Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long time of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with resentment and jealousy.

The first challenge was obtaining enough birds for the trade. The macaws are monogamous therefore 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 after decades of poaching and habitat loss. They have a tiny population of the birds kept in captivity, and hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to them as their blue-eyed friends and compare their lives with the story of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They describe him as an authentic survivor who lost his family, but kept his faith in his region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as being similar to his, and feel a strong affinity with him.

The discovery of the last Spix's Bonnie scarlet macaw for sale offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of how this species has survived for such a long time. This also helped them form a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to gather important information about the bird's daily movements and seasonal adaptation to drought and its food habits. They even monitored attempts at reproduction with an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaws which was a crucial step in the rehabilitation of this species.

It was an amazing achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has enabled scientists to better understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird also inspired people to take action to save other parrots as well as endangered species. Zoos have also been enticed to establish their own captive breeding program for these exotic species of birds.

This working group is a good example of how conservation groups and other organizations as well as individuals can collaborate to save endangered wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian officials from government Zoo representatives, international holders of this rare bird, and ornithologists with a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.

The group has completed a great deal of work. This includes the development of plans to reintroduce the bird back to the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds for field research as well as community outreach and captive-breed birds for the reintroduction project. It also has established an ongoing committee to oversee the recovery of the bird.

Habitat

Ten years ago the Spix's Tallula indigo park mollie macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was endangered due to the destruction of habitats and poaching that was illegal. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to work tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions around the world thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. But this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long road of bringing these birds back. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and bring back Spix's macaws raised in a captive environment back into the wild.

The Spix's Macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga which is an arid region of flat savannah scrubland scattered with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. The first time it was described was in 1819, and is one of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, despite only sporadic sightings from the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and some museum specimens.

To save the declining population An international committee was established which brought together aviculturists who had the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to develop a comprehensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's to their natural habitat in northeast Brazil.

AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released into the wild. This will provide an animal that is genetically pure for the future generations.

In the wild, Spix's macaws are found in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and search for fruits, seeds, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to one third of the time in the nest.

A local community was selected as part of the field team to help identify Spix's Macaws. The community was given watches that would be activated if a Spix's Macaw is identified. This enabled them to monitor the birds in the wild and their daily activities. This method has proven successful.

Diet

The Spix's Mindy catalina macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in 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 currently underway to try to bring this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.

The northeast region of Brazil comprises about 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.

A reintroduction program is now in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's Macaws were released into the wild in June. Twelve more birds are scheduled to be released in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced and will provide information on food sources, nesting sites and places to roost.

The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this rare bird, which includes details about the patterns of movement throughout the day and the seasonal changes to drought. It also provides an insight into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw, helping to determine the causes that led to its disappearance in the wild.

Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of species 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.

Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds, and they have a close bond with their parents. They have vocalizations and often mimic other sounds and words. They have a mating cry called "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating sound similar to the note of a flutist. When they are in a breeding mode, they are known to fly fast and high.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate using screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots, they can mimic human speech. They have a very strict routine that includes routines for bathing and flight. They are also able to recognize other members of their flock. They are popular as pets and are often targeted by illegal trade in birds due to this.

In the early 1980s, just three Spix's macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the male and female unsuccessful in 1995 when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.

The few Spix's macaws in captivity are made up of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, making them susceptible to illness and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws in captivity live at a breeding centre in Germany. However this year, an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired which leaves future plans for repatriation and reintroduction into the wild in doubt.

Despite their low numbers of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws for the collector.

In part due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to increase, though not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. Selecting the right birds to release is equally important. Macaws must be in a reproductive stage, and they should be joined by one of their siblings or a close relatives.

It's not easy to bring the Spix's Mindy catalina macaw back to the wild, but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have developed reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released 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 savvy birds will help macaws to become familiar with the area, and they will provide the security of a large number.