Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long time filled with speculation and worry, Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also rife with jealousy and backbiting.

The first challenge was to get enough birds to be traded. The macaws were monogamous, therefore it was essential to ensure that the pairs were well-matched.

Range

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

Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and to better understand how this species has survived for so long. It also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to collect important data on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, as well as its eating habits. They also monitored reproduction attempts using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaws which was a significant step in the rehabilitation of this species.

It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird managed to survive and thrive in the wild with such a limited gene pool, and it has helped researchers understand how these birds can be reintroduced to the wild. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other endangered parrots and species. This has also encouraged zoos to create their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds.

This group of experts is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists, with an aim in common: the recovery of this endangered bird.

The group has completed a lot of work, including the creation of an idea for reintroducing this bird into the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds for field research, community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction plan. It has also created a permanent committee to recover the bird.

Habitat

Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was endangered through the destruction of habitat and poaching that was illegal. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to fight tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.

A well-known animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people across the globe, but this is just the beginning of the iceberg in the long journey to bring these birds back from the edge. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity to the wild.

The Spix's Macaw is a native species to a small region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This arid region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland that is interspersed with galleries and streams that flow through the season. It was first described in 1819 and is one of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with only sporadic sightings from the wild as well as a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.

To protect the population that is declining, an international committee was formed which brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining birds, as well as government officials. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to reintroduce the Spix's Macaws in their native environment.

AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released into the wild. This will give an animal that is genetically pure for future generations.

In the wild, Spix's macaws are found in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They usually nest in hollows or tree holes and hunt for fruits as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.

A local community was selected as part of the field team in order to help track Spix's Macaws. The community was given watches that would turn on when Spix's Macaws are recognized. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild and their daily movements. This method has proven to be successful.

Diet

The Spix's catalina macaw lifespan (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of the family Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys did not find any additional birds. A reintroduction programme is in progress to try to bring back this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.

This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil that covers about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were a nesting species in the hollows of the old caraibeira trees and were known to feed on seeds and nuts.

Reintroduction of the Spix’s severe macaw price into the wild is in progress. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are scheduled to arrive in 2022. They will be joined in the area by a group Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced and will share information on food sources, nesting sites and places to roost.

The reintroduction programme has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of this unique bird, including details on daily movement patterns and seasonal adjustments to drought. It also provides an insight into the natural history of the Spix's catalina Macaw lifespan which helps to understand what led to its extinction in the wild.

Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) as well as the Joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.

Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other birds, are social birds that have close relationships with their parents. They have vocalizations and often mimic sounds and speech. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive sound that resembles an acoustic note. When they are in breeding mode, they are known to fly high and fast.

Breeding

Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of squawking and screeching sounds. Like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also have a strict daily routine, from flight paths to bathing habits and can identify members of their flock. This is what makes them so popular pets, and also a target for the illegal bird trade.

In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.

The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mix, which is the descendant of just two individuals. This makes them susceptible to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity are kept in a breeding center in Germany. However this year an agreement between a German conservation center and the Brazilian government ran out which leaves the possibility of repatriation or the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.

Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws from a collector.

As a result of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce, though not at a high rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is important to choose the right birds before release. Macaws should be reproductive and be paired with close relatives or siblings.

It may be difficult to bring the Spix's buy macaw bird back into the wild, but it is vital to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws are going to be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will help the macaws adjust to their new surroundings. They will also provide safety by the sheer numbers.