The Indigo Macaw Re-appraised A smaller bird or a mystery solved?

Abstract

As close friends of world renowned
aviculturists Harry and Pat Sissen, Joe
and I often visit them to discuss various
avicultural and ornithological
matters.
For some time now we have all
taken a keen interest in Harry's
efforts to bring together the last
remaining captive Lear's Macaws in a
serious attempt to establish a successful
breeding program.
At the present time, Harry and Pat's
efforts represent the only positive
attempt in Europe to save this macaw
from oblivion. It was therefore amid
great excitement that the two
''Lear's" Macaws arrived from Mulhous
Zoo in France to join the program
in February this year. Roland
Wirth of ICBP had initiated their
move by suggesting to Dr.]. Lernould
of Mulhouse Zoo that results might
be achieved if the pair was placed
into Harry's care in England. Further
dialogue between Dr. Lernould and
Harry led to the decision to organize
their transfer to England. It is regrettable
that others holding Lear's
Macaws do not have the same insight
as Roland and John, if perhaps all
owners cooperated and sent nonbreeding
stock into the one program
then positive results might be
achieved more quickly.
Prior to their arrival, Joe had called
me and indicated that he had seen an
old photograph of this pair of Lear's
and was suspicious that one, indeed,
may be a Glaucous Macaw. However,
he believed that the suspect bird was
the male and that it had originated in
Belgium. I knew that this bird had
been sent some time previously back
to Brazil and had since died. In the
light of this information, Joe aborted
his plan to view the birds in France.