Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time filled with uncertainty and fear, Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also rife with backbiting and jealousy.
The first obstacle was getting enough birds to exchange. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs had to be matched well.
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 that are in captivity, and hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They call them their blue-eyed friends and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They describe him as a true survivor, who lost his family but was loyal to his home. They feel a strong bond to him and see their lives as being identical to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's Macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to study its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of how the species survived such a long time. It also allowed them to form a more accurate estimate of the historic numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to collect crucial information on the bird's movements throughout the day and its seasonal adaptation to drought and its food habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple, which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. This has enabled scientists understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other species of endangered parrots. It also inspired zoos and other groups to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group is an example of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can collaborate in order to conserve endangered wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian governmental officials Zoo representatives and international owners of this unique bird and ornithologists together with one common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The working group has already accomplished a great deal of work, including preparing plans for reintroducing the bird into 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 an ongoing committee to oversee the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was endangered due to the destruction of habitat and illegal poaching. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to fight tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.
A popular animated movie and two sequels have made the Spix's Macaw known to millions of people worldwide However, this is only the tip of the iceberg in the long road to bring these birds back from the brink. For a long time, a global team has been trying to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws that have been raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an indigenous species found in a tiny region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This arid area is home to flat savannah scrubland that is interspersed with galleries and streams that flow through the season. It was first described in 1819, and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To protect the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was formed. It was comprised of experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird and government officials. The group formed a collaboration 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 into their native environment in the northeast of Brazil.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 acres of prime habitat in the Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released into the wild. This will give the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws reside in trees, and are not often seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and search to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They can spend up to 1/3 of their time in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws as well as their movements local communities were recruited to become part of the field team. The community was given watches that would turn on when the Spix's Macaw was detected. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild as well as their daily actions. This approach has been extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species of the genus 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 did not find any additional birds. A reintroduction programme is currently underway to try to bring back this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of 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.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is in progress. Eight birds 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 of Blue-winged Macaws, which have been reintroduced to the same area and will assist to share information about food sources and pet macaw cost 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 movements patterns as well as seasonal adjustments to drought. It has also opened a window on the evolution of the Spix's Macaws. This can help to understand the causes that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws eat the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many 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.
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots as well as other birds are social birds and develop close bonds with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief continuous grating sound like a flute note. When they are in a breeding mode they can fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another by making a variety of squawking and screeching sounds, and like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also have a strict daily routine, from flight paths to bathing habits and can identify members of their flock. This is why they are such popular pets and targets for illegal bird trade.
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 foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since the time all known Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws that are 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 the birds that are in captivity are kept in an breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed which raises doubt about the future plans to repatriate the birds and reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their petty numbers the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit 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 part due to this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, though not at a speedy pace. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is important to choose the right birds before release. Macaws should be reproductive and paired with siblings or close relatives.
It could be difficult to get the Spix's Macaw back to the wild, however, it is essential to try. ABC and its partners have created a reserve system to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. 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 live in areas where the Spix's macaws also reside. These savvy birds will help the macaws become more familiar with the area and provide security in large numbers.