Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also filled with resentment and jealousy.
The first obstacle was to get enough birds to trade. Macaws are monogamous, so 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 small amount of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as little blue friends, and compare their experience with the journey of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They describe him as a true survivor who lost his family, but was loyal to the region. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as being similar to his and feel a deep connection with him.
Researchers were able study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw wild, and better understand how this species has lasted so long. Researchers were able to estimate the historical population of this unique bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able to collect important information on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, and its eating habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with an Illiger's and a Spix's hybrid macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird was able survive and thrive in the wild despite the smallest gene pool and it has helped researchers understand how these birds can be reintroduced to the wild. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action to save other parrots as well as threatened species. It also inspired zoos and other groups to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group is a good illustration of how conservation groups and other organizations as well as individuals can work together to save endangered animals and wildlife. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists, with one goal in common to save this unique bird.
The group has accomplished a great deal of work, including developing plans for reintroducing the bird back into the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. They have also formed a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
Threatened by poaching and habitat destruction, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild 10 years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to work tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions of people around the world due to a cult animated film and two sequels. This is just the beginning on the long-distance road to bringing these birds back. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws that have been raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an endemic species to a small region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This dry region has flat savannah scrubland that is interspersed with galleries and seasonal streams. The first time it was described was in 1819 and is among of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, with 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 In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was established which brought together aviculturists who had the last remaining birds and government officials. The group forged a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish an initiative to reintroduce the Spix's Macaws back to their natural habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 acres of prime habitat in the Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released into the wild. This will give an animal that is genetically pure for the future generations.
Spix's Macaws are usually found in trees, and are rarely 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 one third of the time in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team in order to help to track Spix's macaws. 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 been extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species of the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last wild parrot to be identified disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. A reintroduction plan is in progress to try to bring this critically endangered bird back to its home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of old caraibeiras, and they were also recognized for their dietary habits of eating seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is currently in progress. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are expected to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws that have been released back into the same area and will assist to share knowledge of food sources, nesting and roosting sites.
The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of this rare bird, including details on daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought during the season. It also provides an insight into the nature of the Spix's Macaw, helping to determine the causes that led to its disappearance in the wild.
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 the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia), along with the Joazeiro (Ziziphus Joazeiro) and facheiro Cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are social birds, and they have a close bond with their parents. They have vocalizations and often mimic other sounds and words. They have a mating cry known as "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive noise similar to an acoustic note. When they are in 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 by making a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. They, like other parrots, can mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine, which includes routines for bathing and flight. They can also recognize other members of their flock. They are adored as pets, and are frequently targeted by the illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, with all of them poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds as part of an attempt to pair them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mixture that descends of only two individuals. This makes them susceptible to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are kept in a breeding centre in Germany. However, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired which leaves the possibility of repatriation or their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
Despite their low numbers of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws for the collector.
In part, due to this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is starting to increase, though not at a speedy pace. Maintaining their health and generating will be crucial for reintroducing the birds back into the wild. The selection of the right birds to release is also crucial. The macaws need to be in a reproductive stage and be joined by a sibling or a close relative.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could be difficult, but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have developed reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws that are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These birds will help macaws adjust to their new surroundings and will also offer protection by the buy macaw sheer numbers.