Melody Blue Spix Macaw

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

The first challenge was finding enough birds for the exchange. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs needed to be well-matched.

Range

A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically threatened Spix's Macaw. The bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 owing to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a few of the birds that are in captivity and hope to release them close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as their little blue companions and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They describe him as a true survivor who lost his family, but kept his faith in his region. They feel a strong kinship to him and view their lives as similar to his.

The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered a valuable opportunity for researchers to study its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of how this species was able to survive for such a long time. This allowed researchers to estimate the historical population of this unique bird more accurately. Researchers were able to collect important information on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and eating habits. They even monitored reproduction attempts using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaw pet pair which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.

It was an amazing feat that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a limited gene pool. This has enabled scientists understand how these birds can be restored to nature. The survival of the last bird also encouraged people to take action to save other parrots as well as threatened species. Zoos have also been enticed to establish their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds.

This working group is a good illustration of how much do blue macaws cost conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together to protect endangered animals and wildlife. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists, with an aim in common to save this endangered bird.

The group has already accomplished a lot of work. This includes developing a plan to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. It has also created an ongoing committee to help recover the bird.

Habitat

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

A well-known animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people across the globe However, this is only the tip of the iceberg in the long journey to bring these birds back from the brink. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.

The spix macaw lifespan's Macaw is a native species that is found in a small area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This dry region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland, interspersed with galleries and seasonal streams. The first time it was described was in 1819 and is one of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, with only sporadic sightings from the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and some museum specimens.

To protect the population that is declining, an international committee was created that gathered aviculturists who held the last remaining birds and government officials. This group formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to create an intensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's into their native environment in the northeast of Brazil.

AWWP has acquired and is restoring 2,380 hectares in the Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released in the wild. This will give the genetically pure source of animals for the future generations.

In the wild, Spix's macaws reside in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruits as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They can spend as much as 1/3 of their time in the nest.

To help track the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local group was invited to join the field team. The community was given watches that would activate if the Spix's Macaw representative Species was identified. This allowed them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily actions. This approach has proven very successful.

Diet

The Spix's Macaw is the only species in the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last wild parrot to be identified disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys failed to find any additional birds. A reintroduction programme is in the process of attempting to bring back this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.

The northeast region of Brazil comprises about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows of the old caraibeira trees and were known to feed on seeds and nuts.

Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is currently in progress. Eight birds that were 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 on food sources, nesting and roosting locations.

The reintroduction programme has already gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this rare bird, including details on daily movements patterns as well as seasonal adjustments to drought. It has also provided a glimpse into the evolution of the Macaws of Spix, which aids in understanding the causes that led to their extinction.

Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of many plants that are 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 can also eat the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Like all parrots like all parrots Macaws are highly social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry known as "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive sound that resembles an acoustic note. They are often seen flying high and fast when they are in an ecstatic mood.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other through a range of screeching and squawking sounds. They, like other parrots, can mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine, including the way they fly and their bathing habits. They also can recognize other members of their flock. They are popular as pets, and are frequently targeted by illegal bird trade because of this.

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

The few Spix's macaws in captivity are a mix of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, leaving them at risk of disease and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at a breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed which raises doubt about the future plans to return the birds and then reintroduce them into the wild.

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 buy three Spix's Macaws from the collector.

As a result of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, but not at a great 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 release. Macaws must be reproductive and be paired up with siblings or close relatives.

It's not easy to bring the Spix's macaw back into the wild, but it is vital to try. To aid, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that aims to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's Macaws that were recently released will be joined by blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix’s macaws also reside. These intelligent birds will aid the macaws get accustomed to the region, and they will provide the security of a large number.