Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of worry and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first challenge was finding enough birds to participate in the exchange. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs had to be matched properly.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw which was declared extinct in 2000 following decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small amount of the birds in captivity and they hope to release them near Curaca. They call them their blue-eyed friends and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They describe him as an authentic survivor who lost his family, but was loyal to his home. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as being similar to his, and they feel a strong connection to him.
The discovery of the last Spix's Macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of how the species survived so long. This allowed researchers to determine the historical population of this unique bird more precisely. Researchers were able to collect important data about the bird's movements throughout the day, seasonal adjustment to drought, and its feeding habits. They also monitored attempts to reproduce using an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaw pair, which was an important step in the rehabilitation of this species.
It was a remarkable feat that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a limited gene pool. This has helped scientists to better understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the natural world. The bird's survival has encouraged people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos and other organizations to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group serves as a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian officials from government, zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists together with one common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has completed a great deal of work. This includes developing plans to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also set up a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was endangered by the destruction of habitat and poaching that was illegal. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to tirelessly work to save this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
A cult animated film and buymacaw two sequels have made the Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people across the globe However, this is only the beginning of the iceberg in the long journey to bring these birds back from the brink. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is a native species found in a tiny region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This desert region has flat savannah scrubland, interspersed with galleries and streams that flow through the season. It was first described in 1819 and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, a few birds that are kept in captivity and a few museum specimens.
To save the declining population, an international group was established. It was comprised of experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird and government officials. This group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to establish a rigorous program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's to their natural habitat in the northeast of Brazil.
AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga, near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released into the wild. This will create an animal that is genetically pure for future generations.
Spix's Macaws can be found in trees, and seldom seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and search to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They may spend up to one third of their day 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 in the event the Spix's macaw was observed which allowed them to keep an eye on the birds and their daily movements in the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of the genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared 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. However, a reintroduction project currently underway is trying to return this critically endangered bird back 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 found in hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction programme is in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. 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 by a group of Blue-winged macaws who were reintroduced. They will share information about food sources, nesting and roosting locations.
The reintroduction program has gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this unique bird, including information on the patterns of movement throughout the day and seasonal adjustments to drought. It has also provided a glimpse into the natural history of the Macaws of Spix, which helps to understand the factors that led to their decline.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brazil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all part of this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots as well as other birds, are social birds that develop close bonds with their parents. They have vocalizations and often mimic sounds and speech. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a short repeated grating sound that is like a flute note. When they are in a breeding mode they are known to fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also have a rigid daily routine, ranging from flight paths to bathing habits and are able to recognize the members of their flock. This is why they are such popular pets and targets for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix’s macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds as part of an attempt to pair them. Since the time all known Spix's macaws have been captive-bred mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws kept in captivity are made up of individuals that are the descendants of only two individuals, making them vulnerable to disease and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds in captivity are kept in a breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 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 precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws show signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder was able to beat a sheikh from Qatar to purchase from a collector three Spix's Macaws that weren't part of the breeding program.
In part because of this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, but not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is important to choose the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws should be reproductive and be paired with siblings or close relatives.
Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild could prove difficult, but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have developed a reserve system to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's Macaws who were recently released will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga, and they live in areas where the Spix's macaws also reside. These birds will help macaws become accustomed to their new surroundings and will also offer protection by the sheer numbers.