Edward Lear

Rákos’ House

Zoo Praha  |  20. 09. 2019


Lear´s macaw bears the name of Edward Lear (1812–1888), an english illustrator and writer who is inextricably linked to the poetic form called the limerick. He also illustrated his playful "nonsense" poems, of which he wrote more than two hundred.

In addition to writing limerics, Edward Lear devoted himself to scientific illustration. This is how he depicted Lear’s macaw (recognized as a distinct species  much later and therefore labelled „Hyacinthine Maccaw“ in the drawing).


Our pavilion is home to two species of blue macaws: the Hyacinth Macaw and the extremely precious Lear’s Macaw, which was once thought to be extinct. Both live in South America, feed on the hard fruits of palm trees and look quite similar....

Photo: Prague Zoo’s archive

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