pair was so much smaller than the other Lear's in her parents' care, and she likened it to a Spix Macaw. Re~appraised After some time I went to visit The Indigo Macaw Harry and Pat and view the new pair of Lear's. The birds were well and A smaller bird or a mystery solved? seemed to have coped with their recent transfer. Their feather quality (Anodorhynchus lead) was dry and the male had been pluck­ ing an area ofhis breast feathers. The by Robin Pickering andJoe Cuddy female, however, seems to have per­ Durham, England manent damage to the wing tips that results in an almost total lack of pri­ mary feathers. As close friends ofworld renowned imported via Lisbon, Portugal and However, the most outstanding aviculturists Harry and Pat Sissen, Joe transferred to Basle Zoo, Switzerland feature of the pair was the small size and I often visit them to discuss vari­ on the 11th July 1975. There they of the female. We all agreed that the ous avicultural and ornithological joined another Lear's that had been marked difference in size was far matters. in Basle since 1955. After the pair's more than the usual slight size dis­ For some time now we have all arrival, the spare bird was transferred crepancy that may occur between taken a keen interest in Harry's to Walsrode, Germany to pair with the sexes. When viewed from the efforts to bring together the last another single bird in their care. front it was noticeable that the remaining captive Lear's Macaws in a Meanwhile in Basle, the new pair female was a blue-green color and did serious attempt to establish a suc­ produced a broken egg in 1976, in indeed appear to have reduced mela­ cessful breeding program. 1977 a single egg was laid, and in nin in the mandible. Harry also com­ At the present time, Harry and Pat's 1978 two eggs were laid but unfor­ mented that the male had much efforts represent the only positive tunately all the eggs were infertile. more blue in the breast and he attempt in Europe to save this macaw Alas, in 1978 the original male died described the color of the hen's from oblivion. It was therefore amid from liver disease and the carcass dis­ breast and abdomen as sea-green. I great excitement that the two posed of. However, in Walsrode, summed up the female's general "Lear's" Macaws arrived from Mul­ their pair had been non-productive appearance as a smaller, paler blue hous Zoo in France to join the pro­ and in the event ofthe male's death it bird. gram in February this year. Roland was agreed to return the original After returning home I replayed the Wirth of IeBP had initiated their bird. In this new pair bond, no home video recording made of the move by suggesting to Dr. J. Lernould further eggs were produced and in pair, and again there was the marked of Mulhouse Zoo that results might 1982 the original Lear's died. difference. Only then did I begin to be achieved if the pair was placed Autopsy showed that this bird had speculate that the bird seemed to into Harry's care in England. Further also been a female and this carcass represent Anodorhynchus glaucus. I dialogue between Dr. Lernould and was also disposed of. Following this, cross referenced many books, docu­ Harry led to the decision to organize the female was then paired to a spare ments and reviewed my video tape of their transfer to England. It is regret­ Hyacinth Macaw and it appears that eight individual captive Lear's made table that others holding Lear's this situation remained until 1987 over the last five years. Out of the Macaws do not have the same insight when negotiations were made to pair eight birds on video, this one female as Roland and John, if perhaps all the female to another male Lear's was the''odd one out:' Her small size owners cooperated and sent non­ that had been kept in Paris Zoo, and blue-green colour did seem to fit breeding stock into the one program France. The male's records show that the descriptions of the Glaucous then positive results might be he was "born" in 1967, although Macaw. achieved more quickly. there are no available details of a cap­ The following day I calledJoe and Prior to their arrival, Joe had called tive breeding at that time. It was told him about the pair and asked for me and indicated that he had seen an agreed that both birds would be his opinion. Joe lost no time in flying old photograph of this pair of Lear's transferred to Mulhouse Zoo, France north for an urgent exchange of and was suspicious that one, indeed, and the male arrived on the 16th views. We drove straight to Harry may be a Glaucous Macaw. However, March 1987 with the female follow­ and Pat's and asked once again to he believed that the suspect bird was ing on the 30th of July that same view the Lear's and prepared to dis­ the male and that it had originated in year. Unfortunately, although the cuss the possibility further. Belgium. I knew that this bird had pair is compatible, no further breed­ Her fine features, paler color and been sent some time previously back ing activity has occurred since they different bill color and structure were to Brazil and had since died. In the were paired. undeniable to us all. Harry also felt light of this information, Joe aborted In due course their export to Eng­ that the female appeared to be "the his plan to view the birds in France. land was arranged and the pair odd bird out:' This bird incidentally Details of the female's history arrived at Heathrow on 25th Febru­ also has wing damage to the primary have been made available from Dr. ary 1992. They were collected by feathers typical of a bird trapped in Lernould and Mr. Tony Pittman after Harry and transferred to their quaran­ southern Brazil or Paraguay. At this his communications with Basle Zoo. tine, to be cared for by Harry's daugh­ point, we were all pointing out that It appears that the female was origi­ ter Yvonne Scales. Indeed, her first the features of the female were not nally one of a pair that were impression was that the hen of this typical ofA. learl but it was Joe who 14 August/ September 1992 had the conviction of his views to detail and compare these to some of openly declare that the female repre­ the known information for A. glau­ sented the Glaucous Macaw! cus. It must be appreciated that at Another person who also felt that the present time it is impossible to this bird could, indeed, represent A. obtain accurate information regard­ glaucus was Dr. J. Lernould himself ing dimensions and weight as this when he first saw the bird. A photo­ would· induce too much stress. graph was given to Roland Wirth and Harry's highest priority is that this We this was submitted to the museum in pair of Anodorhynchus must be Vienna; however, their conclusion given conditions and management Buy from the photograph was that this that will prOVide the best chance of Birds bird was an unusual Lear's (pers. breeding. For the present time their comm). reproduction must take a higher pri­ • This could prove to be an avicul­ ority over the scientific interest. tural sensation not equalled since the First we can look at the size of the We discovery of the Kawalls Amazon female, as stated she is significantly Sell which had long since been classified smaller than her mate and in compar­ by experts as a Mercenary Amazon. ison to three other captive females I Birds ~ This case of mistaken identity has have seen. We would estimate that occurred time and time again. she is at least Scm (2 inches) smaller Complete Bird Supplies In 1989, I visited Tring and exam­ than her mate and considering this ined the skins of all three species of pro rata she appears a much smaller 8990 Cerritos Ave. Anodorhynchus. Visual and photo­ bird. As pointed out, her small size Anaheim, CA 92804 graphic evidence concurred with the gave Harry's daughter the impression (714) 527-3387 findings of George Smith and the of a Spix Macaw. Despite her small (closed for vacation, first 2 weeks of July) illustrations of Jenevora Searight. size, she does not give the impres­ 12200 Magnolia Ave. Though in discussion with Harry we sion of a stunted bird. In her work on Riverside, CA 92503 both agreed that on the evidence of stunted birds, Joanne Abramson (714) 278-0878 the skin held at Tring that the Glau­ found that a classic, mature, stunted (closed for vacation, first 2 weeks of August) cous Macaw was a dilute mutation of bird appears with a huge head and the Lear's Macaw. This reasoning, feet draWing attention away from the OPEN 9 TO 5 DAILY however, seems to be flawed as we small body. She has also found that Closed Sun., Mon. & holidays were not taking into account other these birds are most likely to be documented evidence and illustra­ immunologically weakened and may tions ofboth Leari and Glaucus. suffer from damaged and poorly Meanwhile, over the previous developed internal organs with, per­ twelve years, Joe's research had haps in some cases, reduced repro­ taken him to several of the world's ductive capabilities.