First sensational breeding in Europe of Lear’s Macaw in Loro Parque Fundación, Tenerife
July 4, 2007



On Monday, May 14, it finally happened. Long and anxious waiting finally came to an end. Beneath the warm plumage of its adoptive parents, an experienced breeding pair of Green-Winged Macaws (Ara chloroptera), a young Lear’s Macaw (Anodorhynchus leari) hatched for the first time in Europe.

The chick, weighing only 20 grams, was immediately accepted by the foster parents and since then has been carefully looked after by themand is growing well. Now, aged three weeks, it is time to present it to the public, which is unfortunately only possible with photos at present, as the breeding duties of the foster parents cannot be disturbed.

Now the young Lear’s Macaw, named “Edward”, weighs 495 grams, 24 times more than his hatching weight three weeks ago.

After three weeks, during a brief photo-shoot, the precious young was fitted with a closed leg-ring, in order to identify it properly in future. After that little Edward was put back in its protective nest-cavity, where the foster parents were already waiting impatiently. Some further seven to eight weeks will have to pass until the little Lear’s Macaw will start to fledge and will leave his nest den. Until then this sensational young will be reserved exclusively for the curators’ observations.



In November 2006 Loro Parque Fundación received from the Brazilian nature conservation authority IBAMA two pairs of this rare parrot species for breeding within an international breeding programme for the Lear’s Macaw. There are only 43 animals registered in the studbook as maintained in captivity, mainly confiscated by the authorities from illegal trade.

The major proportion of them lives in zoological installations in Brazil. After the first success in the 1970s of breeding in USA, the second breeding was made public last year in the desert state Qatar, in the centre of Sheik Al Tani.

Loro Parque Fundación, which with 350 different parrot species and subspecies owns the most diverse parrot collection worldwide, and which makes intensive efforts in the conservation of parrot species at risk of extinction, has already gained the confidence of the Brazilian nature conservation authorities due to numerous breeding successes with the Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii), a specis extinct in the wild.

Therefore it has been been chosen to help in the establishment of a genetic reserve for the Lear’s Macaw in captivity. Thus, for the first time Lear’s Macaws have been legally transferred from the Sao Paulo Zoo to an institution outside of Brazil. The rapid success in the breeding centre of Tenerife is certainly thanks to the favourable environmental conditions.

Besides the optimal climatic conditions, we installed some artificial rocks with cavities in the aviaries for the Lear´s Macaws, since they are used by these animals as breeding cavitiesd in the wild. These found immediate acceptance and served also as the nest-sites.

As the first clutch was unfortunately found broken in the nest, the second one was immediately taken out after laying. This egg also showed a little hole in the shell, which was repaired with paste so that the natural development was not at risk.

A pair of Green-winged Macaws was chosen as experienced foster parents, because this pair had previously to stand the test as substitute parents of the Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus).



Loro Parque Fundación is worldwide the most important organization dedicated to the conservation of endangered parrots in their natural habitat. More than 6 million dollars have been invested in 50 parrot conservation projects in the last few years, including the conservation project for the Lear’s Macaw in its natural habitat, the Brazilian Caatinga.

The wild population, which was only discovered in 1978, has been able to recuperate from less than 250 to more than 630 animals. These are very encouraging signs in the worldwide fight against the entire loss of species on our planet.

The sensational clutch of the first Lear’s Macaw breeding in Loro Parque Fundación in Tenerife gives hope for further breeding and the chance that this parrot species can be rescued for ever.

Stop Press 4th July: The latest news is that we now have another fertile egg from the same pair.

http://www.cityparrots.org/2007/07/0...rife/#more-523

Good for them for letting Edward be raised by birds even though it was a risk. FeathersNFur8 you should try and get one of those cave things for your house. (smile)

I agree! Karen, that would be so cool!

How did you know the thought crossed my mind!!!

that is wonderful to hear! geez, baby macaws are the cutest things in the world!

That is terrific news, especially about the second fertile egg