Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with backbiting and jealousies.
The first hurdle was to get enough birds for the trade. The macaws are monogamous therefore the pairs had to be matched properly.
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 population of the birds kept in captivity and they hope to release them into the wild near Curaca. They call the birds little blue companions, and compare their lives to the journey of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw found in the wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor who lost his family but kept his faith in his region. They feel a strong connection to him and see their lives as similar to his.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in wild, and gain a better understanding of the reasons why this species has lasted so long. This allowed researchers to estimate the historical population of this rare bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able gather important data about the bird's movements throughout the day, seasonal adjustment to drought, and its feeding habits. They also observed reproduction attempts using an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaw pair, which was an important step in the rehabilitation of this species.
It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird managed to endure and thrive in the wild with such an insufficient gene pool and has helped scientists to understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action to save other parrots and endangered species. This has also encouraged zoos to develop their own captive breeding program for these exotic bird species.
This working group is a great illustration of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can collaborate to protect endangered wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian governmental officials Zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal - the reintroduction of the Spix's macaw.
The group has already accomplished a lot of work. This includes the development of an approach to reintroduce this bird back to the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds to support field research, community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction project. It has also established a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was threatened by habitat destruction and illegal poaching. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to fight tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is known to millions around the world thanks 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. For a long time, a global team has been working 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 known as the Caatinga, an arid region of savannah scrubland that is flat, that is dotted with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is among of the least-known Neotropical parrots, with few glimpses of the wild, a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To preserve the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was formed. It brought together experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird and government officials. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organisation Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to develop a comprehensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's macaws to their natural habitat in the northeast of Brazil.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, thereby providing the genetically pure source of animals for the next generation of.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws are found in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They usually nest in tree holes or hollows and hunt for fruit seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They typically spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team in order to help track Spix's Macaws. Members of the community were provided watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw was observed, allowing them to keep track of the birds and their movements throughout the wild. This approach has proven very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is website the only species found 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, and no more birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction plan is in the process of trying to restore the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
This region in northeast Brazil covers approximately 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of 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 captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are expected to follow in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged macaws that have been reintroduced and will share information about food sources, nesting and areas to roost.
The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of the bird, including information about daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It also has opened a window on the natural history of the Macaws of Spix, which helps to understand the factors that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws eat the fruits, seeds and nuts of a variety of plants that are 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 can also eat the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots and other bird species are social birds and have close relationships with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief repeated grating sound that is like a flute note. They are often seen flying high and fast when they are in the mood to breed.
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 have a strict daily routine, from flights to bathing routines and are able to recognize members of their flock. They are adored as pets, and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the male and female defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since the time, all known Spix's macaws have been bred in captivity, mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws that are in captivity are made up of individuals who are the descendants of only two individuals, leaving them at risk of disease and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds in captivity are in an breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal, casting doubt over future plans to repatriate the birds and reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their precarious 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 for the collector.
In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce again, although not at a great rate. Maintaining their health and generating will be important to reintroducing these birds to the wild. The selection of the right birds for release is also critical. Macaws should be reproductive and be paired up with siblings or close relatives.
The return of the Spix's Macaw to the wild could prove difficult, but it's crucial to try. To help, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that aims to protect the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's Macaws who were released recently will be joined by blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga, and they live in areas where the Spix’s macaws also reside. These savvy birds will help the macaws become more used to the region, and they will provide safety in numbers.