds to help expand their nesting areas.
[edit] Behavior
Lear's Macaw has interesting ways that they adapt to their environment in which they live. For example, when a group of macaws are searching for food or a new nesting ground, a small advance party of males will "scout out" the approaching terrain, for the safety of the rest of the group. In addition, when danger is found on these hunts for new territory, the macaws will let out their signature call, which can be heard for miles. Then, to escape, the macaw can reach flight speeds of up to 35 miles per hour to escape predators or poachers.
[edit] Reproduction
The Lear’s macaw’s rate of reproduction is 1-2 eggs per year during their mating season from December to May. However, not all pairs of birds mate often or at all. Lear’s macaws reach sexual maturity at around 2-4 years of age, but its life span can be anywhere from 30-50 years or more.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Anodorhynchus leari. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 10 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is critically endangered
