Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long time of worry and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with backbiting and jealousies.

The first obstacle was getting enough birds to exchange. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs had to be well-matched.

Range

A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's Macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 after decades of poaching and habitat loss. They have a small amount of the birds that are in captivity and hope to release them close to Curaca. They call the birds little blue companions, and compare their experience to that of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor who lost his family, but was loyal to his home. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as being similar to his, and feel a strong affinity with him.

Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and gain a better understanding of how this species has survived for so long. It also helped them make a more precise estimation of the historical population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able gather important information on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple which was a crucial step in the recovery for this species.

It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird managed to endure and thrive in the wild despite an insufficient gene pool and has helped scientists to understand how these birds can be reintroduced to the wild. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other parrots and threatened species. Zoos are also encouraged to establish their own captive breeding program for these exotic bird species.

This group of experts is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to save endangered wildlife and endangered animals. It brings Brazilian governmental officials as well as representatives from zoos, international holders of this rare bird and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.

The working group has already accomplished a great deal of work, including the creation of a plan for reintroducing the bird back into the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to support field research and community outreach as well as captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction plan. The group has also established an ongoing committee to help recover the bird.

Habitat

Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was threatened due to the destruction of habitat and illegal poaching. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to work tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.

A popular animated movie and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw famous to millions of people around the world, but this is just the tip of the iceberg in the long journey to save these birds from the brink. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and bring back Spix's macaws that have been raised in captivity into the wild.

The Spix's macaw is endemic to a small area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga which is an arid region of flat savannah scrubland interspersed with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is among of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with only few glimpses of the wild, a few captive birds and some museum specimens.

To protect the declining population, an international group was created. It brought together Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird and government officials. This group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to establish a rigorous program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's into their native environment in northeast Brazil.

AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released in the wild. This will create a genetically-pure source of animals for the future generations.

Spix's Macaws are usually found in trees, and seldom seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and search for fruits, seeds, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to a third of the day in the nest.

To help track the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local community was recruited to join the field team. The community was provided with watches that would turn on when Spix's Macaws are identified. This enabled them to monitor the birds in the wild and their daily activities. This method has proven to be successful.

Diet

The Spix's Macaw is the only species belonging to the genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot vanished in 2000 and no additional birds were observed in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction programme is in the process of attempting to bring this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.

This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil that covers about 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of old caraibeira trees and were known to eat nuts and seeds.

Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is currently underway. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and 12 more are expected to follow in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws who were reintroduced. They will share information about food sources, nesting sites and roosting locations.

The reintroduction program has gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this rare bird, including information on daily movements patterns as well as adjustments to drought during the season. It has also provided a window into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw which helps to understand what led to its disappearance in the wild.

Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, nuts, and fruits of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) as well as the Joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They also eat the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Spix's Macaws like all parrots as well as other birds, are social birds that have close relationships with their parents. They are vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They make a mating call known as the "whichaka," which is described as a brief repeated grating sound that is similar to a flute note. They are well-known for flying fast and high when they are in an ecstatic mood.

Breeding

Spix's macaws are exceptionally intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking, and other sounds. As with many parrots they are able to mimic human speech. They also follow a very rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits and can identify members of their family. This is what makes them so popular pets, and also a target for illegal trade in birds.

By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, with all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers massacred the male and female birds in the hope of pairing them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.

The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mix of birds, and are the descendant of just two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws in captivity are kept in a breeding center in Germany. However this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government ran out and the possibility of repatriation or their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.

Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix's macaws show signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws for the collector.

In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce again, although not at a high rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. It is important to choose the right birds prior to releasing them. Macaws must be reproductively mature, and they should be in a relationship with one of their siblings or a close relatives.

It could be difficult to bring the Spix's macaw back into the wild however, it is essential to try. To aid, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which will help to protect the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws adapt to their get more info new surroundings. They will also offer protection by the sheer numbers.