Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time filled with speculation and worry, Brazilians and German conservationists were able successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also filled with resentment and jealousy.
The first obstacle was to find enough birds to trade. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs had to be well-matched.
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 habitat loss. They have a few of the birds in captivity and are hoping to release them near Curaca. They call the birds their little blue friends and compared their journey 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 the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as akin to his and feel a strong affinity with him.
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 why this species survived this long. This allowed researchers to estimate the historical population of this unique bird more accurately. Researchers were able gather important information about the bird's daily movement patterns, seasonal adjustment to drought, and food habits. They even monitored reproduction attempts using an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaw pair which was a significant step towards the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has allowed scientists understand how these birds can be restored 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 groups 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 save endangered wildlife and endangered animals. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists with a common goal that is the recovery of this endangered bird.
The working group has already achieved a lot of work. This includes developing a plan to reintroduce the bird in the wild. The group also raised funds for community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also established a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
At risk due to 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 fight tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions around the world thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. This is just the beginning on the long-distance road to returning these birds. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an endemic species found in a tiny region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This desert area is home to flat savannah scrubland that is scattered with seasonal streams and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, few captive birds and a handful of museum specimens.
To save the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was established. It was comprised of experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird as more info well as officials from the government. The group formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish an initiative to reintroduce the Spix's Macaws to their natural habitat.
AWWP has bought and is restoring 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in the Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released into the wild. This will create the 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 hunt for fruits, seeds, nuts, and other plants. They may spend up to 1/3 of their time in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements local communities were recruited to become part of the field team. Members of the community were given watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw was observed which allowed them to keep an eye on the birds and their movements throughout the wild. This approach has been extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the family Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last known wild parrot disappeared in the year 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate 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 they were also known to feed on nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction programme is underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are scheduled to be released in 2022. They will be joined in the area by a group Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced and will share information about food sources, nesting sites and roosting locations.
The reintroduction program has already obtained valuable biological data on the behavior of the bird, including details about daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It also provided a glimpse into the natural history of the Macaws of Spix, which helps to understand the factors that led to their extinction.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of a variety of plants 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.
Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other bird species, are social birds that develop close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry called "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating sound that resembles a flutist note. When they are in breeding mode they can fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate using screeching, squawking, and other sounds. Like many parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very strict daily routine, from the flight path to bathing habits and are able to recognize members of their flock. They are popular as pets, and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds because of this.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, and all of them poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are a mix of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, making them at risk of disease and other environmental threats. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity are kept in a breeding center in Germany. However this year, an agreement between a German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired and the future plans for repatriation and 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 out the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws from a collector.
As a result of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce, but not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is essential to choose the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws should be reproductive and paired with close relatives or siblings.
It could be difficult to get the Spix's Macaw back to the wild, but it's important to try. To help, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that is designed to safeguard the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws, which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws adapt to their new environment and will also offer protection by the sheer numbers.