Biologists have recently begun to do more detailed research on the bird, but these studies have been sporadic because they are so expensive. It sounds like Lear's biologists have their work cut out for them. There are a variety of pressures which threaten the Lear's, and when you add them all up, you get an endangered species. In fact, with approximately 140 birds confirmed in the wild, the Lear's macaw is one of the most endangered bird species in the world. One of the primary threats to this macaw is the illegal pet trade.
Poachers capture it to supply zoos, collectors, and other bird breeders throughout the world.
The Lear's is coveted on the black market because it is so rare. We know that illegal trappers take about 15 Lear's macaws from the wild population each year. Hunting wild animals for food is also common in the region where the Lear's macaw lives, so, despite protections, it also takes a toll on the bird. The second major threat to the Lear's macaw is its diminishing food source. Most farms in this region of Bahia use licuri palm patches to pasture their cows and goats.