Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period of anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with jealousies and backbiting.
The first obstacle was getting enough birds to participate in the exchange. The macaws were monogamous, therefore it was crucial to match pairs well.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the task of saving the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. This bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a few of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as little blue companions, and compare their journey to that of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They say he was as a true survivor, who lost his family, but remained loyal to the area. They feel a strong kinship to him and perceive their lives as like his.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in wild, and better understand the reasons why this species has lasted so long. Researchers were able to estimate the historical population of this rare bird more accurately. Researchers were able gather important data about the bird's daily movements and its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its feeding habits. They also monitored attempts at reproduction with an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaws which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has enabled scientists to understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to nature. The survival of the last bird motivated people to act to save other parrots and threatened species. This has also encouraged zoos to create their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds.
This group is a great example of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can collaborate to protect endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian governmental officials, zoo representatives as well as international owners of this unique bird and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of the Spix's Macaw.
The group has achieved a lot of work. This includes preparing a plan to reintroduce the bird back to the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also set up a permanent committee for the reintroduction of the bird.
Habitat
At risk due to habitat destruction and poaching The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild 10 years ago. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to fight to bring this iconic bird from the brink of extinction.
Continued 's Macaw is well-known to millions of people all over the world thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. This is just the beginning on the long road of returning these birds. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is a native species found in a tiny region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This arid region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland and is scattered with galleries and streams that flow through the season. It was described in 1819, and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, few birds that are kept in captivity and a handful of museum specimens.
To save the declining population, an international group was created. It brought together experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird and officials from the government. The group forged a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws back to their natural habitat.
AWWP has bought and is restoring 2,380 acres of prime habitat in the Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also raising and breeding birds to be released into the wild, providing an incredibly pure genetic source of animals for the next generation of.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws will live in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruit seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They may spend up to 1/3 of their time in the nest.
To aid in tracking the Spix's macaws as well as their movements, a local community was recruited to join the field team. Members of the community were provided watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw was observed, allowing 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 found in the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last known wild parrot disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys failed to find any additional birds. A reintroduction plan is in progress to try to bring back this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a part of northeast Brazil, covering approximately 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is in progress. Eight birds that were 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 Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced and will provide information on food sources, nesting sites and areas to roost.
The reintroduction programme has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of the bird, including details about the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It also provides a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw, helping to understand what led to its extinction in the wild.
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). They also eat the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws like all parrots and other birds are social birds and form close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic sounds and speech. They have a mating cry known as "whichaka," described as an incredibly short and repetitive sound similar to a flutist note. When they are in a breeding mode, they are known to fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking, and other sounds. As with many parrots they are able to mimic human speech. They have a very strict routine that includes 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 the illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s, just three Spix's macaws were left in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds as part of the hope of pairing them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws kept in captivity are a mix of individuals who are the descendants of only two individuals, making them susceptible to illness and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds that are 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 which raises doubt about the future plans to repatriate the birds and return 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 out the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws from a collector.
In part, due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is starting to grow, but not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing them to the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is important to choose the right birds prior to releasing them. The macaws need to be at a reproductive age and should be joined by an older sibling or close relatives.
It could be difficult to bring the Spix's Macaw back to the wild, but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws, which are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These savvy birds will help the macaws become more familiar with the area, and they will provide the security of a large number.