Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long period anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also rife with backbiting and jealousy.

The first challenge was finding enough birds to exchange. The macaws were monogamous so it was crucial to ensure that the pairs were 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 loss of habitat. They have a small amount of the birds in captivity and are hoping to release them close to Curaca. They call them 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 a true survivor, who lost his family, but remained loyal to the area. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as similar to his, and feel a strong connection to him.

The discovery of the last Spix's Tallula indigo park mollie macaw provided researchers with an opportunity to study its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of why this species survived so long. This also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather important information about the bird's movements throughout the day, seasonal adjustment to drought and its food habits. They also observed reproduction attempts using an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaws, which was an important step towards the recovery of this species.

It was a remarkable feat that this bird was able to survive and thrive in the wild with such the smallest gene pool and has helped researchers understand how these birds could be returned to the wild. The survival of the bird that was killed motivated people to act to save other parrots as well as threatened species. Zoos have also been enticed to create their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.

This group is a great illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together to protect endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists with a common goal that is the recovery of this unique bird.

The group has already completed a great deal of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird to the wild. The group also raised funds for community outreach, 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 through the destruction of habitat and poaching that was illegal. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to tirelessly work to bring this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is known to millions of people all over the world due to a popular animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long-distance road to bringing these birds back. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity back into the wild.

The Spix's Macaw is an endemic 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 seasonal streams 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, few captive birds, and a handful of museum specimens.

To save the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was established. It brought together Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird, as well as officials from the government. The group forged a partnership with the world-renowned non profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws in their native environment.

AWWP has acquired and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released into the wild. This will provide the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.

In the wild, Spix's Macaws are found in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically nest in hollows or tree holes and hunt for fruits seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They can spend up to one third of the day in the nest.

To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws and 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 keycaps was detected and thereby 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 Genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was in the wake of the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000. No additional birds were observed in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction program is in the process of attempting to bring back this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.

This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws were found in hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.

A reintroduction programme is underway to re-establish a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are scheduled to be released by 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws that have been released back into the same area and will assist to share information about food sources, nesting and roosting areas.

The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this unique bird, including details on daily movement patterns and the seasonal changes to drought. It has also provided a window into the nature of the Spix's Orville macaw parrot price and helped to better determine the causes that led to its extinction in the wild.

Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, seeds and nuts of many plants native to the Caatinga biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brazil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. They may also consume the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Like all parrots like all parrots Macaws are social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic sounds and speech. They have a mating cry known as "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive noise similar to an acoustic note. When they are in a breeding mode they are known to fly fast and high.

Breeding

Spix's macaws are exceptionally intelligent and social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking, and other sounds. As with many parrots they can mimic human speech. They also have a strict routine for their day, from flights to bathing routines, and they can recognize members of their family. This is why are the glaceous macaw and hyancith macaw so alike they are so popular pets and targets for illegal bird trade.

By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds in an attempt to pair them. Since since then the Spix's macaws have been bred in captivity mostly in Brazil.

The few Spix's macaws in captivity are made up of individuals that are the descendants of just two individuals, making them susceptible to illness and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity reside in a breeding centre in Germany. However this year, an agreement between the German conservation center and Brazilian government ran out and the possibility of repatriation or the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.

Despite their shaky numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws from the collector.

As a result of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce again, although not at a great rate. Maintaining their health and generating will be crucial for reintroducing the birds back into the wild. Choosing the right birds to release is equally important. Macaws should be reproductive and paired with siblings or close relatives.

Reintroducing the Spix's chestnut fronted macaw to the wild could prove difficult, but it's essential to try. To help, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that aims to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will help macaws adapt to their new surroundings and will also ensure safety through numbers.