Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long time of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with backbiting and jealousies.

The first challenge was finding enough birds to exchange. The macaws were monogamous, therefore it was important to match the pairs well.

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 few of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them close to Curaca. They call them their little blue companions and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's chestnut fronted macaw price in the wild. They describe him as an authentic survivor who lost his family but remained loyal to his area. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as being similar to his, and feel a deep connection with him.

The discovery of the last Spix's macaw representative Species provided researchers with an opportunity to investigate its behavior in wild and gain a deeper understanding of how the species survived such a long time. It also helped them make a more precise estimation of the historical population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to gather crucial details about the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. They even monitored reproduction attempts using the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaws which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.

It was an amazing achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. This has enabled scientists understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to nature. The last bird's survival also motivated people to act to save other species of parrots that are endangered. It also inspired zoos and other groups to set their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This working group is an illustration of how conservation groups and other organizations as well as individuals can work together to protect 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 to save this rare bird.

The working group has already accomplished a great deal of work, including preparing an idea for reintroducing this bird back into the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds for field research as well as community outreach and captive-breed birds for the reintroduction project. It also has established an ongoing committee to oversee the reintroduction of the bird.

Habitat

Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was threatened through habitat destruction and illegal poaching. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird from the brink of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions of people around the globe thanks to a popular animated film and two sequels. This is just the beginning on the long road of returning these birds. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity to the wild.

The Spix's macaw is endemic to a small area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga, an arid region of flat savannah scrubland that is dotted with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is among of the least-known Neotropical parrots, despite only few glimpses of 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 established that brought together aviculturists that were the last to hold the birds as well as officials from the government. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organisation Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to create an intensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's into their native environment in northeast Brazil.

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

In the wild, Spix's macaws reside in trees, and are not often seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and search in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.

To help track the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local group was recruited to become part of the field team. Members of the community were given watches that could be activated if the Spix's macaw was detected which allowed them to keep track of the birds and their daily activities in the wild. This approach has proven very successful.

Diet

The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species found in the family Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot vanished in 2000. No additional birds were observed in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction project currently underway is trying to restore this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.

The northeast region of Brazil is home to about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.

A reintroduction plan is currently underway to re-establish a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's Macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are expected to be released 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 programme has already gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this unique bird, including information on daily movement patterns and seasonal adjustments to drought. It also provides an insight into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw, helping to determine the causes that 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). They may also consume the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic speech and other sounds. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a short continuous grating sound similar to a flute. When they are in a breeding mode they are known to fly high and fast.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other through a range of squawking and screeching sounds. They, like other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very strict routine for their day, from flights to bathing routines, and they can recognize the members of their flock. They are popular as pets and are often targeted by the illegal bird trade because of this.

In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, and all of them being poached. A plan to pair the male and female defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since the time all known Spix's macaws have been bred in captivity mostly in Brazil.

The handful of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are made up of individuals that are the descendants of just two individuals, leaving them vulnerable to disease and other environmental threats. The majority of spix macaw lifespan's macaws in captivity reside in an breeding center in Germany. However, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired, leaving the possibility of repatriation or their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.

Despite their petty numbers the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws from the collector.

In part because of this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, but not at a speedy pace. Reintroducing them to the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. It is important to choose the right birds before release. The macaws should be of reproductive age and be paired with close relatives or siblings.

The return of the Spix's macaw prices to the wild could prove difficult, but it is important to try. ABC and its partners have established reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws, which are more common in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These smart birds will help the macaws become more accustomed to the region and will offer safety in numbers.