Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long time with worry and speculation, Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully bring a group of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with backbiting and jealousy.

The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds to exchange. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs had to be matched properly.

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 small amount of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them near Curaca. They refer to the birds as little blue companions, and compare their experience with that 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 to study the behavior of the Spix’s Macaw wild, and to better understand how this species has survived so long. This allowed researchers to determine the historical population of this rare bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able to collect important information about the bird’s daily movements, seasonal adjustment to drought and its food habits. They even monitored attempts to reproduce using an Illiger’s and Spix’s hybrid macaw pair which was a crucial step in the rehabilitation of this species.

It was a remarkable feat that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. macaw cage has allowed scientists to understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to nature. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action to save other parrots and threatened species. This has also encouraged zoos to develop their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.

This group is a good illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together to save endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps international holders of the Spix’s macaw, and ornithologists to achieve one goal in common: the recovery of this rare bird.

The group has already accomplished a lot of work. This includes the development of an approach to reintroduce this bird to the wild. The group also raised funds for community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.

Habitat

Threatened by habitat destruction and poaching, the Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to do their best to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.

The Spix’s Macaw is recognizable to millions around the globe thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. But this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long road of returning these birds. For a long time, a global team has been trying to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix’s macaws into the wild.

The Spix’s macaw is native to a small portion of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga, an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with seasonal creeks 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, a few birds that are kept in captivity and a few museum specimens.

To protect the population that is declining An international committee was created which brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining birds, as well as government officials. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop an initiative to restore the population of Spix’s Macaws back to their natural environment.

AWWP has acquired and is restoring 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, thereby providing an incredibly pure genetic source of the animals for future generations.

Spix’s Macaws are typically found in trees, and seldom seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and search in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They can spend as much as one third of the time in the nest.

To assist in tracking the Spix’s macaws as well as their movements local communities were invited 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 movements throughout the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful.

Diet

The Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the family Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys failed to find any additional birds. However, a reintroduction project is in the process of trying to bring back this critically endangered bird back to its natural home in the Caatinga.

This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil that covers about 10 percent of the country. Spix’s Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.

A reintroduction program is now in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix’s Macaw. Eight birds that were raised in captivity 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 were reintroduced into the same area and will assist to share information about food sources and nesting and roosting locations.

The reintroduction program has already collected valuable biological data about the behavior of the bird, including information about daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It also provides an insight into the natural history of the Spix’s Macaw which helps to understand what led to its disappearance in the wild.

Spix’s Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many species native to the Caatinga biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia), along with the Joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro Cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They may also consume the fruit of the palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Like all parrots like all parrots Macaws are social birds, and they have a close bond with their parents. They have vocalizations and often mimic speech and other sounds. They make a mating call called the “whichaka,” which is described as a short, repetitive grating sound similar to a flute note. When they are in a breeding mode they are known to fly high and fast.

Breeding

Spix’s Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking, and other sounds. Like many parrots, they are able to mimic human speech. They have a strict routine, which includes flight patterns and bathing habits. They also can recognize other members of their flock. This is why they are so popular pets, and also a target for the illegal bird trade.

In the early 1980s, only three Spix’s Macaws were left in the wild, all of them being poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since then, all Spix’s Macaws known have been bred in captivity – mostly in Brazil.

The Spix’s Macaws in captivity are a mixture of birds, and are the descendant of only two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at a breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal and causing doubt about future plans to repatriate the birds and reintroduce them back into the wild.

Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat out a sheikh in Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix’s macaws that weren’t part of the breeding program.

In part, due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is starting to grow, though not at a rapid rate. 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 should be of reproductive age and be paired with siblings or close relatives.

Reintroducing the Spix’s macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it is important to try. To help, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that will help to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix’s macaws that were recently released will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more prevalent in Caatinga and are found in areas where the Spix’s macaws also live. These smart birds will help macaws to become familiar with the area and will offer security in large numbers.