An urgent hunt is under way for two “critically endangered” parrots that have escaped from London Zoo.
The blue-throated macaws - sisters named Lily and Margot - escaped the Regent’s Park zoo on Monday during one of their regular flights. Zookeepers have since been out searching for them, but they have not been found.
London Zoo has now issued an appeal to Londoners, urging them to keep an eye out for the parrots.
The public is asked not to approach or feed the rare birds if they are spotted, and to instead contact the zoo.
Blue-throated macaws were for years believed to be extinct, until surviving birds were found in northern Bolivia’s savannahs in 1992.
London Zoo says the birds, said to be between two and three feet tall, are “easy to spot” thanks to their brilliant blue and yellow plumage.
The missing macaws are both two years, three months old, and were born at London Zoo. They, along with their parents Popeye and Olly, make up the zoo’s population of four blue-throated macaws.
A spokespersn told The Standard there have been no definitive sightings of the birds since they escaped in the direction of north London, adding: “We need more eyes on the ground to help us narrow down the search
“On Monday (October 21) Lily and Margot were flying freely around the zoo as part of their daily routine,” said the spokesperson on Thursday. The flights are carried out for wellbeing reasons and to allow visitors to see the rare birds and learn more about them.
On previous occasions the young macaws have taken detours into the zoo’s trees, but have been coaxed down by keepers.
“This time they’ve ventured further afield,” said the London Zoo spokesperson.
“Our bird expert team are working diligently to find them at the moment. Our bird team have been combing the local areas and coordinating with local NW1 neighbours and community groups and Westmisnter City Council to alert them
“We’re looking for local Londoners to help us with sightings of the two macaws.
“Lily and Margot are likely to stay together and also remain high up in trees. That’s where they rest and are most comfortable, but they will come down to ground to forage for food which is probably where people are going to spot them.”
He urged anyone who spots the birds to take a photograph of them and use the What3words app to get a precise geocoordinate of the sighting, and email the photo and location to birds@zsl.org.
Blue-throated macaws are deemed “critically endangered” and is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
The IUCN estimates there are between around 200 and 300 mature blue-throated macaws alive today. The elusive birds are believed to live in two groups, in northern Bolivia.
“Its chest, belly, legs, and under-wing area are bright yellow, with golden swoops extending on both sides of its turquoise throat,” says National Geographic.
“Its wings and head are also blue. Blue and white stripes surround its eyes, which are separated from its strong, curved beak by a small patch of skin.
“Its namesake blue beard distinguishes the blue-throated macaw from its lookalike, the blue-and-yellow macaw.”
In the wild, the birds live in palm groves, and survive on a diet of palm fruit, as well as seeds, nuts, berries and other fruit.
Their population is said to have declined hugely during the 1970s and 1980s when many were caught in the wild and exported from Bolivia to be kept as pets.
