Last Updated on January 31, 2022
Lear’s Macaws are large beautiful Macaws, and they are the rarest species of birds. Lear’s Macaws exist in the small region of Bahia named “Raso de Catarina” in the North Eastern Brazilian state.
Lear’s Macaws have attractive dark purplish-blue (Indigo) plumage (covering of birds).
They fly together in small to medium-sized flocks. Lear’s Macaws are very talented birds, and their owners can efficiently train them. Lear’s Macaws live in the deep canyons, which are like dry desert plateaus. Lear’s macaws share a very close bond with their owner and the family members.
Scientific Classification Of Lear’s Macaw:
● Scientific Name: Anodorhynus Leari
● Family: Psittacidae
● Kingdom: Animalia
● Phylum: Chordata
● Class: Aves
● Genus: Anodorhynchus
The name of Lear’s Macaw was named after Edward Lear because he used to paint pictures of the Macaws. Those paintings were having a resemblance with recent Lear’s Macaw. These Macaws are vivacious and playful birds, and they are able to mimic human vocalization. Currently, efforts are going on to save the existence of Lear’s Macaw.
What does a Lear’s Macaw look like?
Lear’s Macaws are Large beautiful birds, which are usually seen in small to medium-sized flocks. These Macaws are Purplish-blue birds that have Greyish tones in the head and breast region. The size of Lear’s Macaws is about 70 to 75 cm and (30inches), and its weight is 950 kg.
Lear’s Macaws are Purplish-blue Macaws, which have Dark Purplish Blue (Indigo) colored Plumage. On the base of Lear’s macaws’ black bill, there is a yellow patch. The color of its legs and feet is dark grey. Lear’s Macaws give Greyish tones on its head and breast area.
The interesting and unique feature about the appearance of Lear’s Macaw is their Zygodactylous feet. Zygodactylous feet are those feet whose two toes are pointed forward and two toes are pointed backward. The underside of Lear’s wings and the tail of Lear’s Macaw is black. The color of Lear’s Macaw head, neck, and underparts are greenish-blue. Their tails are very long and beautiful.
The appearance of Lear’s macaws resembles its larger cousin Hyacinth Macaw, but they also have differences. On the facial skin of Lear’s Macaw, there is a Yellow-colored drop of a tearlike patch that is present behind the lower jaw.
Lear’s Macaws are subtropical birds, and they are Monogamous ( Breed with only one partner).
The Beautiful Indigo and greenish appearance of a bird is really attractive. Lear’s macaws are also known as Blue Macaws.
Habitat of Lear’s Macaw:
Lear’s Macaw lives in Bahia (Raso da Catarina), which is a small state in the North-Eastern Brazilian state. They are also found in the deep canyons, which are like dry desert Plateaus. Lear’s Macaws are greenery lovers, and they are often found in green places.
Their habitat is also in the Arid Caatinga ( Arid Thorn Forest). They prepare their nest at the burrowed tunnel, and they often roost at sandstone cliffs. Lear’s Macaws are also found on Licuri Palms because they eat 350 licuri nuts in a day.
In the wild, Lear’s Macaws can be easily found in vegetated areas. Lear’s Macaws existence is in the Bahia and the wild green forests of Brazil, but their habitat is moving to its destruction. Recently, Lear’s Macaws can be found in canudos, under the protection program.
What does Lear’s Macaw eat:
The range of Lear’s Macaw’s Habitat is in the small region of Brazil, but they eat a wide variety of food. Lear’s macaws are Licuri lovers, and they are often found on Licuri Palm. They eat a wide variety of fruits, nuts, and seeds from the trees.
They eat almost 350 nuts of Licuri Palms in a day, and they like to eat cultivated crops, especially “corn.” Lear’s Macaws also like to eat agave flowers.
The diet of Lear’s Macaws is based upon the size and the age of Lear’s Macaws. They like to eat Parrot Mix, fruits, and vegetables. Lear’s Macaws are Herbivorous species of birds, and they eat fruits, seeds, nuts, crops, and vegetables from the wild.
Lear’s Macaws are often visiting Clay Licks because they ingest clay which is enriched with minerals. Clay licks also help to protect Lear’s Macaws against the toxins.
In a brief view, if we see what Lear’s Macaw eats, are these food items.
● Licuri nuts
● Cultivated crops
● Fruits
● Vegetables
● Agave Flowers
● Parrot mix
● Clay licks
● Cultivated crops
● Corn
● Maize flowers
Voice of Lear’s Macaw:
The voice of Lear’s Macaws is not Rhythmic and Melodic like its other Macaws fellows. The voice of Lear’s Macaws is naturally loud, and they can give loud and noisy calls when they get annoyed.
Their voice is just like Crow-like Croaks, which differentiates it from its larger cousin Hyacinth Macaw. The voice of Lear’s Macaw is like screeches when perched in a flight. Some of Lear’s Macaws can mimic human vocalizations.
Macaws are always intelligent enough to learn the speech of humans, and they can utter a few sentences. In captivity, After training, they can utter a few sentences. Lear’s Macaws give very noisy and alarmed calls when they see any danger.
Size of Lear’s Macaw:
The Lear’s Macaws are large and charming birds. The size of Lear’s Macaws is larger than few Macaws and smaller than few ones like Hyacinth Macaws. The size of Lear’s Macaws is about 70 to 75 cm ) 30 inches. In Lear’s Macaws, the size of its tail is also playing a vital role because it has a long tail.
Weight of Lear’s Macaws:
The weight of Lear’s Macaws is a bit higher than few Macaws like Yellow-collared Macaws. The size of an adult Lear’s Macaws is 950 kg ( 21Ibs). The weight of a Chick Lear’s Macaws is 0.6 ounces (18g).
