Auckland zoo on the lookout for missing macaw

Auckland Zoo says the bird is capable of flying quite some distance, but will be disorientated and will not be able to find her way back to the zoo. Photo / Twitter, Auckland Zoo

Auckland Zoo has put out a call on social media for sightings of a missing macaw that fled the coop during a flying lesson.

The juvenile blue and gold macaw, which is nearly fully grown, has a silver metal band on her right leg.

According to a post by Auckland Zoo on Twitter, she is capable of flying quite some distance, but will be disorientated and will not be able to find her way back to the zoo.

In a Facebook post, the zoo said lessons had been going well.

"Her flying lessons, which involve flying small distances from hand to hand with keepers, have been going extremely well.

"However, this morning towards the end of her lesson, she was spooked by sudden rain and flew off in the direction of Motat (Museum of Transport and Technology)."

Auckland Zoo has requested that bystanders who spot the missing South American parrot contact them directly.

Earlier today, one of our young macaws flew off during a flying lesson, and we need your help to locate her. If you do see her please call Auckland Zoo on 027 209 8560 and let us know where you are. More information can be found here - https://t.co/IGWB4PfavP pic.twitter.com/1gWU7S42LD

— Auckland Zoo (@aucklandzoo) December 20, 2018

It is not the first time this year a bird has absconded from the zoo.

In April a red-tailed black cockatoo was spooked by a group of seagulls fled into some trees.

His keepers stayed with him until it was dark and he'd fallen asleep. They were back before light broke the next day, but he'd gone.

Two North Shore women later coaxed the bird into a suitable cage and it was returned to the zoo.

In 2004, an elephant named Burma enjoyed a brief taste of freedom after she dropped a large log on to an electric fence of her Auckland Zoo enclosure.

Burma's escape disrupted morning rush-hour traffic, with police and fire service personnel closing nearby roads and on-ramps to the northwestern motorway as a precaution.

After 25 minutes on the loose outside zoo's confines the elephant was brought back under control and walked back to her enclosure.