A blue-and-yellow macaw flew next to two police officers on motorcycles in Brazil as they patrolled the city of Miracema do Tocantins. According to news agency Reuters, the footage was captures on December 7. The video has been posted by Policia Militar do Tocantins on their social media handles. Blue-and-yellow macaws are native to the Amazon region in South America. Despite a decrease in its population, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has this species under the category of least concern.
The bird flew between the two motorcycles of the men in uniform of BPCHOQUE, a specialised unit of the Military Police, with highly trained police officers to act in specific situations and control civil disturbances.
The short clip became a hit on Instagram, with users posting several emojis showing excitement.
"Sensational," commented one user. "How beautiful," said another.
"Wow, how beautiful.... nature is truly immeasurable," a third user said while reacting to the police's force.
According to National Geographic, macaws are beautiful, brilliantly coloured members of the parrot family. The birds have large, powerful beaks that easily crack nuts and seeds, while their dry and scaly tongues have bone inside them that make them an effective tool for tapping into fruits.
Macaws also have gripping toes that they use to latch onto branches and to grab, hold, and examine items. The birds sport graceful tails that are typically very long.
They are intelligent, social birds that often gather in flocks. Their loud calls, squawks, and screams echo through the forest canopy. Macaws vocalise to communicate within the flock, mark territory and identify one another. Some species can even mimic human speech.