Cost of Lear’s Macaws:
The cost of Lear’s Macaws can vary along with the size, breed, and age. Lear’s Macaws are often very attractive, and their prices are very high because of the purplish-blue color scheme. The cost of Lear’s Macaws is around about 2500 to 3000.
The cost of any Macaws can vary because of their age. Similarly, if the age of Lear’s Macaws is 6 to 20, it will be at higher prices. But if the age is about 30+, then their prices will be low.
Breeding Behavior Of Lear’s Macaw:
The Lear’s Macaws are Monogamous species of birds. Monogamous birds are those pairs of birds that stay long with one partner. Lear’s Macaws are very affectionate birds and share a very strong bond with humans.
They build their nests at cliff-faced sandstones and usually breed in months between February to April. Lear’s Macaws are very attracted to each other and stay together long. The Female and Male Lear Macaw make a nest in the cavities of Licuri palms.
The Female Lear’s Macaw lays about one to two eggs and incubates these eggs around about 26 to 28 days, Approx one month. During that time, the female leaves the nest for very short times for food, etc. But gradually, when the chick started growing up, Female Lear’s Macaw used to leave the nest for a long time.
The chick Lear’s macaws fledge about after three months, and after that, it stays with its parents. Lear’s Macaws reach their sexual maturity at about the age of 2 to 4 years. Lear’s affection and strong bond qualities have come from Monogamous characteristics.
The lifespan of Lear’s Macaw:
The lifespan of Lear’s Macaw is highly sensitive to its age. They can live the life up to 30 to 40 years of age. The age of Lear’s Macaws is highly restricted, and in captivity, it can be more limited because of the absence of a wild environment.
The lifespan of any bird is linked with the diet. In captivity, the age decreases only because of the absence of wild palm trees and the environment. In the wild, their age is quite normal, but the people often attack them.
How many Lear’s Macaws are left?
The exact number of Lear’s Macaws is about 1200+ which are left in the world. These birds are under the protection of Canudos Biological station. In contemporary times, Lear’s Macaws are kept in canudos under the observation of biologists.
These protection programs are working in order to increase the population of Lear’s Macaws. Efforts are going on to increase its population, but according to the IUCN Red List, Lear’s Macaws are endangered.
Threats to Lear’s Macaws population:
From the past till now, Lear’s Macaws are facing many threats to their existence.
Lear’s Macaws Nesting; Illegally raided:
In the 1990s, all the nests in the wild forests of Brazil were Illegally raided by Pet traders and smugglers. After that raid, there was not a single bird left in the wilds of brazil. Only a few birds were left in captivity. That attack badly threatened the species of Lear’s Macaw.
When it was raided, there were more than 400+ Lear’s Macaws present in the nests. Different Protection programs and Biologists worked to find them, and they saw 65 Lear’s Macaws in captivity.
Clearance of Licuri Palms:
Lear’s Macaws are the lover of Licuri Palms, and it is their main source of food. Lear’s Macaw eats 350 licuri nuts each day, and it is continuously declining. They eat Licuri Nuts from these palms and get nourishment. In the wild forests of Brazil, many palms have been destroyed because of cattle livestock or societal matters of population. Clearance of Licuri palms from the forests is one of the significant threats to Lear’s Macaws Population.
Illegal Trading of Lear’s Macaw:
Lear’s Macaw attracts hunters because of its dark purplish (Indigo) Plumage. Many pet traders and hunters captured them because of their unique features. Due to illegal Pet trading, the number of Lear’s Macaws is decreasing, disturbing the Ecosystem of wildlife. Lear’s Macaw often becomes the victim of Illegal pet trading, which is a major threat to them. Lear’s Macaws are very eye-catching and so often get preyed on by the hunters and pet traders.
The way Lear’s Macaws eat is very messy. They Spread nuts everywhere which stabilizes the growth by these nut seeds.
Lear’s Macaw Habitat Loss:
Licuri Palms are the major source of food and shelter for Lear’s Macaws. These palms are the natural habitat of Lear’s Macaws. Lear’s Macaws usually live and get food from Licuri Palms, and the people clear these palms for livestock grazing and cultivation. This habitat loss is a significant threat to the species of Lear’s Macaw.
Habitat is very important for the survival of many species of birds. Habitat loss of Lear’s Macaws is the reason they are considered an endangered species. Habitat destruction from the 190s till now decreased the population of many birds.
Lear’s Macaws eat 350 nuts from Licuri palms, So, it can be estimated how essential these palms are for their existence.
The behavior of Lear’s Macaws:
Lear’s Macaws are social, Lively, and territorial birds. These are often seen in groups of 8 to 30 birds. Lear’s Macaws are boisterous birds, maybe because of their crow-like voice. Lear’s Macaws are shy birds, but they make very loud calls when they are in danger or annoyed.
During their flight, they perched so high. Lear’s Macaws are Monogamous; they stay with the same mate life long. Lear’s Macaws give noisy Alarms Calls in order to get their owner aware of the danger.
They seem to be very affectionate birds because of their quality of monogamy. They share a beautiful relationship with their mates as well as with their owners. These Macaws are very brilliant and learn human vocalizations.
Conclusion:
Lear’s Macaws are very skillful and social birds. They are larger than a few Macaws and have a unique color. Due to their beauty, it was raided in the past and faced a decrease in their population.
These Macaws are very intelligent, and they can be trained by owners very well. These Macaws are under the protection program of Canudos Biological Station. Biologists are working and studying them in order to increase their population and worth.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you may also be interested in learning about: Lear’s macaw vs. hyacinth macaw vs. Glaucous macaw: What’s the difference?
Bilal is an aviculturist who loves to write in free time. His personal experience with bird care and breeding enables him to share valuable tips. So far, he has contributed more than 100 blogs to this site.
His goal is to promote bird-keeping and save endangered species.