A desperate rescue effort is underway for a beloved rare macaw stranded 15m up a tree in Sydney’s city centre.

Twisty, a two-and-a-half-year-old lutino macaw, escaped from his enclosure at Doltone House in Pyrmont on Tuesday morning after a door was accidentally left unlocked.

The bird is cared for by staff at a rooftop garden at Doltone House, which operates function venues across Sydney.

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His disappearance sparked a frantic search across inner Sydney, with his owners offering a $1000 reward for his safe return.

“Our much-loved yellow Macaw has gone missing and we are heartbroken,” the owners said.

One of his owners, Paul Signorelli, told 7NEWS.com.au Twisty was “priceless”, describing his fully yellow colouring as unique.

“The reward is because he’s part of our family. We want to bring him back,” he said.

Signorelli said Twisty requires medication and follows a specialised diet of pellets, fresh fruit and nuts, raising concerns about how he would fare away from home.

“He needs medication. He’s on a special diet,” Signorelli said.

“That’s why we need to find [and] catch him and give him his diet.”

There was a breakthrough on Tuesday evening when Twisty was spotted perched high in a tree outside Braza Churrascaria at Darling Harbour.

Signorelli said they now had the bird in sight but were struggling to coax him down.

“He’s about 15 metres up in the tree at the moment,” he said.

“We’re trying to get him down.”

The family is now appealing for anyone with expertise in safely retrieving birds to help bring Twisty home.