Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long time with speculation and worry, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also rife with resentment and jealousy.

The first challenge was to get enough birds for the trade. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs had to be matched well.

Range

A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 following decades of poaching and habitat loss. They have a small population of the birds kept in captive, and hope to release them into the wild close to Curaca. They call the birds little blue friends, and compare their experience to the story of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They describe him as a true survivor who lost his family and remained loyal to his area. They feel a strong bond to him and view their lives as similar to his.

Researchers were able study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and gain a better understanding of the reasons why this species has survived so long. It also helped them create a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather important information about the bird's daily movements, seasonal adjustment to drought, and its feeding habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce using an Illiger's and a Spix's hybrid macaw couple which was an important step in the recovery for this species.

It was a remarkable feat that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has helped scientists to better understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The survival of the bird that was killed inspired people to take action in order to save other parrots as well as endangered species. It also inspired zoos and other groups to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This group serves as an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists with one goal in common: the recovery of this unique bird.

The working group has already completed a lot of work, including developing plans for reintroducing the bird into the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to support field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction program. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.

Habitat

Threatened by habitat destruction and poaching The Spix's Tallula indigo park mollie macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to work hard to save this iconic bird from the brink of extinction.

A cult animated film and two sequels have made Spix's macaw purchase known to millions of people across the globe, but this is just the beginning in the long road to bring these birds back from the brink. For a long time, a global team has been working to breed and bring back captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.

The Spix's macaw is native to a small area of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga, an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was described in 1819 and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, with a few captive birds, and a handful of museum specimens.

To preserve the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was established. It was comprised of Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird as well as government officials. This group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organisation Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to establish a rigorous program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's Macaws into their native environment in northeast Brazil.

AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 acres of prime habitat in the Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released in the wild. This will provide the genetically pure source of animals for the future generations.

Spix's Macaws are typically found in trees, and rarely seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and forage in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They will typically spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.

A local community was enlisted as part of the field team to help identify Spix's Macaws. The community was provided with watches that would activate if a Spix's Macaw is detected. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily actions. This method has proven to be extremely successful.

Diet

The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species found in the genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last known wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys did not find any additional birds. However, a reintroduction plan currently underway is trying to restore the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.

This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil, covering approximately 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.

A reintroduction program is now underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Tallula indigo park mollie macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more are expected to be released in 2022. They will be joined by a group Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced and will share information about food sources, nesting and places to roost.

The reintroduction program has gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this rare bird, including details on daily movements patterns as well as the seasonal changes to drought. It also provided a glimpse into the nature of the Macaws of Spix, which can help to understand the causes that led to their disappearance.

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) and the Joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They also eat the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other birds, are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief, repetitive grating sound similar to a flute. When they are in a breeding mode, they are known to fly fast and high.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other through a range of squawking and screeching sounds. Like many other parrots, mimic human speech. They have a very strict routine, which includes flight patterns and bathing habits. They also can recognize other members of their family. They are popular as pets, and are frequently targeted by the illegal trade in birds due to this.

In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds in an attempt to pair them. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.

The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mix of birds, and are the descendant of only two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity are kept in an breeding center in Germany. However, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government ran out, leaving future plans for repatriation and the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.

Despite their shaky 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 from a collector.

In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce, though not at a high rate. Keeping them healthy and producing is crucial to reintroduce the birds into the wild. It is crucial to select the right birds prior to releasing them. Macaws should be reproductive and be paired up with close relatives or siblings.

Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could prove difficult, but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and share areas with the Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws become accustomed to their new surroundings and will also ensure safety through large numbers.