Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long period uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also rife with jealousy and backbiting.

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

Range

A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw which was declared extinct in 2000, following 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 near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They say he was as a true survivor who lost his family, but kept his faith in the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as akin to his, and feel a deep connection with him.

Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and gain a better understanding of how this species has survived for so long. It also allowed them to make a more precise estimation of the historical population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to gather crucial information on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and 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 achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has enabled scientists to understand how these birds can be returned to nature. The survival of the last bird motivated people to act to save other species of endangered parrots. Zoos and other groups to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This group is an illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together in order to conserve endangered wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists with an aim in common that is the recovery of this endangered bird.

The group has completed a lot of work, Hyacinth macaw Lifespan including the creation of a plan for reintroducing the bird to the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds for field research and community outreach as well as captive-breed birds for the reintroduction plan. It also has established an ongoing committee to oversee the recovery of the bird.

Habitat

Ten years ago, the Spix's macaw bird species (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was endangered by habitat destruction and illegal poaching. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to fight tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is known to millions of people all over the globe thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. This is just the tip of the iceberg on the long road of returning these birds. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and bring back captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.

The Spix's macaw is endemic to a small portion of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, with a few birds that are kept in captivity and a few museum specimens.

To save the declining population, an international committee was created that gathered aviculturists who held the last remaining birds, as well as government officials. The group forged a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws back to their natural environment.

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

Spix's Macaws can be found in trees and rarely seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and search to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They will typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.

A local community was recruited as part of the field team to help to track Spix's macaws. The community was provided with watches that would be activated if a Spix's macaw keycaps is identified. 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 Macaw is the only species belonging to the Genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared that it was extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was after the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000 and no additional birds were found in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction project currently underway is trying to return the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.

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

A reintroduction programme is in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's Macaws were released into 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, which have been reintroduced to the same area, and will help to share knowledge of food sources and nesting and roosting sites.

The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, including details about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also opened a window on the nature of the Macaws of Spix, which can help to understand the causes that led to their decline.

Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of a myriad of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brasil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all part of this diet. They can also eat the fruit of the palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other bird species are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They are very vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry called "whichaka," described as an incredibly short and repetitive noise similar to the note of a flutist. They are known to fly fast and high when they are in an ecstatic mood.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other by making a variety of squawking and screeching sounds. They, like other parrots, mimic human speech. They have a strict routine, including routines for bathing and flight. They can also recognize other members of their family. They are very popular as pets, and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds because of this.

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

The few Spix's macaws kept in captivity are made up of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, making them susceptible to illness and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds in captivity are kept in a breeding center in Germany, but this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal, casting doubt over future plans to return the birds and then reintroduce them back into the wild.

Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder managed to beat out a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from a collector three Spix's macaws that were not part of the breeding program.

In the wake of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce, but not at buy a macaw parrot rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. It is important to choose the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws should be in a reproductive stage, and they should be paired with an older sibling or close relatives.

It's not easy to bring the Spix's macaw shop back into the wild however, it is essential to try. To help, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that is designed to safeguard 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 they live in areas where the Spix's macaws also live. These birds will help the macaws adjust to their new environment and will also ensure safety through numbers.