Lears macaw / Anodorhynchus leari

This flock is feeding on seeds in a braúna do sertão tree (Schinopsis brasiliensis) of the cashew family. These macaws live in the dry Caatinga scrub forest of northern Bahia in the reserve of Raso da Catarina near Rio São Francisco, and they nest in sandstone cliffs. Their ecosystem is threatened by clearing for farming and the durable wood of the braúna tree is used for fence posts among other things. In the background is a licuri palm (Syagrus coronata) whose nuts provide a large part of the birds’ food. There are conservation efforts to replant the palm whose seedlings are eaten by goats.