Lear's macaw

Description

The indigo macaw ( Anodorhynchus leari Bonaparte,1856 ) is a rare Brazilian parrot that occupies a very narrow range.It is entirely metallic blue,but has a green tinge in the plumage,often not very evident,and a spot of yellow skin at the base of the beak,big and black.It weighs about 950 g and is 75 cm long.It owes the alternative name of ara of Lear to Edward Lear,the poet,author and artist who published many drawings and illustrations of parrots portrayed live in zoos and private collections.One of the drawings in his book Illustrations of the Family of the Psittacidae,or Parrots,is very reminiscent of a member of this species,although at that time it was thought to represent a hyacinth macaw - a larger and darker species with a patch of yellow skin adjacent to the base of the beak of different shape.The indigo macaw is 70-75 cm long.The body,tail and wings are dark blue,but the head is slightly lighter.It has an area of ​​light yellow bare skin at the base of the beak and yellow-orange periocular rings.It has a big blackish beak and dark gray feet.In its general appearance it is very reminiscent of both the largest hyacinth macaw and the smallest glaucous ara.